Have you seen the newest Canada’s Food Guide?!
I honestly feel like we are taking a step back and in SUCH a good way!!! I remember when I was a child, mom baked anything she could, both my parents enjoyed cooking real food (and still do) and we regularly had family dinners (still do). This is something I feel our “busy world” has lost touch with. So many people are concerned with being here, there and everywhere, keeping up with this and that or perhaps more common making excuses of why they “don’t have time” to make real food or that eating healthy is so expensive so they choose “convenience” an option that requires much less thought and unfortunately with junk food prices sometimes less cost as well!
So many children are growing up with expecting immediate gratification… drive thru’s, vending machines, electronic devices etc… when they dont get it they get upset. It’s about shifting our thinking, for parents and children.
Personally, I am LOVING our new Canada’s Food Guide! Putting emphasis on eating REAL food, mindful eating, cooking meals in your home, enjoying your food – actually tasting it, enjoy food with others, look at labels, limiting sodium, sugar and saturated fats, and be aware of food marketing.
As our children enjoy being in the kitchen the marketing thing is something we’ve talked about lately… especially how hard the processed foods and high sugar drinks are pushed! One way to shift this is seeing something packaged and brainstorming to find a healthier version of it that we could make at home, which also cuts down on package waste as well. Something we are also becoming much more mindful of!
Nutrition is a big part of being healthy. Much like toxins and chemicals in our cleaning, beauty and over the medical products there are many toxins and “bad stuff” in processed foods. Its truly a slippery slope. One our family fell into quite a few times buying boxed processed foods to have “just in case” or for “busy” nights… That’s a crock!
Honestly. YOU have the ultimate choice and you DO have the time you need… you just may need to prepare ahead of time or think outside of the box!
I am SO happy to say we haven’t bought a box of “chicken fingers” since January 2017… I remember this because it’s when I did my cleanse. A huge turning point for our family! Now when we have chicken fingers they are home made and it’s a fun evening in the kitchen!!!
We love adding flavour to our foods with our essential oils and low sodium spice mixes! I’ve even found with some commercial spice mixes I have reactions to various ingredients so I’m mindful what comes into the house! With PCOS it is related to Diabetes so I also have to be aware of sugar intake as well. Brain health is also a key factor in our home and one we consider with all our meals and drinks!
Its SO worth it!!! Healthy IS simple!!!
The other thing I’ve noticed… when you eat healthy and hydrate properly with water… you actually end up eating less! 👊
It’s also very important to eat for YOUR health. Everyone’s bodies are different. Personally I cannot eat any reheated starches… potatoes, rice, pasta… now that I know and understand this, I plan accordingly! Last night we had sausages from our local butcher with veggies, salad and left over potatoes. I used to be very upset with my body for “doing this to me”… but in reality its provided me a much more mindful way of living, eating and meal planning for myself and my family! So they enjoyed the potatoes and I had more veggies and salad!
Plus… just because you are eating healthy doesn’t mean you cannot eat out at restaurants anymore! You just choose to be mindful and conscious about where and what you choose to eat! Perhaps choosing a local restaurant vs fast food or a healthier fast food option if that is your choice! It’s also about everything in moderation! I do still eat take out, however its selective, as healthy as possible and I prepare. One way I do that is by using my health supplements to support my digestion. It’s taken me years to get my gut to where it is healthy now, it’s not something I take for granted anymore!
Check out the new guide below! I am a big fan!
From the globe and mail…
This version has caught up with scientific evidence on diet and health. Here’s why.
Easy to understand. The guide’s dietary recommendations aren’t complicated. Eat a variety of healthy foods each day. Have plenty of fruits and vegetables. Eat protein foods. Choose whole-grain foods. Make water your drink of choice.
Whole foods, not nutrients. The Food Guide now directs people to whole foods, and has done away with recommending a certain number of daily food-group servings to meet nutrient needs (e.g., calcium from dairy, iron from meat).
No more focus on meat. The decision to replace nutrient-based food groups with groupings of foods (e.g., protein foods versus “Meat and Alternatives”) has removed the emphasis on meat.
Advice on highly processed foods. The revised guide recommends that we don’t eat processed or prepared foods and beverages on a regular basis, to avoid consuming too much added sugar, sodium and saturated fat.
Includes advice on how to eat. Over the past several decades, the way we purchase and prepare foods has dramatically changed. We eat more meals away from home, we spend less time cooking and we eat too many processed, packaged foods.
For the first time, Canada’s Food Guide strongly makes the important point that “healthy eating is more than the foods you eat.” It’s also about the context in which we eat.
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