Did you know that our body possesses the energy and intelligence it needs to heal itself? The trick is simply good nutrition and eating healthfully. “Does this mean I have to go on a diet?” One might ask. Not quite… When we hear the word diet or eating healthy, we often associate it with giving up our favorite foods. However, going on a “diet” isn’t so much about removing the “bad” stuff, as much as it is about incorporating the “good” in order to achieve optimal health. In fact, I always encourage people to “add before you subtract.”
That being said, below is a list of the Essential Eight foods that we all should try to add into our current diet & consume everyday. I encourage you to take a look at your current diet and see what you are missing! & as always, buy organic if possible😉
Keep this list in your kitchen as an easy reference!
- Beans and other legumes (lentils, peas, soybeans “edamame,” chickpeas “garbanzo,” black, kidney, navy, pinto, and cannellini beans)
- Berries (blueberries, cherries, cranberries, grapes, black berries, strawberries, raspberries, and goji berries)
- Cruciferous vegetables (kale, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage, collard greens, radishes, and bok choy)
- Leafy greens (spinach, romaine, watercress, arugula, and Swiss chard)
- Non-starchy vegetables (peppers, eggplants, celery, mushrooms, asparagus, garlic, onions, carrots, zucchini, etc!)
- Nuts and seeds (flax, chia, hemp, pumpkin & sunflower seeds, walnuts, almonds, pistachios, almonds, peanuts, etc!)
- Other fruits (apples, bananas, watermelon, plums, pineapples, mangoes, oranges, peaches, avocados, pears, etc!)
- Whole grains (brown rice, kamut, steel-cut oats, quinoa, millet, buckwheat, amaranth, ezekiel bread) & starchy vegetables (potatoes, yams, squash, corn)