Eat, Drink, and be Winter
What is the one thing that reminds you most of winter? For one person it could be their favorite holiday recipe, or for another it could be when they finally get to wear their snow boots, it really is different for everyone. Having occupied the winter holiday in the southern hemisphere, where the months of December, January, February, and March are spent lingering in the hot sun or at the beach, winter is summer, but for folks in the northern hemisphere it feels a bit different. Here in the northern world, the winter solstice begins on December 21st 2021 and ends on March 20th 2022, with colder temps and less sun. This time of year is synonymous with holidays and gatherings, but not everyone can easily get in the mood. It is important to fuel your body, stay hydrated, be well rested, and get sunshine when you can. This could mean reaching for comfort food, like my best banana bread recipe, drinking hot tea, and settling in with loved ones or a furry friend. The point is, amidst all the hustle and bustle of “tis the season” take time for yourself, work on your complete health, and you might find yourself with increased spirit to spare. When you are ready to toast the festivities, try my Holiday French 75 recipe, put on your favorite music, dance, and enjoy this celebratory time of year! I am excited to break down my pick for an easy winter recipe that is sure to warm the cockles or rather “muscles” of your heart.
What are mussels?
When you spell them with a double “s”, as in seafood, they refer to those edible mollusks with two hinged shells known as bivalves. They can be found in salt water or fresh water (naiads) and filter their food from the water they habitat, such as algae, bacteria, and other small organic particles. They cannot see, make sound, and can live for decades, yet they move very slowly by a muscled (“sc”) foot. It has been found that they have been used for food for 20,000 years and cultivated for the last 700 years,
Mussels as food
Mussels are currently in peak season in North America from October to March. Eating shellfish in the colder months, or months with “R” in them stems from the fact that in warmer months there are toxic levels of algae and bacteria in the waters, and shellfish spawn in the summer, so leaving them alone helps to repopulate the supply. Modern farming methods regulate and monitor for toxins, so you might see them available year-round, however eating in season keeps them at their peak taste and is better for the environment. They can be eaten cooked or raw (there are risks that should be noted when eating them raw, as they are filter feeders that consume bacteria and toxins, and cooking can destroy those contaminants). Most of the mussels we eat are the blue variety that can come from natural and farmed waters. They are full of high-quality protein, containing all the essential amino acids, and the protein in mussels is easy to digest. They are a good source of selenium, vitamin B12, zinc, folic acid, iron, calcium, and omega-3 fatty acids, and give you lots of nutrition without a lot of calories.
Preparing Mussels
When purchasing mussels, look for bright, clean, closed, and unbroken shells. They should smell fresh and briny but not fishy. It is best to buy them the day that you are going to eat them, however they can be stored in the bottom of the refrigerator in a breathable bag and glass bowl, covered with a damp cloth for a day or two until ready to use. Scrub the mussels with a stiff brush under cold running water, removing any barnacles and beards. Discard any mussels that do not close with a hard tap. Rinse the mussels in cold water to expel any sand or dirt. Cook the mussels according to your recipe of choice, like my Citrus Steamed Mussels below, and immediately remove any shells that have not opened after cooking.
Check out my free downloadable “Mussels Guide” here:
What are Winter Flavors?
December holds onto some of the fall harvest as well as winter crop with broccoli, brussels sprouts, butternut squash, cauliflower, collards, celery root, fennel, leeks, potatoes, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, and turnips, as well as cranberries, kiwi fruit, oranges, pomegranates, and tangerines. For meat lovers, duck, goose, quail, rabbit, and venison are in season as well as shellfish such as clams, crab, mussels, oysters, and scallops.
In January we add kale and grapefruit to the same December flavors above.
February is identical to January, only omitting cranberries, pomegranates, duck, and goose.
In March we start to see blood oranges, and pineapple, omitting quail, rabbit, venison, oysters, and scallops, for peak seasonal eating.
