What is Holistic Nutrition REALLY? Tammra's Tips

Food, in it's whole form, is and has always been intended to nourish and naturally balance and cleanse the body ... what isn't mentioned in most articles or even education in school, about "eating healthy", is that most of our foods these days are lacking serious nutrition due to the pollution in our environment as well as being picked early, travel time, irradiation, GMO's, chemical fertilization and all of the "cides" (which actually means "death").

Organic foods will always be a much better choice but not everyone can afford them. What I did when I first learned about organic foods in 1993, is I removed processed and high fat foods, take out coffee and food from my weekly ways of doing things and I have saved enough to buy organic foods. I realized that nothing else in my life would be enjoyable if I wasn't healthy, so the switch was easier than I thought. I also noticed my cravings for sweets went way down. 

Even thought I have always been an advocate for supplementing with superfood & herbal juices, liquids, powders and capsules that have no pollutants in them and are tested for moulds, metals, pesticides, fungicides and bacteria, I also believe that food choices and even more so, our relationship with food is even more important. When it comes to supplements,  we want to look for fair-trade, ethical and delicate harvesting and processing methods as well. Making healthier food choices will start the detoxification process and bring our bodies into more a more alkaline state, then, we can begin a more therapeutic approach to supplementation. 

I truly believe that one can achieve decent health through eating clean vegetables, fruits, ethically sourced meat, therapeutic measures including therapeutic nutrition, deep, cellular, juicing / fasting  as well as reducing stress through somatic movements, stretching and rest and living as close to the land as possible. 

Excess or heavy exercise is actually a major stressor and could age the body more quickly, so athletes need twice as many antioxidants than the average person and adaptogenic herbs to keep the adrenals in check. Nutritional cleansing / juicing / fasting could help the athlete tremendously by providing quicker recovery and more oxygen to the lungs. 

Of course, this is just my point of view and I can honestly say I have seen too many people struggle for way too long thinking that exercise and crash diets is all they need and never see very good results ... yet when my clients follow a holistic and healthy eating strategy and add in the therapeutic measures above, they see excellent results and they rarely, if ever, experience the rebound (unless they have addictions or trauma - which is really something we have to address through other methods like NLP). 

Tammra's Holistic Nutritionist Tips:

Mindset:

• Be thankful for every morsel of food whether it's "good for you" or not. Even though I am an advocate for clean foods and supplements, I am always grateful just to have food and water period. This simple mindset can change your health dramatically. If you aren't feeling happy about what is going in your mouth then you are sending a signal to your subconscious mind to reject it...  
• Make changes slowly and go one step at a time, especially if you don't have someone working with you
• Find friends to start getting healthy with and help each other to make wise choices... call someone when you are feeling challenged or find a good coach 
• Eat mindfully when possible (not while on your computer, phone or in front of the TV) and take time to breathe and chew while eating
• Let go of all of your dieting RULES and labels - this is not a way to live 
• Don't label yourself as a "Vegan" or a "Paleo". Unknowingly are putting yourself in a box and trust me, people won't invite you over for dinner or out for anything for that matter - TRUST ME- I KNOW this all too well
• Stop saying "I can't have ___", or "I don't eat __" again... it's your choice, and always has been your choice, of what to put in your mouth but honestly, people don't need you to announce it every 15 minutes (Yes, this was me... and I annoyed the crap out of all of my friends) - if they notice and ask, then go ahead and try not to do it at the dinner table 
• In fact, stop DIETING all together (did you notice it has the word "die" in it) - life is for living, enjoying, indulging and then cleansing - to me, it's about living a holistic lifestyle and it will change often through different periods of life
• Listen to your intuition, if you KNOW it's not good for you (like pure sugar), then listen to the wisdom of your body in that moment (maybe ask what the  craving represents and do something to fill the craving in a healthy way) - if you are feeling strong and healthy and you are celebrating, go for it
• Give yourself treats (never, ever call it "cheating") and love every minute of it (yes, it sounds contradictory but if you never have treats in your life - well honestly- what's the point then?)
• Life has cycles, therefore your daily lifestyle has cycles, honouring the seasons, the rhythm and even how we age - will be the key to your most healthy life!  
• Have a conversation with your pain and / or your addictions - try writing a letter to the body part or the addiction  (1 page long) - then flip the page and write a letter back from that "part" of yourself. I use this tool a lot in my workshops and with my clients with very good feedback and incredible insight

Groceries + eating tips:  

• Buy foods that are in season
• Buy from your farmer's markets or foods that are grown locally and be sure to ask about farming methods
• Buy or grow your foods from organic / non-gmo seeds if possible
• Eat fruit and other sweet foods well before your meal or wait at least an hour, two if possible, afterwards (the sugar will interfere with digestion and putrefy the food still present in your digestive tract) 
• Avoid gulping down water or milk during the meal- this will dilute the enzymes needed to digest your food. Leaving the food undigested in your digestive tract could cause problems over time. Also, don't drink too much water - as it could dilute vital minerals needed in the body (however, drink 1 Litre of water per 50lbs a day - BUT take a pinch of Sea Salt at least 3 times a day or with each 8 ounce glass)
• Chew your food. Yep, sounds obvious but you'd be surprised how many people chew once or twice and then swallow! Chewing allows the foods to start digestion right there in your mouth, making it easier for your body to breakdown and absorb as it goes through your GI tract. It also means you are slowing down and hey, while you'r at it- be grateful for the food
• Soak and sprout your seeds, nuts, grains and legumes overnight or until sprouted (in filtered water if possible) use immediately for easiest digestion and absorption of nutrients. Invest in a dehydrator (or use your oven on low) and have healthy, sprouted, digestible, foods all year around. Most seeds, nuts, grains and legumes have an enzyme inhibitor or blocker making it nearly impossible to digest or absorb nutrients properly, hence, the gas you may be experiencing from these foods when eaten. If your gut and liver aren't working as well you might to consider some juicing to get things cleared out and rebalance sodium / potassium as well as magnesium / calcium and even copper

Supplements, powders, liquids and capsules / tablets: 

• Look for ethically traded and sourced
• Look for raw and / or cold press extraction 
• Look for tested or even triple tested for purity 
• ABOVE organic standards - call the company to learn more about their sources
• Look for real testimonials (not models or actors) - ask around
• Look for formulations with enzymes and minerals- without these 2 co-factors, the body will have a less than easy time digesting and absorbing nutrients- especially if your body is imbalanced 
• Look for science and research

Resourcefully Yours, Tammra