For Kimber and I, Nourish is so much more than a healthy restaurant. We both have such a passion for the body's ability to heal itself when it is given the right environment and the right tools. I wanted to go over a few foods to eliminate or at least minimize as much as possible and some healthy foods to add in. We recently did a video on this topic but here it is written out for you to reference.
Foods to Take Out of Your Diet (or at least minimize)
Artificial dyes and preservatives - this is probably the most important. Dyes, additives and preservatives are considered toxins to the body and are linked to behavior issues in kids, mood disorders, hormones disruptors and many are known carcinogens. Most of these are banned in other countries. Come on America! First start with whole, real food and if you are eating crackers or snacks read your ingredient labels. Keep ingredients super simple (and recognizable as actual food). A couple of our favorite snack brands are Simple Mills, Lesser Evil and Siete which just use real whole food ingredients. All of those are available locally at Clovers and/or Natural Grocers. We list every single ingredient we use at Nourish in the name of transparency and because we are super proud of all the ingredients we carefully choose.
Excess sugar - ahhh I know we love sweets too. But let’s be honest, excess sugar makes you feel like shit, breaks down skin collagen, suppresses the immune system, causes inflammation and fatty liver disease, can easily lead to weight gain and metabolic disease like diabetes. Try a smoothie, chia seed pudding or eggs and veggies for breakfast, a bowl of roasted veggies or a salad. We are pro carbs and nothing is wrong with a sweet treat but it’s the excess that gets us in trouble. I love, love dark chocolate and one of Kimber’s favorite treats is a date dipped in almond butter. All of our desserts at Nourish are made with honey, maple syrup or coconut sugar...never refined, processed sugar.
Inflammatory oils - oils like vegetable oil and industrial seed oils like corn oil, sunflower oil, canola, soybean oil are highly inflammatory. Our bodies need more omega 3’s that you get from olive and avocado oils and of course salmon, walnuts etc. When you have too high of omega 6’s you increase your risk for many inflammatory diseases where if you increase omega 3’s you decrease your risk for heart disease etc. And our bodies need healthy fats to function optimally. Did you know most restaurants use inflammatory industrial oils because they are so dirt cheap? We ONLY use olive oil and avocado oil to cook and in sauces, dressing. Never ever the vegetables oils.
Gluten, dairy and alcohol (and anything else you are suspicious of) - this is a relatively quick way to feel better fast. 21 days of an elimination diet is seen as the gold standard for uncovering hidden food intolerances, healing the gut, bringing inflammation levels down, and tailoring a food plan that works best for your body. For instance, I am fine with gluten (not a ton) and dairy (in small amounts) but I’m great with goats milk dairy. Eggs hurt my stomach and make my face puffy. You can also do a food intolerance test which will also give you a ton of information. Removing the foods that are most likely to irritate your body for just a few weeks gives your body a chance to calm down and focus on healing. If you are wanting to quickly replenish, rest your gut and give your body a ton of nutrients we offer a 3 Day Clean Eating Reset and a 3 Day Juice Cleanse
With all of this being said I can't emphasize enough that it is far worse to stress about what you are eating than eating something that's not good for you. If you are out with friends don't worry about the oil your food is cooked in. Enjoy the food and connections with friends. Or if there is a sugar laden dessert at a family gathering and you love it... Eat it and be grateful for the abundance of food. Never let food make you feel guilty or bad. Yes food is information so pay attention to how you feel, learn from it and then focus on the people around you!
Foods we love to have in our diet:
Veggies, veggies and more veggies - antioxidants, fiber, phytonutrients. Never a meal goes by without vegetables and it makes up most of our diets. Even smoothies can have greens added to them. Roast veggies in olive oil and plenty of seasoning is my got to way to prepare them. The base of every bowl at Nourish is veggies rather than beans or rice. Nothing wrong with beans and rice but we are all about the veggies and getting people to consume more!
Spices and herbs- not only does it make your food taste amazing but there are so many powerful antioxidants in herbs and spices. They are truly medicinal for your body and many cultures use them as such. My favorite spices are cumin, curry, garlic, turmeric and cinnamon and I love fresh chopped herbs in all the things. #foodismedicine
Fruits - eat seasonally. Our bodies and nature are wise and the fruits of the season tend to be just what we need. And always focus on lots of berries. They are rich in polyphenols, low in sugar and high in fiber.
Healthy fats - healthy fats can actually lower cholesterol levels, boost brain function and support satiety, support hormone heath, help with absorption of different vitamins. Think olive oil, salmon, mackerel, avocado, walnuts, chia seeds, hemp seeds, ghee.
High quality meats - wild caught salmon, grass fed beef, free range chicken, free range eggs. The way animals are raised depends if it’s a health food or toxin to your body. AND it's better for the environment and more ethical to the animals. We use local grass fed beef at Nourish from Covered L, Stanton Brothers free range eggs, free range chicken and Applegate organic turkey because it really matters!
Importance of organic - our bodies are not meant to deal with pesticides and herbicides. It breaks down our gut barrier and adds to our toxic load. Plus it’s horrible for the environment and depletes the soil or vital nutrients and healthy soil cannot sequester carbon efficiently. We understand organic is expensive. Focus on the dirty dozen and clean fifteen. Also when you shop at the farmers market many farmers aren’t certified organic but do not spray their food. This is why we source organic and/or local for nearly everything at Nourish.
Adaptogens and superfoods - add to smoothies or your coffee. Our favorites are ashwagandha to support stress and adrenal health. Camu Camu is the most potent source of vitamin c in the world. Spirulina is the most nutrient rich food in the world and majorly detoxifying. I also had greens to every smoothie I make at home. And every smoothie at Nourish has at least 1 superfood, hence the name Superfood Smoothies :)
Bone Broth - We are on the bone broth band wagon. It is so so good for skin, gut health and joints. Kimber and I call it our botox. Heat it up and sip it like a tea or cook soups with it.. We use Altei Meadows free range chicken bones and grass fed beef bones from Covered L to make our bone broths at Nourish and then simmer with organic veggies for over 48 hours.
with gratitude,
Kalle