Winter Kitchen
Maybe we are driven to eat more in the winter months by primitive impulses or maybe it is because there is more opportunity to feast, scientists are still speculating, but I would like to think of winter as a time to make memories and build on experiences. It is best not to deprive yourself of the foods you love. Instead make time to cook, savor, and enjoy everything during these winter months. This is a time to break out that family recipe or eat someone else’s family recipe, make happy out of the holidays, and keep the heat in the kitchen. I think I said Autumn spice is nice, but winter warmth is cozier!
Winter in my kitchen means baking and hosting, but the morning hours are for me alone. Early morning darkness is my solitude, a place where I can drink my morning latte in peace and scroll through my e-mails, daily plans, or break a sweat before the world awakes, or in my case, before I must pry my teenagers out of bed. Try my Best Banana Bread recipe which goes perfect with any “cuppa” in the morning. Lunches are packed the night before with leftovers, sandwiches, or soups, and plenty of peel and eat citrus, so good this time of year! I have the easiest dinner recipe if you are looking for something different for your winter table. Steamed citrus mussels combine the freshness of shellfish with winter citrus fruit, fennel bulb, and some of that leftover wine, to make your mouth have a good time!
It’s Only Cold If You Are Standing Still
Are you less active in the winter months? Just like our tendencies of comfort eating in the winter, some of us tend to hibernate when its cold outside. I used to live up near Canada, right on Lake Ontario, where the snow snows snow. I coached a running group every Saturday morning. Starting at 7:30am I would hand out the running routes and everyone would run their distances. One blizzardly Saturday morning, in single digit temps, I rolled over in bed, and said to my husband, “No one is going to show up today.” He basically pushed me out the door, and you no what, they showed up. Moral of the story is that accountability shows up even when the weather holds you up.
Being active outdoors in the winter months should not be any more difficult than in other seasons. In fact, it is easier to exercise in cooler temperatures. Research puts ideal running/training temps between 40-60 degrees F. The body tends to overheat less, without sweating as much in ideal temps, but your heart is still working hard to keep your body warm. It’s also important expose yourself to some sunlight in the winter months to help with inadequate vitamin D synthesis and to balance mental health. Here are a few tips to stay active and comfortable when moving outdoors in the winter.
Check the weather before heading outdoors. Watch out for extreme temps and conditions. Come prepared with gear and dress accordingly.
Know the signs of frostbite (numbness, loss of feeling, or a stinging sensation) and hypothermia (intense shivering, slurred speech, loss of coordination, and fatigue).
Cover your head, hands, feet, and ears, doubling up with a dry wicking thin liner, and a wool or fleece outer layer.
Layer your body, again with the dry water wicking thin bottom layer and a thicker wool or fleece outer layer to keep the core temperatures in check, peeling back or adding layers as needed.
Don’t forget to protect your skin with sunscreen and chapstick.
Drink plenty of fluids. It’s harder to notice dehydration in colder weather but you are breathing heavy, still sweating, and the air is dryer, so it’s important to drink water before, during, and after your outdoor winter workouts.
So how can you stay active in winter when all you want to do is crawl back in bed? It’s easy to put off your new routine until the new year, but who wants routine when you can have a variety of ways to stay active in the winter months. Every little bit of activity adds up, so get up and get moving, indoors or out, and enjoy these fun ways to stay warm by moving your body.
Connect with a local fitness group, find an exercise partner, or play an indoor sport. These are great ways to be held accountable for showing up.
Seek out an indoor heated pool. Swimming is great for all ages and provides both resistance and cardio training, plus it keeps you from being a fish out of water.
Winter is a great time to exercise indoors. A simple home gym can consist of some resistance bands, a mat, and your favorite music. Dancing in front of the mirror works too!
Sign up for something challenging. Set your sights on spring, by training in the winter. Maybe you have always wanted to complete a 5K, or a triathlon. Winter is the perfect time to make the move.
