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I've probably said this before, but I'll say it again. Think of your body as a bouncing blob of water. Your job is to clean out the toxins, while not letting new toxins in. Sounds simple, right? Think again.
Toxins may make their way into your body through water (not just drinking but also bathing), air, and food. Each area of potential toxins needs to be considered. When I go shopping for food, there are a couple of things I try to keep in mind (though I could be better...especially at avoiding potato chips). So, here are some pieces of what I try to keep in mind as I go to the grocery store.
1) Stick to the outside aisles- I try to limit the items I get from the inner shelves of a super market. Vegetables, fruit, and meats are usually to the outside. Things on the inner shelves are meant to last and more likely to have preservatives.
2) Buy green produce- I try to get greens every time I go to the grocery. If you have access to a farmers' market, get good fruit and veggies there (in Africa I would go to the market in downtown Arusha). Organic makes sense if you are eating the skin (for example, organic bananas make less sense as you take off the peelings anyhow). A recent study showed strawberries as having up to sixteen types of pesticides on the skin.
3)Read the labels- If you cannot pronounce the contents on a food label, it is best avoided. Look for any sign of heavy metals (such as aluminum). Keep in mind you want only the best for your body.
4) Create a shopping list before you go...and stick to it!- Make your shopping list on a full stomach. Recheck based on foods you are certain will benefit your health. Stick to your list and do not stray.
I could use input from someone who really knows nutrition. The trip to a typical grocery store feels like a treasure hunt. I'd like to believe I do a great job. I know I could do better (especially avoiding the chips). Good luck on your search.
Good advice on how to navigate in a store. My thinking on organic is whether or not we are eating the skin, the toxins have bee used and are now in the environment so I get the bananas too. And I grow a garden. Which foods will help us most?
ReplyDeleteJohn Hopkins recently posted an anti-cancer lifestyle involving in part diet. They recommend as part of their diet, "A diet made of 80% fresh vegetables and juice, whole
ReplyDeletegrains, seeds, nuts and a little fruits help put the body into an alkaline environment. About 20% can be from cooked food including beans. Fresh vegetable juices provide live enzymes that are easily absorbed and reach down to cellular levels within 15 minutes to nourish and enhance growth of healthy cells. To obtain live enzymes for building healthy cells try and drink fresh vegetable juice (most vegetables including bean sprouts) and eat some raw vegetables 2 or 3 times a day. Enzymes are destroyed at temperatures of 104 degrees F (40 degrees C).." There is more to this approach and it sounds like a healthy approach to eating.