1. Eat as Nature Intended

Real food is good for you. Our bodies do not know how to process ready-made frozen meals with artificial preservatives and chemicals. Eat more ‘living’ foods and less ‘dead’ food.

2. Choose Organic

Organic foods contain more vitamins and minerals, particularly if they have been picked ripe and are locally grown. Organic fruit and vegetables have not been sprayed with chemical fertilisers, pesticides and GMO’s.

3. Use a Juicer or Blender

Whipping up a quick smoothie or juice is easy and can be loaded with quickly absorbable nutrients – vitamins, minerals and enzymes.

4. Limit Gluten-Containing Grains

Gluten found in wheat, rye, barley,oats and spelt can cause inflammation or immune reactions when consume in large quantities. Choose buckwheat, quinoa, millet, corn and amaranth as suitable gluten-free grains.

5. Avoid Processed Sugary Foods

Too much refined sugar/carbohydrates (breads, pastas, lollies, pastries atc) lead to blood sugar highs and lows, resulting in mood swings, food cravings and must be balanced by fats and proteins.

6. Eat Good Fats

Good fats and cholesterol are esential for the absorption of most nutrients and for hormone production. Enjoy the healthy saturated fats in coconut oil, wild fish, organic dairy, eggs, grass fed meats. Adding olive oil, macadamia nuts and avocado’s are great monounsaturated fats.

7. Prepare Your Meals with Care

Ditch the microwave. Eat more raw foods, that have not been damaged by heat. Use coconut oil, ghee, rice bran oil or organic butter when cooking.

8. Start with a Green Salad

Before you rmain meal, starting with your leafy green salad,to optimise nutrition intake and to get your digestion going properly. Try romaine, arugula, cabbage, kale along with fresh herbs like mint, parsley, cilantro, dill or chives.

9. Read Labels

Avoid E numbers and note that MSG is often disguised under the names E621, monosodium glutamate, glutamic acid, hydrolyzed vegetable oil, yeast extract, autolyse yeast, sodium casienate and monocalcium glutamate. I suggest avoiding letters and numbers in food, in general.

10. Eat in a Relaxed State

Our digestive system is very sensitive. Rushing or ‘eating on the run’ puts our bodies in a state of flight or fright (adrenalin), cutting off assimilation of nutrients into our bodies! When food is not digested properly it ferments – resulting in bloating and getting fat. Enjoy your meal times.

This information is adapted from www.hungryforchange.tv and from the book Hungry For Change pp44-48

Dr. Jonathan Baker is available for Nutrition Medicine consultations utilising Gene Profiling to maximise your health.