Let it snow, play, repeat. From walking to sledding and skiing, there are many ways to play in the snow. Snow can enhance all your senses and boost your mood. No snow in your area? Take your favorite activity outside and enjoy that winter day!
With less sunlight, colder temperatures, and whether you are socializing more, or less, winter can make you feel like you are skating on thin ice. It’s important to rest, boost your mood with foods high in vitamin D, go outside every day, and surround yourself with support. Let this season be fun and the reason for all things good and warm!
XO,
Colleen
Watch me sleigh all day @colleencompletehealth
Falling Into Place
The seasons never change quite as beautifully as they do in fall. No matter where you live in the northern hemisphere, fall elicits a sneaking suspicion on your senses, a breeze on your arm, a woody scent through your nose, or the taste of spice on your tongue. This year the autumn equinox falls on September 22nd and lasts through December 21st, with the forecast calling for peak leaf viewing sometime in October. Fall is a time to ramp up that school spirit, jump at that touchdown, gather for the Holidays (Halloween and Thanksgiving are my favorite!), blow some steam with a hot beverage, layer with sweater weather, and yes make sure you don’t turn into a pumpkin, which might be hard after you try my homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte! I have gathered my favorite fall flavors to create something sweet for you all and if picking a squash has you confused, my winter squash guide will clear the air.
What is Squash?
Summer squash yields to winter squash in the fall. Common summer varieties are zucchini, yellow squash, and pattypan. Common winter varieties are acorn, butternut, spaghetti, and pumpkin. Squash or Cucurbita in Latin, is a broad term for all these varieties with many seeds, belonging to the gourd family and classified as fruits, but usually served and referred to as vegetables. Long before humans, the ancestral species of Cucurbita were native to the land. Modern day species are cultivated all over the world. They can be eaten in many ways, but differences in how the skins are eaten are what separates the summer from the winter squash. Summer squash is harvested with unmatured, tender skin, and winter squash is harvested in late summer through fall with less tender mature skin.
There are many ways to prepare winter squash, a la broil, bake, or roast, and fall is the perfect time to turn on the oven. Look for winter squash that is firm, without any bruises, and has a dry stem. Whole uncut squash should be kept in a dry cool spot and not washed until ready to use. The good news is that whole squash, if stored properly, will last up to a month before use. Roasting and baking your winter squashes are excellent ways to impart that nutty sweet flavor on their tender flesh. Boiling and microwaving also work if you are looking for a quick way to make it fork tender. Don’t forget to scoop out those seeds before cooking, and if you are inclined to eat those seeds, scoop, sort, wash, dry, season, and roast them in the oven.
I have created a fall guide to winter squashes, breaking down the differences from Acorn to Turban.
Check out my free downloadable winter squash guide:
What are Fall Flavors?
Starting in September we see corn, bell peppers, eggplant, garlic, cauliflower, carrots, artichokes, beets, maincrop potatoes, radishes, sweet potatoes, wild mushrooms, almonds, apples, chestnuts, cranberries, limes, pears, plums, pomegranate, raspberries, and tomatoes.
Then in October we add broccolini, brussels sprouts, butternut squash, celery root, chard, fennel, leeks, parsnips, pumpkin, and spinach, to all the fruit above, along with duck, lamb, rabbit, and venison. Shellfish like mussels and clams begin to pop in markets now.
November brings collards, rutabaga, sunchoke, turnips, persimmon, pomegranate, tamarillo, and tangerines. Quail, crab, oysters, and scallops too.
December holds on to those root vegetables and shellfish, adding cranberries, kiwi fruit, citrus and oranges, and those nutty mache leaves. Did someone say duck, duck, goose?
