Fuel
Food is meant to nourish the body and we need food to survive and thrive while on our physical journey. I believe in choosing high quality foods that are palatable, nutrient dense, aid in satiety, promote good gut health, stabilize mood, increase energy, radiant skin, shiny hair, strong nails and bones, and healthy body weight and composition. In order to get the nutrients we need to satisfy requirements and daily needs we need to be very mindful of our choices. It is the choices we make each day that either contribute to or diminish our health and well-being. Some things to consider when making food choices:
Protein: Protein is considered the building blocks of the body. They contain amino acids which are catalysts for muscle growth, repair, and recovery. Proteins also help improve immune function, produce important enzymes, and optimize hormone levels. Whether eating plant based, vegetarian, pescatarian, or animal proteins, be sure to choose the highest quality, most humanely treated, wild, organic and non GMO sources. Awareness, intuition and intention is key in optimization of health through nutrition. Most plants, nuts, and seeds are great sources of plant based protein. With plant based eating, the body will look to the food to extract the protein and utilize it in the body. When choosing animal protein be very choosy. Grass-fed beef, bison, venison, pasture raised organic eggs, wild fish are all better examples than mass produced commercial or processed deli meats.
Fruits and Vegetables: Fruits and vegetables carry a full spectrum of important nutrients and many times contain high fiber which promotes gut health, slows glycemic effect and assists in detoxification. Wash well, choose organic-especially when eating the skin of fruits and veggies, shop local as it will carry more nutrients, and avoid canned versions of fruits/veggies-low nutrients and added preservatives, eat a combination of fibrous veggies and leafy/cruciferous vegetables throughout the day. Some of my favorite fruit choices include: Organic berries-raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, mulberries, organic apples, dark sweet organic cherries, dragon fruit, grapefruit, kiwi, organic apricots, organic plums, post workout-banana, pineapple, watermelon, peach, pear, dates, or mango. For leafy vegetables: all organic kale, bok choy spinach, romaine, arugula, mixed baby greens, butter lettuce. Fibrous/dense vegetables: All organic broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, spaghetti squash, squash, Brussels sprouts, beets, artichoke, asparagus, green beans, snow peas, peas, carrots, zucchini, peppers, onions, mushrooms, eggplant, cucumber, and pumpkin.
Complex Carbs: Carbohydrates can spare the use of protein as an energy source. 
They help promote healthy brain and nervous system function and break down into glucose. Glucose is used for energy or stored in the liver or muscles as glycogen or if those stores are full then can be stored as fat. Glycogen stores are essential for athletic performance as they serve as the energy reservoir when blood glucose levels are decreased due to high intensity exercise or inadequate carbohydrate intake. I do not believe carbs deserve the bad rap they’ve gotten, but do believe in carb cycling and choosing lower glycemic whole sources of carbs. I am not an advocate of wheat. Instead, I prefer choosing from sources such as quinoa, brown rice, yams, sweet potatoes, red potatoes, beans and lentils, and gluten-free oats.
Healthy Fats: Healthy fats are extremely important for intestinal absorption of fat soluble vitamins, heart health, and energy production. When I carb cycle, some days I’m up to 50% fats from healthy fats so my body relies on fats rather than carbs as a fuel source on those days. Fats can help aid in satiety and promote healthy looking skin, hair, and nails. Optimization of hormones also happens when ingesting healthy fats. My favorite choices include: Organic coconut oil, chia seeds, raw nuts, seeds and nut butters, raw coconut, olive oil, avocado, whole eggs and salmon (protein source but also offers some fats that are good for the brain), macadamia, flax, and avocado oil.
Supplementation: Our soil today does not provide the same nourishment as it did in the days of our ancestors therefore it is important for us to supplement our eating with proper enzymes, vitamins, minerals, and pro/prebiotics. In order to maintain a healthy weight and optimal body composition we must take in an appropriate caloric balance as well so to avoid overeating just to satisfy nutrient requirements, supplementation is essential.
Please visit my Cymbiotika Page under the Products section to learn how to supplement your nutrition and optimize your health with natures wisdom, purest formulations and most advanced delivery systems on Earth!