Hi there lovelies! In honor of National Nutrition Month, I decided to take a quick minute to send you a couple of resources on diet and nutrition coming straight from our governmental agency and end with some *healthspirations* to get your food spending in alignment with your belief systems.
Keep in mind that our government is bought an paid for by big industries such as the beef, dairy and cheese, but they have made some progress in the right directions... They are advocating for more veggies on our plates and have come up with some useful recourses in how to incorporate more vegetables into our diet.
The link above highlights cooking at home, planning ahead for meals, eating a rainbow of colors, and considering frozen vegetables to manage cost. I can agree with all of this and hopefully it serves as a quick reminder to grab an extra veggie in the ROYGBIV spectrum to add in some additional nutrients to your diet. Variety is KEY!
Outside of the USDA's "My Plate" recommendations, I actually endorse the Harvard Plate to a much larger extent. Check the link below to see the differences between the Harvard Plate and the .gov My Plate:
My favorite differences lie in Harvard's designation of
- "healthy protein" versus "protein": Our government fails to mention that red meat and processed meats are harmful to health. I know all of you saw that the WHO came out and said sausage causes cancer [and you weren't surprised by this].
- MyPlate doesn't mention anything about fat and Harvard Plate at least suggests limiting butter and avoiding trans-fats.
- Harvard recommends drinking water instead of milk! YAASSSSS
- Harvard stresses the importance of exercise. MyPlate doesn't get into addressing activity which is clearly an important component to a healthy body and mind.
While I advocate for a whole foods, plant-based diet, it is important that you take the time to discover what is best for YOU and your mind/body health. I would encourage you to be more mindful about what you are putting in your body and begin by questioning where it comes from, and do company standards meet your ethical standards?
This includes everything from where you buy your food (grocery stores and restaurants) to if their leadership adheres to business practices you are in alignment with.
At the end of the day: MONEY TALKS and you should be putting every-single-one of your hard earned dollars towards people and organizations who act in a manner you support. We are so fortunate to have so many choices when it comes to purchasing our goods so use that privilege wisely!
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*Healthspiration*: You are only one small choice away from grabbing a healthy fruit or vegetable instead of cheap and processed junk food.
*Opportunity Discovery*: Consider where you buy your food and if that establishment supports ethical business practices that are in alignment with your belief system. If not, find a place who does and give them your hard-earned $$$.
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Wishing you happiness and healthfulness on your journey. *lovelighthealth*
XXXOOO,
Lorna