Fall Kitchen
It’s easy to fall for fall, just don’t let it slip away. This season truly unites intention with flavor, as we move away from the laissez-faire style of summer cooking, or not cooking, to a more formal method. Family recipes, comfort food, and gatherings bring out the best of autumn, and the fall harvest offers plenty of bounty to enjoy. Autumn spice is nice…..cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, and cumin make regular appearances in my kitchen this time of year and there are so many foods that scream fall, like apple, cranberry, pears, Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes (check out my Bacon Chipotle Mashed Sweet Potatoes recipe), squash, and yes PUMPKIN! If you are not into pumpkin that is ok, it’s easy to feel like an outsider with pumpkin infiltrating everything porous, and just for that reason I decided to feature a recipe with one of my all-time favorite fall flavors, maple! If you are into pumpkin, I’ve got you covered too, with my no added sugar, pumpkin spice latte or misto, and you don’t need a fancy espresso machine to make this one. Coffee and fall go hand in hand, and I readily start my day with a hot latte and the latest news in my robe before the family wakes up. Oatmeal, granola bowls, or egg and muffin sandwiches are staples for breakfast, and lunch is filled soups, paninis, or hearty grain salads. Dinner, well, anything goes, hello comfort food, which is really anything that you like to eat.
Check out the recipes here:
Fall Back into Fitness
Honestly, when is a good time to start moving your body? I say anytime, any day, any week, or any month, which is why starting in the new year may not be working for you, so why not start now? With cooler temps outside, fall brings just enough reprieve to head outdoors, and what a perk if you can catch the scent of a wood burning fire with just enough chill on your skin while out there. Not only is this time of year perfect for meeting up with friends but adding to your movement tribe can provide encouragement and energy to keep you going. Summers dominate the morning movement hour, but in the fall I like to find pockets of movement throughout the day. Yes 15 minutes here and 15 minutes there still add up to 30 minutes. We all get busy in the fall and sometimes not finding time is the biggest complaint for skipping out on adult recess, which is why I compiled a list of 15-minute (or really any amount of time) fun fall fitness activities below. So pumpkin or no pumpkin, make sure you eat a variety of foods, hydrate, and unplug, to create some space for falling back into fitness.
Bring back the after-dinner walk, even if it’s just around the block. The crisp cool air is the perfect time to walk around your neighborhood to clear your mind and help with digestion.
Fall is great time to learn something new! Have you wanted to try ballroom dancing or kickboxing? How about pickle ball or ultimate frisbee?
Have you ever tried walking meditation or a walking meeting? These ideas take traditional seated positions and elevate them to another level.
Apple picking and corn mazes sound better than leaf raking, but all 3 activities can get your heart rate up.
Move while watching a movie. Utilize that tv commercial break and get off the couch. Each break adds up. Stretching while watching a movie or tv show keeps your muscles from getting stiff and your circulation flowing.
Just when your schedule starts to fill up, make sure to create daily movement time, pencil it in if you must, and remember it doesn’t have to take up an hour or a half hour even. All foods provide energy, and with holidays right around the corner, savor your favorite foods by slowing down and enjoying your meal, keeping your device greater than an arm’s length away. And if you just are not finding your groove, at least find your breath, it will be there for you when time is not on your side.
P.S. I highly recommend jumping in a pile of leaves. Happy fall y’all!
XO,
Colleen
Fall-ow me on IG @colleencompletehealth
Summer Loving
The summer solstice in the northern hemisphere unites with Father’s Day this year, June 20th, stretching its rays upon the landscape until the autumn equinox on September 22nd. This period of sunshine, heat, and estivation, bellows for easy living….. layering breezy clothing, eating chilled foods, and plunging into aquatic fitness. What better way to celebrate the summer season and fathers everywhere than to spend time outdoors enjoying the natural world, even staying out past dusk to catch a glimpse of the summer constellations. Make the most of this beloved season by fueling up with cool recipes that require no cooking, hello raw foods! Enjoy my watermelon gazpacho recipe below, which can be made ahead and served in a pinch, and who said popsicles are just for kids??? Adults will love my Smashed Watermelon Ice Pops, as they are sure to go down like the sun. The lazy, hazy, crazy, days of summer are here!
