Starting with Veggies – How Clean Eating Heals Starting with Veggies – How Clean Eating Heals

Starting with Veggies – How Clean Eating Heals

I have a hunch you will agree: far too many of us are digging our own graves with too much fat, salt and calorie-laden food with limited nutritional value when what we need are simple, whole foods with the power to heal - locally grown, minimally processed, fresh food.

Unfortunately, we’ve forgotten what it means to eat fresh, local food with ingredients we can pronounce.  Go down the middle aisles of any “big box” grocery store and you’ll see shelf after shelf of highly processed food that may be super quick to prepare but can wreak havoc on our bodies.

The truth: All those fatty, calorie-rich foods you love so much are causing free radical damage to your cells. A steady stream of sugar, salt and fat is linked to a host of chronic and/or life threatening disorders.  People with a nutrient-poor diet are much more likely to develop diabetes, heart disease and cancer but study after study has shown that a diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables, has the power to help protect us, reduce our risk of disease and increase our quality of life.

Vegetables are chock full of nutrients that help protect our cells - antioxidants like Vitamins A, C and E, iron, potassium, magnesium and calcium just to name a few. My favorite way to practice clean eating and get the most bang for my buck is by consuming copious amounts of dark, leafy greens like collards, kale, spinach and Swiss chard. Greens are nutritional super stars and natural detoxifiers that support a healthy liver, help purify the blood, reduce inflammation and provide amazing energy, no caffeine needed.  And greens can put a whammy on pesky, never- ending sugar cravings.  Start eating more greens and your desire for sweets will wane and I bet you won’t even miss them.

How do you get started? Crowd out the less than healthy, processed food in your diet by adding in more fresh vegetables.  And by that I don’t mean you should do a 180 degree turn, giving up everything you enjoy and becoming a vegetarian but you can make small but simple changes that can dramatically improve your health over time. Creating a healthier lifestyle is not nearly as hard as you think - here are a couple of ideas to get you started:

-          Add dark leafy green vegetables like collard greens to your favorite soup or stew

-          Make a salad of fresh greens and other veggies you love on the weekend so it’s readily available during the week

-          Juice your way to better health.  Juicing fresh fruits and vegetables like kale, celery, cucumber and apple make the nutrients easily absorbable by your cells.  Want some motivation to start juicing? Take a look at the trailer for Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead, one man’s journey to overcome his chronic condition and transform his health. It’s an inspiring story that can’t help but resonate with you. 

What can you do today or this week to reclaim your health and start practicing clean eating? It all starts with one simple, yet compelling change, to get you on the road to better health.

Wendy Battles, The Clean Eating Coach, is a nutritionist, author and speaker who teaches busy men and women in midlife how to ditch all the processed food and reclaim their health, one stalk of kale at a time. Visit her at www.dontworrygethealthy.com to learn more and receive her free offering, 10 Tips to Improve Your Health Today!