Eating more often and consistently.

This simple practice can change your life!  Part of my journey to health after cancer was a mission to figure out how to sustain even energy all day without a heavy CRASH around 3:pm, and I mean nap mandatory CRASH!  I would go home and sleep, take naps in my car and/or fuel up on espresso in the afternoon to carry me painfully through. My mantra use to be “I’m so tired.”  I look back now and say “WOW” I can’t believe those days are really gone!  I truly feel like I hit the lottery!

The beauty of this new discovery for me is that many benefits came along with this new routine:

• Increased sustained even energy all day! NO Crashes!
• Improved sleep
• Levels emotions
• Increased focus and attention
• Optimized ideal body weight
• Addictions to sugar/carbs stopped
• Over eating urges vanished

 

Here’s the low down on WHAT to eat more of!

• Eat smaller, more frequent meals with small amounts of a complete protein
• Add in raw or cooked veggies
• Minimize carbs to complex carbs, what works for me are sweet potatoes and quinoa… all others don’t agree with me and spikes my insulin, but some people might do fine with other complex carbs such as brown rice, oatmeal… test for yourself.
• Eat every 2 to 3 hours until comfortable
• Chew your food well, and if thirsty, sip your beverage during your meal.. better to drink plenty of water 30 minutes before and/or after your meals so your digestive enzymes when eating do not get diluted.

What are complete Proteins? Here is a list:

• Meat
• Fish
• Full Fat Dairy* (Dairy does not agree with everyone, it agrees well with me)
• Eggs
• Protein Powders (I use plant-based protein powders)
• Quinoa
• Chia Seed
• Spirulina
• Rice & beans together * (rice does not agree with me but brown rice might do well for you)
• Spinach salad with almonds together
• Humus with whole grain pita together* (whole grain breads do not do well with me but might for you)

Dr. Ben states it well, he explains how proteins are essential for life, and more than 50% of all cellular content are dependent upon proteins, he explains that they also play an important and varied role with enzymes, hormones, structural, immunity, transport, pH balance and body secretions. They need to be broken down into Amino Acids, so chewing food well and not diluting with beverages, help aid digestion to properly break down protein to Amino Acids.  Amino Acids are not stored in your body like fat and carbohydrates and they must be consumed daily and in proper amounts.  These AA-(Amino Acids) levels are extremely important for energy production, muscle recovery, growth enhancement, neurological functions, hormone balance and detoxification. Deficiency of AA’s will disrupt any of these functions.  Children need much higher doses of AA’s than adults and today most children are eating almost a 100% carb diet so it’s really important we feed our children a lot of protein and often throughout the day. This way of eating has helped relieve many of his patient symptoms of depression/anxiety, fatigue, sugar addictions, etc…

This practice helps Many people, it takes some prep work, I know that sounds overwhelming, it did for me, but when I actually did the prep, it really wasn’t that big of a deal and was minimal. Each week I hard boil a dozen eggs (13 minutes in boiling water) and put them back in their carton and mark it “Hard Boiled”.  I buy organic meats from Trader Joes or Whole Foods and bake a batch with olive oil and salt/pepper and put in zip lock baggies.  Having veggies such as carrots, cucumber, celery, radishes…..are easy to cut up and have in baggies as well.  I keep Greek yogurt in my frig.  Almond milk and plant-based protein powder is a favorite beverage for me after my home work outs.  Each morning, I pack a little thermos bag with water, protein and veggies… I also use left overs from a dinner meal from night before. My stomach now tells me every few hours to nibble on something..  I have trained myself! Ha!  I still eat out some days and choose protein/veggie options, and use my to go food from home as my in between meals/snacks.

* Everyone has bio-individuality, we are all prone to certain foods better than others.  Reading books on eating right for your blood type and/or researching your heritage to find out what your ancestors ate, are a good start to learning what might work well for you.  From when I was a kid, I had bad mucus problems.. I remember sitting in kindergarten with a rattle in my chest full of phlegm and needing to spit a loogie (I KNOW TOTALLY GROSS!) This was constant and an embarrassing thing to manage through my school years… as an adult, I was prone to sinus infections.. Since I was a kid doctors and people would suggest diary was my problem, but NO it was not!   When I changed my diet to protein, veggies, some fruit with a lot of healthy fats, and with only quinoa and sweet potatoes as my carbs, got RID of ALL other carbs and sugars, ALL MY MUCUS DISAPPEARED! YEP! What a glorious event for me.. it was the carbs that caused my mucous.  For three years now, I have not had one sinus infection or mucus build up, nada!  And I get to enjoy rich full fat dairy no problem!  Worth testing foods out with eliminations to find your magic formula that puts a smile on your face!  I wish that for everyone! I eat this way 95% of the time and the rest, I eat whatever I want, like Mexican food, french fries, or whatever I feel like those few times.  It is all about a new way of life and with your indulges as a splash of fun every so often. We are only human!