Crowding out!
Crowding out is the idea that instead of taking foods out of your diet or telling yourself that you can't have certain food that may be unhealthy, you add in foods that pack a nutritional punch.
No one wants to feel restricted! Try to have at least half of your plate taken up with vegetables or base your meal around vegetables. Fibrous vegetables take up more space in your stomach, making you feel full and leave less room for foods that may be unhealthy. Most of us could eat more vegetables and we know it!
If you aren't a big vegetable eater, it can be easier to start with sweet vegetables. Almost everyone craves sweets. Rather than depending on processed sugar to satisfy your cravings, add naturally sweet foods to your diet to satisfy your cravings.
Sweet vegetables soothe the internal organs of the body and energize the mind.
And because many of these vegetables are root vegetables, they’re energetically grounding, which helps to balance out the spaciness some people feel after eating other kinds of sweet foods. Adding in sweet vegetables helps to crowd out less healthy food in the diet.
Examples of sweet vegetables are corn, carrots, onions, beets, winter squashes, sweet potatoes, and yams.
Turnips, parsnips and rutabagas are examples of semi-sweet vegetables. Red radishes, daikon, green cabbage and burdock don’t taste sweet but have a similar effect on the body in that they maintain blood sugar levels, reduce sweet cravings and break down animal foods in the body. Easy Roasted Veggie Recipe
Ingredients
Any of the sweet vegetables listed above. Directions
Glorious Greens
Green vegetables are the most commonly missing food in modern diets.
Learning to incorporate dark leafy greens into the diet is essential to establishing a healthy body and immune system. Leafy greens are also high alkaline foods. Alkaline minerals in our bodies neutralize acidic conditions caused by the environment. Green vegetables help to replenish our alkaline mineral stores and filter out pollutants.
In Chinese medicine, green is related to the liver, emotional stability, and creativity.
Nutritionally, greens are very high in calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, phosphorous, zinc, and vitamins A, C, E, and K. They are loaded with fiber, folic acid, chlorophyll, and many other micronutrients and phytochemicals.
Other benefits of consuming dark leafy greens include:
Experiment with greens
There are a wide variety of greens available year-round, so explore options that you can enjoy and eat often.
If you get bored with your favorites, be adventurous and try new greens you’ve never tried before. Common options include bok choy, napa cabbage, kale, collards, watercress, mustard greens, broccoli rabe, and dandelion. Arugula, endive, chicory, lettuce, mesclun, and wild greens are generally eaten raw, but can be consumed in any creative way you enjoy. Spinach, Swiss chard and beet greens are best eaten in moderation because they are high in oxalic acid, which inhibits the absorption of the calcium in these foods.
Rotate a variety of fresh greens into your diet to achieve the maximum benefits.
My favorite way to eat greens is to sauté them in olive or avocado oil with garlic, salt, and pepper. I also like to throw them in my morning smoothie!
Roasted Kale chips are a favorite in our family.
Simply wash and de-stem the kale, tear into medium pieces, toss in olive oil and salt, and roast in the oven at about 375 degrees F until they are crispy. Yumm!
Try to eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables, starting today.
Fruits tend to be easier to eat than veggies (especially in the summer), so try to emphasize the vegetables. You can try having the focus of your meals be vegetables. At your bigger meal of the day, try to have at least half of your plate filled with vegetables and eat them first! Another way to increase your veggies is to add them to a smoothie. It's easy to throw in a handful of spinach or other greens. Try having a plate of carrots and celery sticks and/or other vegetables sitting on the table for snacking. The key is to have vegetables easily available when you get hungry. What's Your Favorite Way to Eat Your Veggies? Share in the comments below, especially if you have a favorite recipe!Don't forget to share with your friends!!!Take three days and focus on you! Click below to get your free three day Mind, Body, and Spirit Program!
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Click below to join my FREE Facebook Group-
Women's Wellness Circle: Create Your Extraordinary Life AuthorHi, I’m Crystal! If you'd like to access my Farmer's Market Friday posts from 2018, click here!
Categories
All
|