What you can do for yourself – part 3 of 10

Eat more greens and less sugar. What we put into our body determines how we look and feel. Unfortunately, the majority of people in the U.S. eat the Standard American Diet (SAD), which consists of many highly processed foods that are also high in sugar, fat, “bad” carbs, and even transfats. It’s easy. It’s cheap. It’s quick. And, it’s mindless. So, the SAD works for all reasons except our health. Here’s something to consider, what if you made just one healthy change in your diet for 2 or 3 weeks? Replace a current poor eating habit with a good one. The main way you can do this is by making a change in the food you are eating. You can also change the environment around you meals. Here are some things to consider:

For the new mindful eater (if you are not very mindful of your eating habits and have few or no good eating habits):

• Replace one bad eating habit with a good one: eat an apple instead of a candy bar; choose spinach over French fries; choose raw ice cream (made with nuts, young thai coconuts, and agave) over standard ice cream
• Replace candy bars with all natural bars (no sugar, but good tasting) like Lara Bars or Greens Plus.
• Make a commitment to only eat when you are sitting down. Or, if you already only eat in a seated position, change something else about the environment where you eat. For example, don’t eat in the car, don’t eat in front of the television, don’t eat out of “to go” cartons – put your food on plates or serving trays. All of these activities can create a more relaxed and mindful environment for eating and digesting.

For the experienced mindful eater (if you are mindful of your eating habits and have already incorporated good habits):

• Eat dark leafy greens at least twice a day
• Drink vegetable juice a few times a week
• Eat organic and local whenever possible
• Use only natural sweeteners like stevia, agave and yacon
• Eat little or no meat