Snow Farms Holistic Wellness

If you read my blog post on Tuesday, this is the information that I promised you about the essential foods that you need to include in each meal for optimal health. *Note: some foods might not agree with you, just listen to your body and take notes about how it reacts. One of my clients recently questioned the amount of protein he was eating- he figured that the 50-60 grams a day of protein was enough when in fact he actually needed to DOUBLE that amount!

Anyhow, today I will be talking with you about the 5 Key Elements that you should be considering in each meal that you eat throughout the day: fiber, probiotics, antioxidants, protein, and omega-3 fatty acids! So let’s dive in and learn a little about why each one is key for your health and wellness along with examples of each to help you get started. If you can stock your kitchen/pantry with 5-6 items from each of these categories, you should be eating enough of the awesome foods that will lead you to have super healthy cells, you will be metabolically sound, and have pretty amazing over-all health!

Fiber is something that I always think of being stirred in water to make a cloudy slurry that one downs during an episode of the Golden Girls! In fact, fiber can be found in many different sources and is super important because it stays big and bulky which makes you feel fuller longer. It helps decrease cancer and heart disease as well as increases healthy bacteria in your gut and is full of antioxidants. Excellent sources of fiber include beans, lentils, nuts, chia seeds, flax seeds, avocadoes, and whole grains are optional depending on personal preference. Some people have metabolic or digestive issues with whole grains, especially since most of the whole grains are spread with loads of chemicals and grown in poor soil.

A great source of probiotics helps the body in many ways, but it is especially useful in keeping our gut microbiome healthy which keeps our entire body and mind healthy! Did you know that 70% of the body’s immune system is found in the gut? Have you noticed that you are getting sick more than the average 2-3 times per year? If so, you might want to start including these foods into your meals: kimchi, sauerkraut, kvass, and miso. They also help with mental health, fatigue along with metabolism and fat storage, too.

Antioxidants have already been mentioned but they are warrior-strong as these foods seek out free radicals that damage cells and DNA. They also protect against the damage that is caused by oxidation. The best source of antioxidants come from plants. Some awesome sources for antioxidants are: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, herbs and spices, and even cocoa. Some veggies will need cooked, some will need added fat to help with the digestion and mineral intake as well.

Proteins, the building blocks of the body, have many different functions in the body including: fluid balance, build structural materials, are a source of essential enzymes, help with acid-base balance, help with transportation throughout our body, are a source of antibodies, provide energy and healthy glucose. Whew . . . I am tired just thinking of all the different things that protein does! There are some important things that one needs to know about protein: animal proteins always contain essential amino acids which means that they are a complete protein while plant proteins are less digestible, less available to the body which make them incomplete proteins. Grass-fed, grass raised meat is your best option, but organic is pretty good, and any meat is better than none! Some excellent sources of protein are beef, chicken, turkey, pork, rabbit, deer, fish, eggs, shellfish, diary, and spirulina. The general amount to shoot for would be 30 grams of protein at each meal, but again this also depends on the person!

Bringing up the rear are omega-3 fatty acids! In the simplest terms, omega-3s are fats that are amazing for the heart. They also help your body’s cell function properly along with providing a healthy source of energy and helping support numerous systems in the body. It is better to source this from foods rather than pills if you aren’t a fan of fish which is one of the easiest ways to intake omega-3 fatty acids! Other foods to keep on hand include ground flaxseed, walnuts, and edamame.

I hope that this leaves you thinking about the types of foods that you eat on the daily and what you can do to improve on. Let me know in the comments below what is one area that you know you are not eating enough of . . .

Talk to you soon!