5 Transitional Tips for Eating Healthier Foods

The last few centuries have seen a lot of technological advances for us as a species. One of those major advances was to change the way we farm and produce food. It used to be a deeply personal experience. We grew our own food, preserved it, hunted, and bartered with our community for the items we could not provide for ourselves. These days the majority get their food from huge factory farms. These farms are so massive in scale and the contamination factor so great that they often sterilize our food to make it safe for consumption. We have effectively removed ourselves from the process and become reliant on corporations to make our food choices for us. The rise is obesity, diabetes, and numerous of health problems indicates that we need to regain control of our food choices. Here are some simple ways to immediately improve what you eat:

1. Eat grass fed and pastured meat and eggs. Factory farms mistreat their animals and feed them substandard food. When you consume an unhealthy animal you are not providing adequate nutrition to your own body. Animals allowed to graze and eat a diet natural to them are leaner than their “fattened” counterparts, they have more omega-3 fatty acids, and they are more nutrient dense.

2. Ferment your food. The fermentation process inactivates antinutrients in certain foods so that they are easier to digest and our body can make better use of their nutrients. Fermentation also creates healthy live bacteria and yeast. Our digestive system needs this healthy bacteria to form a balance and to do its job effectively. Many foods can be fermented in your own home for little money.

3. Consume raw, pastured dairy. If you can get raw dairy in your location, it is well worth the investment in your health. Raw dairy has healthy bacteria and numerous vitamins and nutrients that are be killed off during the pasteurization process associated with conventional milk. Many people with milk allergies find that they can not drink regular milk but they can drink raw. Use raw milk to make healthier versions of yogurt, butter, and kefir.

4. Shop the farmer’s market for local foods. Super market foods often travel weeks in order to get to you and they are less than fresh by the time they reach your plate. The nutrient loss associated with these foods is significant. Farmer’s markets usually have fruits and veggies picked that very same day and you would do better to shop there. For more fresh local produce look into CSAs or visit your local farms yourself.

5. Grow your own or pick your own. Many people are intimidated by the idea of growing their own food but they don’t have to be. You can start simple by selecting one or two items you eat a lot of and planting those in pots or raised beds. You can use seed or even buy starter plants from a local nursery. Growing your own tomatoes or strawberries for instance, is a great start to being more self sufficient. If you don’t have time or space to grow your own you can still harvest fresh produce at local pick-your-own farms. These farms allow you to walk the rows of their crops and pick your own food. Blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, sweet corn, pumpkins, apples, squash, and beans are examples of popular pick your own crops.

These are five easy ways to make an immediate change in your healthy eating habits.