3 Everyday Diet Must-Haves
I always have a theme or word for each year and this year it has been, “Do and eat the way God intended.”
The devil always has substitutes for everything. He tries to substitute the Holy Spirit with drugs and alcohol, he gets people to fill themselves with the pleasures of this world instead of things of God; the same goes for food. Instead of eating real natural sugar, (pure organic maple syrup, raw honey, coconut sugar, etc- they tell you to eat “sugar-free.” When actually the chemicals that make it “sugar-free” are terrible for your body! Companies add high-fructose corn syrup to everything (which is a man-made chemical in which your body does not recognize). It then sends a signal to your brain that it’s not food, so your body shortly after gets inflamed, tries to reject it, and you remain hungry, needing to eat more because your body thinks that it didn't actually eat food or anything with nutrition.
There are a lot of things you can add in your diet today—or take out of your diet—that will provide you with more nutrition and health!
My top 3 categories:
1.) Grass-fed/pasture-raised eggs, meat, and dairy: Animals are made to roam free and eat grass, not be huddled in an enclosed area, never seeing the sun, or eating genetically modified corn. The nutritional profile for grass-fed/pasture-raised is far-superior including a larger amount of omega-3 fatty acids (less inflammatory) than commercial dairy and meat.
Milk/yogurt: the fat has the good nutrients in it- so if you do buy dairy you need grass-fed full-fat milk. I buy Maple Hill grass-fed whole milk from Walmart or Whole Foods. You also want to buy grass-fed full-fat plain yogurt for probiotic benefits. Sugar cancels out the probiotic bacteria. Add in your own honey or maple syrup for added sweetness later.
Eggs: Vitamin A is 30% higher, Vitamin E is double, Omega-3 is 2.5% higher and Omega-6 (more inflammatory- is lower). Just like how the fat in milk (and meat too) has more nutrients, most - to all of the nutrients found in eggs are found in the yolks. So you need to eat the whole egg.
Fun facts on pasture-raised: (not cage-free; pasture-raised means they are outside, free to roam and they eat what they are intended to eat).
“There’s a reason an egg comes with a yolk, after all.”
2.) Omega 3s + healthy fats and oils: There are Omega 3s and Omega 6s. Most people’s diets, unfortunately, contain low amounts of Omega 3s (which contain anti-inflammatory properties) and contain high amounts of omega-6 fatty acids (from processed vegetable oils, etc. which are inflammatory and wreak havoc on your bodies and immune systems). Fats are good for you if you are using the right ones.
Good oils and fats: You want to stick with organic cold-pressed unrefined extra-virgin olive oil, organic cold-pressed unrefined coconut oil, grass-fed butter or ghee (clarified butter), and pure cold-pressed avocado oil. Even pure animal fat from grass-fed or pasture-raised animals has a variety of health benefits as well. Notice the oils that are pure, not processed or changed by human hands are the ones that are good for your body.
Fun fact: when you pair vegetables with high-quality fat (from above) the nutrients are better absorbed in your body. Also, when you pair fruit with fat (like a handful of raw almonds or almond/cashew butter) your blood sugar will not spike as quickly.
Lastly, some good fats you should include in your daily diet are nuts. Make sure they are organic (not sprayed) and they are raw (not cooked in inflammatory oils). I get mine at Trader Joe’s (they are the best deal)!
3.) Iron+Zinc (Chia/hemp/flax seeds): Iron and Zinc (along with Vitamin D) are essential to our immune systems. Zinc is the second most abundant trace mineral in our bodies, after iron. It is essential, and our bodies do not naturally produce it. We can only obtain it through what we eat. It helps with digestion, reproductive health (male and female), metabolism, skin/hair health, brain health and so much more. We know that Iron is vital as well and our bodies need it for growth and development, especially for those carrying babies. Your body uses iron to make hemoglobin—a protein in your red blood cells that carry oxygen from your lungs to other parts of your body.
Sources of iron to add in daily: organic/pasture-raised meats like beef, lamb, beans, lentils, nuts, chia seeds, flax seeds, hemp seeds, nutritional yeast/brewers yeast, whole organic wheat (I like to bake with pure einkorn flour), organic oats, etc.
Fun fact: For better iron absorption, combine your iron with vitamin C. Add fresh lemon juice or raw red-bell peppers to your lentils or meat.
Sources of zinc: Pumpkin seeds, avocados (also a great source of healthy fat), almonds, walnuts, pine-nuts (taste great added on pasta), hemp seeds, and spinach (also high in iron); just to name a few.
The bottom line, we need to eat real food, not processed fake food that companies try to tell us is healthy. We need to consume real organic meat (from animals that are treated well) and eat food that they are intended to eat.
“The godly care for their animals, but the wicked are always cruel.”
We need to eat a variety of real fruits and veggies (because God gave us these things to fuel, heal, and restore our bodies.) King Solomon, in all his God-given wisdom, had daily food requirements, in 1 Kings 4:22 which included “pasture-fed cattle” and it talks about in verse 24 that when his kingdoms were prospering they had their own home and a garden in their own home. Lastly, in that chapter, it says, “ He could speak with authority about all kinds of plants…” and,” kings from every nation sent their ambassadors to listen to the wisdom of Solomon.” I can’t speak for him, but I am sure he knew about all the health benefits of plants and food. I can see God’s wisdom and glory every single day when I cook with spices he has created or when I learn about all the health benefits of berries, veggies, herbs, and fruit. It is truly amazing!
The Bible says wisdom was there when He created the world, and God created food for us to live long healthy lives. Yes, God is our healer, but He also gave us everything we need to fuel and thrive in our bodies. If we just used wisdom and ate real, whole food and not processed, fake food we would avoid most of the illnesses that you see in people. People underestimate the effect food has on their bodies. You look up the nutritional profile on a variety of fruits, veggies, and herbs, and my mind is blown because God created them to do things for our bodies for a reason!
We need to not be ignorant of the fact that the world, especially in America (because if you look at ingredient lists on the same food in other countries, it doesn't contain that same fake sugar, high amounts of sugar, chemicals, and dyes like in the food here), wants us to stay just sick enough that we spend money on pills and hospital bills, living with no energy and not living our best lives so that we don't fulfill the call God has for us.
Wake up and take care of the temple God has given to you so that one day the Lord can say to you, “Well done my good and faithful servant.”