Let’s be honest, we have all gone through different phases of throughout this pandemic.
We started off great, eating healthy, home workouts, banana bread making, and our big night out was garden bingo or the Zoom family quiz night (remember them?)
This was great craic, sure it was only meant to be for a couple of weeks, right?
Wrong!
As more announcements were made and restrictions were increased, it threw new fear and stress into our world and we found ourselves ditching the workouts for a lie in.
Banana bread has long been traded in for a big crusty white sourdough, smothered in butter and family zoom quiz nights was only tolerable with a bucket of Gin and copious amounts of salty snacks.
(Some of us garden bingo participants are still lying low, from incidents of a few too many and telling Mrs. (nosey) Jones next door what we really thought of her)
We’re trying our best to get used to the “new norm”, we are “holding on”, masking our fears with mantras like “were in this together” and we cant ignore the fact that “now more than ever” our belly is bulging, our jeans wont close, our energy is fading and were feeling overall blah!
As phases, are getting delayed and we still feel a bit in limbo of when it will all end, it is hard to try and get into a healthier eating pattern. The more pressure we put on ourselves, the harder it becomes. So why not take it slow and try some of Humblegut’s steps, to ease into making a few healthier habits?
Remember to focus more on adding good stuff in, rather than cutting whole food groups out.
Eat your vegetables
August is a great month for a huge range of seasonal vegetables, giving us no excuse not to eat a rainbow of colourful foods. Each colour represents different nutritious elements. Orange vegetables, for example, contain beta-carotene, which is converted in our bodies into vitamin A. Green vegetables are rich in iron and folic acid.
Give vegetables the main role on your plate, accompanying each portion with a protein. Aim to eat 2-3 cups of veg throughout the day and you are sure to feel the difference.
Not a big fan of veg? Struggling to get the kids to eat them? Try blending them into soups and sauces e.g. puree carrots and blend them into Bolognese sauce.
Sick of buying loads of veg in the big shop, only for them to go out of date?
Try tinned or frozen. Both are packaged immediate after harvest, which helps contains their many nutrients. Just check the label in case the manufacturer has added salt, sugar, or additives.
Eat healthy fats
Good fats help lower your cholesterol level by lowering our “bad” cholesterol (LDL) and increasing our “good” cholesterol (HDL)
So how can you include them in your diet?
Oily fish contain unsaturated fats, so are an excellent choice for a healthy heart. Try adding a fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, herring, or sardines 2-3 times a week. These fish are an excellent choice for lunches or light bites. Smoked salmon is a perfect breakfast option.
Avocados are a perfect source of unsaturated fats. It is so delicious in salads, guacamole or simply on toast.
A handful of unsalted nuts every day can be a great afternoon snack. You can eat them over salads, pasta, stews or just as a snack.
For a healthy individual seeking a balanced diet, then 30% of daily caloric requirements should come from healthy fat. Fat is a source of energy, vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E and essential fatty acids (such as omega 3 and omega 6).
Stay Hydrated
An adult needs 1.5-2 litres of fluids every day, and the best thirst quencher is of course water. The good news: you can always keep it interesting by adding slices of strawberries, oranges, lemon, cucumber etc
Eat mindfully and cook homemade meals
Healthy eating is not only what you eat but also how you eat it. Whenever possible eat at the table, avoid eating on the go or in front of the TV. Make each meal a pleasurable experience, where you can concentrate on the taste, texture, and smell of your delicious food.
Take your time. Pause briefly between bites; this will not only make eating a better experience but also kick-start the digestion process.
Chew carefully. Depending on the texture of the food it can take up to 30 chews to properly chew your food. Take smaller mouthfuls. This will increase the taste stimuli in your mouth. Don’t take a new spoonful unless the previous one has been swallowed.
Avoid distractions during the meal. Put your phone away and enjoy what is on your plate and be aware of your portion size.
Cook a meal yourself as much as possible.
Make soluble and freeze in portions for a handy meal when you’re too tired to cook. When you cook yourself, you know exactly what is on your plate and you avoid processed foods. If using jars or tins, be aware of any additional ingredients; they usually contain a lot of salt, sugar, and preservatives. A sauce or herb mixture is easy to make yourself, therefore natural and healthier than shop alternatives.
Introduce a non-meat day
Eating meat-free for one day a week will have positive effects on yourself and the environment, by avoiding meat 1 day per week, you can save about 7% of the share of the greenhouse effect. Fortunately, there are many tasty ways to replace meat.
Vegetarian dishes do not contain meat, fish, poultry, and no animal by-products such as gelatine and animal fat. Vegan dishes do not contain any animal products at all as well as no dairy and eggs.
There are many other plant-based proteins sources such as grains and legumes and introducing these can have a positive affect on our gut health. Try a chickpea curry (email me for a free recipe)
Reinvent breakfast and lunch
Eat smart. Swap the toast and sandwiches for more varied meals. By keeping variety in your diet, you get a bigger selection of nutrients. You’ll also never get bored.
What does a good breakfast consist of? Fibre-rich carbohydrates (wholegrain cereals, fruit, vegetables), protein (Natural yogurt, cheese, egg) and good fats (avocado, nuts, seeds).
Bread isn’t out, just keep it to a minimum and check the labels for good quality ingredients, rather than a host of additives and preservatives.
Get more vegetables in your diet by opting for a salad, add in some raw vegetables, like grated carrot or broccoli heads, some legumes and nuts and you have a salad ready in no time.
Avoid hidden ingredients
Many products contain hidden sugar and salt without you noticing, which means you might consume more of it than the recommended amounts. With these tips, you can prevent that.
Sugar, like starch and fibre, is a carbohydrate. We receive from 40% to 70% of our energy from carbs. But what we do not need at all are added sugars such as those in soft drinks or coffee.
Our body does not need salt but does need sodium, a mineral that is found in salt. But careful, as too much sodium causes high blood pressure.
Cutting down is merely a matter of getting used to less sugar and salt. If you start eating less salty foods for a while and skip the sugar in your coffee, you will be surprised how quickly your taste buds get used to it.
It is not always easy to read the label to see how much added sugar a product contains. That is because there are dozens of different names for different types of sugar. You can unmask most of them by looking for words that end with -ose, -syrup, -honey, or -nectar. These are the most common sugars: corn syrup, fructose, galactose, glucose, lactose, maltose, sucrose, agave nectar.
A glass of freshly squeezed orange juice is perceived to be healthy, but unfortunately, as it contains a lot of vitamin C, but ne glass (250 ml) contains about 30 grams of sugar- one glass is over the recommended daily amount of sugar!
Himalayan salt, sea salt or Celtic salt. No matter how special and healthy it sounds, salt is salt. Different types of salt may contain besides sodium, minerals such as magnesium and calcium.
The finer the salt, the better you taste it, and the less you need to use.
Check the label for the levels of salt and use this guide.
Low-Less that .3g per 100g
Medium- between 0.3-1.5
High-more than 1.5g per 100g