Why Eat Raw Foods?
Eating in the raw does not require cooking and therefore involves whole foods that are unprocessed, plant based, and easy to prepare. Some people consume raw animal products, which can come with risks, but for the purpose of this highlight I will be referring to raw foods of plant origin. This is not a diet, but rather suggestions on how to incorporate raw foods into your favorite summertime meals to ease up your time and spark your taste buds. Adding raw foods and recipes throughout the week is a great way to boost your consumption of fresh fruits, vegetables, vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, fiber, and water too! Raw foods can be a great addition to cooked meals or foods of animal origin. The goal is to eat a variety of foods, both raw and cooked, diversifying your gut, palate, and plate.
Preparation of raw foods can include blending, drying, soaking, sprouting, freezing, or juicing. The idea is not to heat or process the foods, therefore keeping them in their natural state. This is where mixing textures and flavors comes into play. Blending smooth textures with coarse ones, and sweet flavors with spice, unveils raw foods in a whole new way. Some of my favorite kitchen gadgets for preparing in the raw are: blenders, food processors, spiralizers, graters, silicon molds, and peelers. The key is to think about adding this method of cooking to your weekly lineup, having a raw foods night for dinner, or adding a raw side to your cooked meal, you may have been doing this already with a hearty green salad. Summer is the perfect time to eat raw, keeping the heat out of the kitchen and time off your hands.
Some examples of raw foods are: fruits, vegetables, dried fruits, dried vegetables, fresh fruit or vegetable juices, sprouted beans or grains, raw nuts or seeds, coconut milk, nut milks, cold pressed olive oil, seaweed, and fermented foods.
Check out my free downloadable “Summer Fruits and Vegetables” Hydrating guide:
What are Summer Flavors?
In June we still see asparagus, arugula, spinach, beets, carrots, and peas, with corn, bell peppers, cucumber, radishes, rhubarb, and zucchini taking up more space in the market. Fruits like pineapple, cherries, blueberries, plums, melons, apricots, passion fruit, and strawberries also take center stage. Duck, lamb, and mackerel are available too!
Then in July we add eggplant, garlic, more summer squash, blackberries, lemons, limes, nectarines, peaches, mulberries, and tomatoes, along with duck, lamb, and lobster!
August brings artichokes, cauliflower, sweet potatoes, figs, more stone fruits, and tomatoes, while keeping many of the flavors above.
In September we start to see maincrop potatoes, wild mushrooms, almonds, apples, chestnuts, cranberries, pears, plums, pomegranate, and raspberries.
Summer Kitchen
Summer cooking is just as easy chilled, frozen, or seared to perfection. I love to catch the cooler part of the day outside, starting with a morning iced latte (espresso, milk, and ice), while I water my outdoor plants. Breakfasts include smoothies with frozen fruit, yogurt, juice, and lots of ice which keeps them thick and colder longer. Summer salads, like my tabbouleh recipe, and chilled soups, are the very definition of fridge to plate lunches. Outdoor grilling is a favorite too. You can pretty much grill anything from proteins, veggies, fruits, and yes cheese, to dress a dinner plate.
Watermelon takes center stage in summer, as we see many varieties pop up in the markets from the beginning of June until September. Watermelon is also super hydrating, coming in at 92% water, and full of vitamin C, vitamin A, and Potassium, which is why I choose to highlight this perfect seasonal fruit in my new summer recipes. I created this sweet and spicy watermelon gazpacho recipe, as well as this frozen watermelon treat to keep you cool when things are getting well, you know, summery.
