Healthy Eating
Patterns
So,
here we are in the post New Year haze of too much eating and drinking
considering the coming year ahead of us, personally I like to think of these
feast times as necessary – our gut bacteria must have a ball!
Thankfully
there are seasons to eat, drink and make merry, and there are spaces in between
to eat normally just as there are times it is best to fast and let our
digestive systems empty out, rest and repair.
Many
of us are busy getting back to our usual meals and portions right about now and
feeling all the better for it. A new year is a great time to create better ways
of feeding ourselves, as always, small changes pay large dividends diet wise.
However,
I know for myself, making the transition back to healthy eating after
indulgence was always a struggle. I am hearing from people already about how
difficult it is to switch off from the 2 weeks of feasting and get back into a
normal pattern.
It
has got me thinking, exactly what is a healthy eating pattern and why are so
many people struggling with food the way it is presented and the typical diet
as we have come to believe it should be.
I
remember sharing the way I eat with some of my professional colleagues a couple of years ago, only to
be shot down and nearly shouted down – so outrageous was my suggestion. For
myself. I was only referring to myself in the conversation, yet there was such
a fearful response as if they couldn’t run fast enough to get away from what I
was saying.
I
have been thinking about it ever since.
Many
of you know that a few years ago, I had spent several years intermittent
fasting and found a much more suitable approach to food for myself and my
family. A lot of change came from that time for me, certainly the least of
which had to do with food.
It
also set me thinking, exactly what is a healthy eating pattern and why are so
many people struggling with food the way it is presented and the 'typical diet', the way we are informed is a normal way to eat, doesn’t appear to fit with health?
I
mean, the only ones who are to gain from all of us eating 3 meals and 3 snacks
a day are the multi national food producers. And of course the illness industry
because all of that food is making us sick. We are eating too much, too often, mostly of the same things.
Enough
already, you are thinking – what way do you eat?
So,
I eat one meal a day and once a month I fast for 3 days on juice.
Typically,
every day I prepare one meal, unless it’s my birthday or a special occasion or
a holiday. Even this past holiday season, we generally ate one large
celebratory meal a day, but had snacks or late desserts because it was a special
time with special treats.
There
was NO big transition back to normal eating. And there hasn’t been when I am
eating this way, because I still have the one meal in the middle of the day
(give or take). I can eat what I want, as much as I want and have dessert at
the end, if I want.
The
only difference after Christmas is the really rich desserts and late evening
snacks are gone, but so are the late nights – so my routines are back to normal
as well.
I
have been eating this way for about 2 ½ years and here is what I have found;
I
tend to eat less than I would if I was eating 3 meals a day.
I
have more energy, as less time is spent digesting food.
I
sleep better, because I eat earlier in the day.
I
get far more done!
Cooking
is simple – one 4 course meal a day, everyone pitches in.
Incorporating
a 3 day juice fast is very easy.
Adding
in exercise is easier, because my tummy isn’t full am or pm.
I
eat a wider variety of foods.
For
quite some time I have been talking to anyone who will listen, about the way we have been trained to eat, because it has seemed to be all wrong, at least for many of us. If 3 meals
and 3 snacks a day suit you and you feel fantastic eating that way – wonderful!
However,
if I ate breakfast, I would be snacking all evening. If I skipped breakfast, no
snacking and not as hungry the rest of the day, that was my absolute first clue
that the three meals a day thingy was no good for me.
It
was only a few days ago that I realized I remember being vegan, eating
extremely healthfully (no sugar, no gluten) and feeling tired after my main
meal, back then I was eating 3 meals a day. Now, I can jump up from my dinner
with the same energy as my children and run up to the gardens to get some work
in before it gets dark.
Eating
this way has made a huge difference to my health, my lifestyle and my time.
Todays’
meal was all prepared by me in ½ hour to 45 minutes except oven time (I had the
sourdough started in the early morning)
Sourdough
pizza topped with artichoke pate, mushrooms, red onion, goats cheese, Bonita tuna
& olives
Brown
rice cooked with cinnamon & turmeric with stir fry vegetables of beans,
carrots, onions, fennel, broccoli, mushrooms and fish
Sourdough
toast with peanut butter & jam
Kombucha
to drink & sesame honey almond treats for dessert.
There
was enough for everyone with loads left over for another meal tomorrow. This meal fed 5 people today - everyone had seconds.
If you find your digestion is over burdened with too much food, perhaps skipping a meal now and then might be the way to get started towards a healthier new you.
April
