In my last article we tackled the motivations behind your resolutions. For those of you who are still standing firm in your commitments, let’s take it to the realm of ACTION.
If you were to take note at the end of the day of all different colors you ingested, what would you come up with? Would those colors create a beautiful inspiring painting that you could hang on your wall? Would they be made up of neutral earth tones? Or would they be a collection of carnival colors, unnatural pinks, bright blues….you Slurpee drinkers, 7-11 snackers, and white rice-ers know what I’m talking about.
Have you ever heard this recommendation? Eat the rainbow!
There is a reason that Mother Nature created fruits and vegetables in rich and diverse colors, and why they are in season during different times of the year. We can TRUST nature to offer up the nutrition we need WHEN we need it. For example, orange and yellow foods tend to be high in Vitamin C and support circulation and immunity. During the fall and winter months we can most certainly benefit from the immune boosting, grounding, and warming properties of root vegetables like squash, pumpkin, and yams, which are plentiful during this time of year.
Green, red, orange, yellow, white, blue/purple…get ‘em all on your plate as often as possible. If you do this, your body will love you. Green foods like kale and broccoli are blood purifiers and contain calcium and magnesium which act as natural muscle relaxers! Instead of a cocktail to wind down, imagine having a green smoothie instead! All the benefits, no negative side effects. Red and purple foods like tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, and dark berries offer antioxidants and support heart health, memory, and reduce free radical damage. White foods like garlic, onion, and jicama help to reduce blood pressure and LDL (bad) cholesterol.
My favorite way to meet the rainbow requirements is to make salads with LOTS of activity. Here is an example of one of my faves:
Start with 2 cups of leafy greens (multi-colored leaves are great)
Add at least one ingredient from each of the colors, for example, choose from:
Beets, cherry tomatoes, red or yellow peppers, jicama, onion, raw zucchini or squash, berries with deep color, beans like kidney or chickpea, seeds like pumpkin or sunflower, (raw, not roasted) raisins or dried cranberries, sprouts, a healthy fat source like olive oil or avocado. Add your favorite protein such as chicken, tofu, or extra beans.
The great things about eating salad: the possibilities are endless, you can change the ingredients according to your mood and what is in season, and they take awhile to eat. Ever notice how you can mindlessly stuff your face with a processed food-like substance and it pretty much slides down your throat with very little chewing necessary? Salads not only support variety, but the act of mindful eating. They require you to slow down and chew. You get to enjoy your meal and notice when you are starting to feel full. Colorful salads are NUTRIENT DENSE. Very little calories for the power boost they give your cells. Please do not make the mistake of eating an iceberg “wedge” with blue cheese dressing and bacon as a rainbow salad! (although these are one of my favorite indulgences I will admit)
Fill your pantry with some basic ingredients that will make for a colorful salad, and keep some mixed greens and fresh veggies on hand. Make sure to use as many organic ingredients as possible. Do not ruin the healthy benefits of your masterpiece with dressings that contain high fructose corn syrup, food coloring, or ingredients you are unable to pronounce. It is best to make your own dressing or buy a less processed dressing at a health food store. I personally have given up strongly flavored dressings because they diminish the robust flavors of my veggies.
I strongly suspect that if you add a daily salad to your diet you will feel more satisfied and energetic. If you have weight to lose, watch it start to melt away. Your bowels will move better, your skin will begin to radiate health, your eyes will sparkle, and people will stand in line to bask in the magnificence of your glow.
Recommended reading: Food Energetics: The spiritual, emotional, and nutritional power of what we eat, by Steve Gagne
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