Check out the recipes here:
Summer Plunge
Not only is it smart to keep the heat out of the kitchen in the summer, but it is a good idea to keep the heat off your skin too. Summer temperatures can reach into the triple digits, or “feel like it” with added humidity and lack of breezes. Growing up in Arizona and living in Florida, HOT was HOT, no matter if it was dry or humid. Finding a body of water to jump into, shade cover for me or my car, or an air-conditioned place to chill, are daily tasks this time of year. Added daylight can boost your active time outdoors, but it is important to wear sunscreen, coverup with light colored clothing, wear sunglasses and a hat, and drink plenty of water. Here are some ideas to help you stay active in the summer:
Enjoy an early morning or early evening walk, aim for sunrise or sunset in your area, beating the prime heat from 12-3pm. Even better pick a cool spot to meet up with a friend before you head out, or a cool spot to enjoy a beverage after.
Sign up for a new indoor fitness class.
Wash your car, then hose yourself down afterwards.
Kids or no kids, water balloon fights and sprinklers are still fun!
Take that plunge! Check out your local pool, beach, lake, or river and jump right in!
If the intense heat has you feeling less than motivated, with low energy, than ease into things. Sometimes it is best to slow down, unplug, and listen to your body. A change in environment can be a wonderful experience, so can biting into the most delicious seasonal produce around (Insert chin drip here).
So go ahead and thump that watermelon, make sure it’s a good one, enjoy!
XO,
Colleen
Watch me stay cool this summer on IG @colleencompletehealth
Spring Deep
We are in the middle of the natural northern hemisphere phenomenon known as spring. A time for new beginnings, awakening, and rebirth at its best. This spring was a time for my own personal development with the launch of my website, a platform for all things healthy and happy, and what better way to introduce a series of seasonal blogs than to start in the season of growth…….SPRING!
Spring showers lend to warmer days and less layers, where our food patterns tend to change with the wind. Some parts of North America are still digging themselves out of snow and some parts are feeling the blister from the sun on their skin. I have sheltered through snow and sand on my toes in May, but no matter where you live in the continental world, there is one thing that makes us all feel like the seasons are changing and that is the taste of spring on your palette. From bright yellow lemon to green peas and lanky asparagus stalks, we celebrate these foods with the many creations and flavors that awaken the very essence of forthcoming after the burgeoning vernal equinox.
Why Eat Seasonally?
Eating in season aligns consumption with harvest, producing the freshest of flavors, and it matches abundance with availability, meeting the earth on a primary level. When we eat in terms of season it refers to what is grown and available locally. It is a matter of peak ripeness, flavor, and plentitude. Some of the benefits of eating in season are superior taste, reduced carbon footprint, full nutrient content, and ease on your pocket.
Speaking of pocket, I have created a free downloadable seasonal guide that you can print, keep in your pocket, or hang inside one of your kitchen cabinets.
You can access it below:
What are Spring Flavors?
Starting in March we begin to see broccoli, broccolini, celery root, fennel, kale, leeks, potatoes, rutabaga, sunchoke, and turnips. Then Blood Oranges, grapefruit, kiwi, oranges, pineapple appear, along with clams, crab, and mussels.
Then in April we add, artichoke, asparagus, avocado, fava beans, peas, radishes, rhubarb, and turnips with crayfish and mackerel.
May brings corn, cucumber, spinach, and zucchini, with apricots, lemons, limes, and strawberries. We also see duck and lamb.
In June we start to see arugula, carrots, melons, passion fruit, pineapple, cherries, blueberries, plums, and beets, along with many of the above flavors.
Spring kitchen
Just like the days begin to warm, spring cooking tends to chill a bit with combinations of foods that can be eaten warm, cool, or at room temperature. Easy to make salads, precooked meals, and smoothies start to fill your belly, leaving the hot and heavy meals behind. This time of year, I love to start my day with a cool smoothie, something that would normally give me the chills in winter, or a fresh fruit and yogurt bowl. Make ahead salads filled with grains, veggies, and herbs fill in for hot soups at lunchtime. And yes, I begin to break out the grill for dinner, or throw in some stir fry for easy stovetop meals. Check out my latest spring recipe here:
Spring in Your Step
In addition to eating all these fresh seasonal flavors, spring is the perfect time to take your movement outdoors. Mostly cool and pleasant, with more daylight and plenty of blooms, exercising in spring “al fresco” helps you to engage in nature and detract from daily stressors. Here a few tips to help put a little “spring” in your movement:
Incorporate outdoor movement throughout the day. Small bouts of movement add up, like a brisk morning, lunchtime, or evening walk. Grab a friend or a pet for some company!
