7 gut-conscious tips to eat clean everyday
Clean eating comes in many forms, through the plethora of information on food and wellness. Thankfully, real clean eating is simple, practical and possible for everyone. Below are 7 gut-conscious tips to eat clean everyday.
The idea is to ultimately eat as many wholesome foods as you can. Plants are power and contribute to a healthy gut microbiome and too much of some other good things (such as salt) in your diet can cause issues down the line. It's important to find the right balance, and make sure that your body is nourished properly from top to bottom with all the nutrients it needs to function.
Many diets on the market these days will advocate for cutting out entire food groups to lose weight. Juice diets are also a go-to for many people who just need to lose that last stubborn 5kgs. These are not necessarily good! Read our blogs on yo-yo dieting and why diets don't work for more.
1. Eat more fruits and vegetables
It's a fact that many of us struggle to get as many fruits and vegetables into our bodies as we need each day. We may have a slice of toast with eggs for breakfast and a sandwich for lunch, neglecting the food our bodies most need, which is plants. Try to eat some fruits and vegetables with every meal throughout the day. You'll be surprised at how much more energy you get from simply increasing your veg intake! Fruits and vegetables are amazing sources of gut-loving fibre and other important nutrients.
2. Avoid processed foods
Processed foods are not designed with your well-being, energy, and vitality in mind. We've written a blog on why processed foods are so bad, it's alarming that we call certain factory-produced chemicals, food!
Avoid processed foods as much as you can. They are endocrine (hormone) disruptors and cause long and short-term health complications. They cause your gut to become sluggish and mess with your immune system. Highly processed foods contain ingredients like preservatives, colourants, flavourings, and textures to make the foods more appealing. None of these are good for balancing blood sugar or hormones, and they aren't conducive to a healthy gut.
Read our tips for avoiding toxins in your daily diet
3. Read food labels carefully
Many foods we eat have hidden ingredients in them, and often these ingredients are chemical, food-like substances. Do you know those ready-made, convenience foods? Well, many of those are packed with a long list of unhealthy and toxic substances including preservatives and additives. Rather spend some time batch cooking your favourite meals and then freeze them for another day. When you're in a hurry and need to pull something out, then you have your own healthier, ready-made meals to enjoy.
4. Eat wholesome foods
The biggest tip we can ever give you is to eat real food - from the soil to your plate. Consider eating more whole grains such as brown rice, quinoa, and oats. Not only are these foods incredible for your gut, but they provide your body with wholesome nutrition and energy. Try to avoid the whites, white sugars, and white flour. Stick to wholewheat and browns.
5. Watch out for salt (sodium) and added sugars
Real, clean foods are naturally low in sugar and salt. When processed foods are made, the added sugar and salt ingredients cause consumers to crave them more. Keep a close eye on foods that contain too much sodium and skip the added sugar foods altogether if you can. To make your food more exciting try to use more herbs and spices. Salt enhances the flavour of foods, but too much of a good thing can become a bad thing. Fruits have a natural amount of sugar in them, so if you are craving something sweet, rather go for an apple, some dates, or papaya.
6. Drink enough water daily
Water is phenomenal for your health as it contains the essential vitamins and minerals that your body needs to survive. Water is also a great way to flush out unwanted toxins that might be moving through your system. If you drink enough water, your body naturally does well.
7. Limit alcohol and caffeine intake
Alcohol, caffeine, and other stimulants might be enjoyable, but your body can only handle them in the right proportions. Alcohol is not amazing for your gut health, so stick to natural beverages and only have a limited amount. Having 7 cups of coffee a day might get you through some seriously long meetings or boost your energy throughout the day, but if you need coffee so much, you might be needing to eat more food! Have one or two good cups of coffee or caffeine tea per day and then swap over to some of the other teas on the market. Herbal teas have wonderful benefits too, as long as you get the real thing.
Choose wellness every day
At the end of the day, you get to choose your cost. Either, you eat foods that will cost you vitality, energy, and a healthy hormone makeup or you choose to enjoy the satisfaction of instant (and short-lived) gratification. Choose wellness, choose life, and take practical steps to improve your vitality.
If you're stuck, take a look at some of our previous blog posts. There's a lot of simple and practical information to help you on your journey to vitality. You can also sign up for one of the YOUnique Life courses.
