If you are a woman, and if you have been pregnant, you will get this. When a tiny, helpless fetus is growing inside your body, it gives one pause. As it should! It makes a person think more carefully about everything that is going into the body, and ultimately, into that baby's body. There are strong mechanisms which make a woman begin to despise even the smell of coffee, which under any other circumstances would smell like the elixir of the Gods. Cigarette smoke, overcooked broccoli, and crack cocaine also begin to lose their appeal.
But my point today is that we could all stand to be this picky all the time! Sure, a pregnant woman is obviously a goddess who should treat her body like a temple. But so should the rest of us. If we did, there would be a HECK of a lot less disease in this country.
So consider your next meal. Do you really want to load your body up with deep fried balls of something processed so vigorously it no longer even vaguely resembles its original form? Do you want french fried something to be your only choice of vegetable? Do you want to eat another meal where the only colors present are brown and beige, with a bubbly, sugar laden beverage on the side?
No! The answer is no! You do not!
For your next meal, consider some brightly colored foods instead. The darker the colors in a food, the more antioxidants present. Stuff like dark green leafy veggies (kale, collards, spinach, mustard greens, watercress, etc.) are among the most nutritious, healthiest stuff we can eat. Dark red fruits and veggies (tomatoes, watermelon, strawberries, raspberries, beets) are delicious, naturally sweet, and healthy. Orange foods (carrots, pumpkin, squash, sweet potatoes) are high in beta-carotine and also naturally sweet. Drink your antioxidants in the form of unsweetened black tea, green tea, chai, coffee, and herbal teas.
Instead of bland and boring meals, make a rainbow on your plate. Try for at least 3 colors per meal. And mix it up! Challenge your tastebuds. Discover new flavors from around the world. Since you are what you eat, be unpredictable and exciting! Don't be beige! Give it a shot. Let me know what happens.
But my point today is that we could all stand to be this picky all the time! Sure, a pregnant woman is obviously a goddess who should treat her body like a temple. But so should the rest of us. If we did, there would be a HECK of a lot less disease in this country.
So consider your next meal. Do you really want to load your body up with deep fried balls of something processed so vigorously it no longer even vaguely resembles its original form? Do you want french fried something to be your only choice of vegetable? Do you want to eat another meal where the only colors present are brown and beige, with a bubbly, sugar laden beverage on the side?
No! The answer is no! You do not!
For your next meal, consider some brightly colored foods instead. The darker the colors in a food, the more antioxidants present. Stuff like dark green leafy veggies (kale, collards, spinach, mustard greens, watercress, etc.) are among the most nutritious, healthiest stuff we can eat. Dark red fruits and veggies (tomatoes, watermelon, strawberries, raspberries, beets) are delicious, naturally sweet, and healthy. Orange foods (carrots, pumpkin, squash, sweet potatoes) are high in beta-carotine and also naturally sweet. Drink your antioxidants in the form of unsweetened black tea, green tea, chai, coffee, and herbal teas.
Instead of bland and boring meals, make a rainbow on your plate. Try for at least 3 colors per meal. And mix it up! Challenge your tastebuds. Discover new flavors from around the world. Since you are what you eat, be unpredictable and exciting! Don't be beige! Give it a shot. Let me know what happens.
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