Take the stairs to the top of the parking garage and back down, one, two, or three times. Do not forget to check out the view from the top!
Walk or run round the field at your child’s sports game.
Grab a yoga mat and head outside for some invigorating morning poses or mindful moonlight mediation.
Discover a new park or trail in your hometown, pack a healthy snack, and enjoy the fresh air!
If you are feeling less than vibrant and stuck in rut, try something new, give outside a try or learn how to cook a new recipe. Seasonal eating and moving is a way to shift your body towards nature, feeding your mind, belly, and soul.
Springtide is here, enjoy!
XO,
Colleen
You can follow along with my spring antics on IG @colleencompletehealth
You Are What You Eat
Let’s talk about “you are what you eat”. It is the notion that if you want to be a glowing example of health you need to eat good food, and if you eat bad food, well that will attest to your welfare too. I will say that there is no such thing as good or bad food, as all food can be broken down into macro and micro nutrients and should be viewed as fuel for your body, but there are certain foods that provide more nutrient density, wholesome ingredients, and better energy than others.
Somewhere in 1826 France, an author by the name of Anthelme Brillat-Savarin wrote “Tell me what you eat and I will tell you what you are.” This was in French of course, but it didn’t become popular in the English language until the American nutritionist, Victor Lindlahr, brought it to the attention of the general public for his Catabolic Diet. Later Adelle Davis, spokesperson for the organic food movement, adopted the phrase as a slogan of healthy eating. Now you may hear it from….. well anybody! Today that anybody is me, so now that I have brought it to your attention let’s get down to the nitty gritty of what makes YOU a representation of the food you eat.
Bodies are made differently and depending on your lifestyle and what you put into them they can function and perform differently too. If you compare the performance of a car to the grade of gasoline you put in it, you would expect the higher the grade, the higher the performance, right? The same is true for our bodies, the higher the “grade” of food, the better performance or function. We all have trillions of cells in our bodies that require many different nutrients to function properly, and if those cells don’t get the right amount of nutrients they won’t perform well. Think of high-performance fuel as clean food. And how do we get that high-performance fuel? Well, we eat food that is not full of contaminants or extra stuff that the body can’t use efficiently, and in a sense is clean. Clean eating revolves around more consumption of whole fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, and healthy fats that are closest to nature, and less consumption of highly processed foods, sweets, and other packaged foods. Don’t forget that your body needs water to function properly as well. Dare I say, “you are what you drink!” So, when you factor your performance after eating clean food and drinking plenty of water vs. eating processed food and sugary beverages, you might find that you think and feel better. Athletes practice this when competing and fueling for performance, and everyone else can too. With all that being said it doesn’t mean that some days you don’t end up with low grade fuel in the “car”, and that is not something you should beat yourself up over, but it is something to think about for next time. Besides functioning better, clean healthy foods will make your skin look better too. Many healthy foods contain omega-3 and omega- 6 fatty acids, vitamin E, and antioxidants that are beneficial to skin health. Again, don’t forget to drink water, hydration is so important to the health of your skin and the rest of your body.
So just like a car on dirty motor oil and low fluids, a body on junk food and little water acts accordingly. It’s your body talking to you, and yes, the people around you. When you want to feel, look, and think better, pay close attention to what it is that you are putting into your body, and be mindful of the times when you don’t. And like the saying goes, “you ARE what you eat!”
Healthy Eats to YOU!
Colleen Orbegoso
You can follow me @colleencompletehealth on IG