Five Good Things to Add to Your Diet Now

One of the concepts I have learned since I started studying at IIN is the concept of Bio-individuality. Every person's body is unique and different, and that is why some people are allergic to certain things and others are not. It's also why there is no one right diet for everyone. Some people can eat lots of protein and fat and very few carbs, and feel great. Others may need more carbs and less protein. But there are general guidelines that are pretty much good for everyone across the board. I would like to share five things you can add to your diet now to help you feel healthy, happy and full of energy.

1. ANTIOXIDANTS

Antioxidants boost your immune system, reduce damage caused by free-radicals and help prevent heart disease, macular degeneration, diabetes and cancer. Good sources of antioxidants are brightly colored fruits and veggies, nuts, fish and whole grains.

2. OMEGA 3 FATS

Omega 3's improve brain function, promote healthy vascular function and help prevent alzheimer's and depression. Omega 3 fats can be found in flaxseeds, walnuts, squash, and soybeans. I like taking a fish oil supplement in capsule form just to make sure I am getting enough. 1 to 3 grams per day is good for most of us.

3. FIBER

Fiber aids digestion, rids the body of built up waste products and helps you maintain or lose weight by keeping you feeling full longer. Good sources of fiber are oatmeal, whole grains, dry beans, raw fruits and raw vegetables.

4. OLIVE OIL

This wonderful fat promotes healthy skin and hair, lowers bad cholesterol, and helps reduce the risk of skin and breast cancers. Saute your favorite fresh veggies in 1 Tbsp. of olive oil for the perfect daily dose.

5. MULTI-VITAMIN

It is nearly impossible to get all the vitamins and minerals your body needs to be healthy from food sources alone. Take a high quality multi-vitamin daily, and if you are a woman who is still menstruating, take a vitamin with added iron. Iron supplements will help your body produce new red blood cells to replace those you've lost.

Next week: Five foods to avoid!!

Chinese Coleslaw

In my quest to add more vegetables into our family diet, I ordered a Bountiful Basket on Saturday. In my order was a lovely head of cabbage. I never buy cabbage, as I am the only one in my family who even likes it. But there it was, and I felt obligated to do something with it. So I got online and looked up some recipes that had cabbage in them, and this is the one I settled on. I made it tonight to go with our pulled pork sandwiches, and it turned out really great! David even ate two large helpings, and he has had a lifelong aversion to coleslaw. The reason I chose this recipe was because it's not a traditional coleslaw, but instead has a lighter, vinaigrette dressing. The best part of all is it only has 45 calories per 1 cup serving!

(The recipe is written the way that I modified it)

Ingredients:

5 cups chopped cabbage

1 cup finely chopped carrots

1/2 cup sliced green onions

1 can sliced water chestnuts, drained

Dressing:

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tsp. sesame oil

2 Tbsp. raw sugar

1/2 tsp. sea salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar

1 Tbsp. organic tamari (gluten free soy sauce)

Directions:

Toss all vegetables to combine. In a small bowl, whisk dressing ingredients. Pour dressing over cabbage mixture; toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours before serving; toss again before serving.