I always make a New Year’s Resolution that involves health. After all, what is more valuable than good health? Nothing! Without good health, quality of life decreases and makes not only the person involved sad and perhaps depressed, but also the person’s loved ones. To me, the most important decisions are those involving health. If you are concerned about your health it follows that a new year resolution would involve taking an action to achieve better health. Here are ten actions to take to start you on the road to better health. There is always room for improvement!
Get Over the Learning Curve
When changing eating habits there is a learning curve that has to be addressed. It takes some effort to change patterns of behavior around eating, buying and preparing food. You have to get over the hurdle of habit and think about doing things a new way. I assure you that we all have faced those hurdles. I can say that once you get over it, it becomes much easier. But you have to make the effort to execute your plan!
10 Specific Actions to Take
Here are 10 specific actions (in no obligatory order) you can take to get you over the hurdle. You may not be able to do all of them, but even if you start with just one or two, you will be taking a giant leap towards improving your health.
Replace all Vegetables Oils
Replace all vegetable oils (including margarine) with healthy animal fats such as butter, ghee, lard and tallow from pastured animals. For vegetables oils use only coconut oil, organic extra virgin olive oil or sesame oil. (Learn the truth about fats here and here and cholesterol).
Replace Refined White Sugar
Replace all refined white sugar with natural sweeteners such as raw honey, maple syrup, molasses, stevia, sucanat, rappadura (these last two are forms of unrefined cane sugar which contain minerals). Use sweeteners sparingly. There is a clear association between sugar and cancer.
Eat Truly Nutrient Dense Foods From Pasture Raised Animals
Eat more truly nutrient dense foods such as pastured eggs, pastured beef, fish roe and organ meats like liver.
Eat Fermented Foods
Learn how to prepare fermented foods and drinks like yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, Kombucha, etc., in order to provide your body with beneficial bacteria.
Consume Bone Broths
Learn how to prepare more healing foods such as bone broths. (Get some recipes for beef bone broth and chicken broth here). Read why store bought beef and chicken stocks are not nutritious at all.
Make Your Own Condiments
Learn how to make homemade condiments such as mayonnaise and salad dressing. Use high quality organic oils (as listed above) whenever you can.
Remove Soy Products
Remove all soy products from your diet unless they are fermented (like real fermented soy sauce or natto) and use sparingly.
Eat Salt
Eat salt. Use a good sea salt. Your digestion and your adrenal glands will love you for it!
Take Cod Liver Oil
Take your cod liver oil. Grandma was right.
Go Grain -Free
If you have persistent health problems you should consider removing all grain and starch products from your diet. Read about the SCD, GAPS, Paleo or Primal diets to see if this rings true for you. Check out my e-course, Go Grain-Free which will provide you with videos and recipes that follow a grain-free diet.
Make a goal each month to incorporate at least one of the suggestions into a plan. It works better to tackle one new action at a time.
- Where to buy high quality cooking oils
- Where to buy natural sweeteners
- Where to buy fermentation starter cultures
- Where to buy cultured vegetables
- Where to buy ready made, high quality bone broths
- Where to buy grassfed meats
- Where to buy wild fish
- Where to buy sea salt and other spices
- Where to buy coconut products
- Where to buy cod liver oil
- Where to buy Go Grain-Free E-Course
For more information about traditional diets and real food check out the Weston Price Foundation website.
Find a local chapter and get involved! Local chapters are great sources for local products and buying directly from a farmer.
This post is shared at: Fresh Bites Friday, Freaky Friday. Monday Mania, Hearth & Soul Hop, Mommy Club, Seasonal Celebration, Healthy 2Day, Real Food Wednesday
Photo Credit
One question: you didn’t mention coconut sugar crystals among the sweeteners, any reason for that?
