10 Pillars of Healthy Eating (pt. 2)
Discover the 5 last principles of healthy eating according to naturopathy in this two-part series of articles. This ultimate guide of healthy eating will give you a solid foundation to learn how to eat well with a balanced approach.
If you haven’t read the part 1 of this series, I highly encourage you to go check it out before you dive into this one.
The first part had an emphasis on the practical aspects of healthy eating, and so does a few points of this last part. However, this time we will also talk about the mentality surrounding healthy eating. The way you approach your food choices will directly impact your relationship with healthy eating and how you can sustain it.
So, without further ado, get yourself cozy, and let’s dive in!
6- Eat more fibers
In the world of healthy eating, you may have heard about the importance of eating fibers. According to Health Canada, daily fibers requirements are set at 25 grams per day for women and 38 grams per day for men.
In the previous point (in the last article), we saw that processed grains are depleted in nutrients for the body. On top of that, the refining of cereals removes most of the essential fibers our body needs. That's why it's so important to opt for whole grains as much as possible.
Here are 3 main reasons to eat fiber daily.
Reason 1: Fibers are essential to gut health
The role of fibers is to "sweep" through the mucous membranes of the intestines. A bit like a broom’s filaments that lead residues to the exit door.
Furthermore, certain fibers (inulin and resistant starches) help feed the intestinal flora. These are known as prebiotics. It's essential to have the right balance of bacteria in our gut. It will improve our immune, nervous and metabolic systems.
A sufficient intake of fibers also aids bowel movement, preventing constipation. Regular bowel movements are essential for good intestinal health. At least once a day, but the most optimum would be after every meal (about 3 times a day).
Reason 2: Fibers contributes to satiety
Eating fibers allows us to eat smaller portions and still feel that we have eaten enough. This is due to the swelling of two types of fibers in contact with water: soluble and insoluble. More on this later...
This expansion increases the volume of food in the stomach, sending out satiety signals. It's a bit like a dry sponge that looks tiny but expands when it comes into contact with water.
Also, remember that our body requires fuel, that’s why it sends us hunger signals, to indicate that it needs its nutrients to function properly. So, when you opt for whole grains, fruits and vegetables, which are richer in nutrients, it also helps the body to be properly nourished and therefore, feel satiated.
Reason 3: Fibers captures a portion of glucose and cholesterol and eliminates them in the stool
When we consume glucose, particularly fast sugars, our body's glucose levels experience a roller-coaster effect. There's a glucose spike that leads to a brief feeling of euphoria, and then very quickly a spectacular drop, resulting in a sudden low in energy… and craving more glucose to compensate!
Consuming fibers (but also protein) alongside glucose in a meal will stabilize this movement. It has the effect of making glucose absorption more gradual. In addition, eating fiber helps to greatly reduce the absorption of cholesterol from dietary sources.
What are the best sources of dietary fibers? Here's a short, non-exhaustive list:
Sources of insoluble fibers (which expands in contact with water, forming gels that give a feeling of satiety): fresh fruits and vegetables, dried fruits, wholegrain cereals, legumes, nuts, seeds, seaweed, etc.
Sources of soluble fibers (which create viscous solutions by surrounding themselves with water, which also helps promote satiety): chia seeds, ground flax seeds, oat bran, buckwheat, agar-agar, psyllium, legumes, apples, etc.
Sources of inulin (prebiotic action which helps to balance our gut health): artichokes, asparagus, bananas, garlic, leeks, tomatoes, onions, sunchokes, etc.
Sources of resistant starches (prebiotic action): green bananas, plantains, legumes, tubers (such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, parsnips, etc.), corn, whole grains that have been cooked and then cooled (especially rice and oats), etc.
7- Optimize your digestion
When it comes to healthy eating, not only is it essential to choose the right foods, it's just as important to know how to eat them properly. Here are 3 important keys to eating well to optimize digestion.
Key 1: Chew properly
Did you know that digestion begins in the mouth? Saliva is full of enzymes that play an important role in digestion. The role of these enzymes is to start the digestion process. Chewing each mouthful well not only improves the rest of the digestion process. It also helps to extract as many nutrients as possible from our food.
This applies to both solid and liquid foods! A memorable expression that I've learned in naturopathy school, and like to keep in mind, is: "drink your solids and chew your liquids". In other words, chew your solid foods until they become liquid, and leave your liquid foods in your mouth to “salivate” them before swallowing. A step not to be missed to help our bodies reap the full benefits of the foods we have carefully chosen!
Key 2: Eat calmly and be present
The state of mind in which we eat is also very important. It's common to rush through lunch in front of the desk before the next meeting. Or to have dinner while listening to the anxiety-inducing news. Discussing emotionally-charged subjects with loved ones at mealtime isn't much better either... Not to mention eating in front of a distressing or sad movie. Whether it's behind a screen or stimulated by stress or a negative environment, it has a direct impact on our digestion!
Why is that? Because our digestive system is subject to the laws of the nervous system. According to our survival instincts, if our body feels in danger, it will stop (or at least drastically reduce) the functions of the energy-consuming digestive system. It does this in order to mobilize all our body's energy to be on high alert and prepare for flight or attack.
This is why, in cases of extreme stress or fear, we experience loss of appetite, nausea or even vomiting. To ensure that our digestive system is fully prepared to do its job properly, we need to eat in a calm state, take our time and be as present as possible.
Key 3: Drink water between meals
The moment when we drink water has a direct impact on our digestion. It’s recommended to avoid drinking water at least 30 minutes before and after a meal. Why is that?
As a meal approaches, the digestive system prepares to do its job. A bit like preheating an oven to the optimum temperature for cooking a dish. In concrete terms, our brain sends the signal to the digestive system to secrete the substances needed for digestion. However, water tends to dilute gastric juices, thus greatly reducing their effectiveness, just like throwing a glass of water on a campfire...
In turn, it causes a whole butterfly effect. Our body won’t properly extract the nutrients it needs to function optimally. Also, poorly digested food stagnates in the stomach, leading to fermentation (from glucose stagnation), and putrefaction (from protein stagnation).
It causes the body to become loaded with toxins, which it must then eliminate. The consequences include gas, bloating and eructation. It's important to remember that these are the most obvious signs of insufficient digestive juices. So we need to take these symptoms seriously and take action to optimize our digestion.
Pro tip: it would also be preferable to drink room-temperature rather than cold water (and drinks in general), as the body has to work harder to regulate to its optimal temperature.
8- Customize your diet to your unique needs
When we start exploring the world of healthy eating, we are quickly confronted with all kinds of dogmas. They all claim to hold THE ultimate truth about the perfect way to eat. I strongly encourage you to be very careful with this! I learned that the hard way from personal experience.
In reality, there is no "one size fits all". Claiming that there's only one right way to do things for everyone is a bit like saying that, just because chemotherapy is effective on cancer, it should also be prescribed if you've got a stiff neck or the flu...
Although the human body functions in a relatively universal way, when you look at humanity, you can't help but notice the beauty of its great diversity. What's good for one person in one situation can be very bad for someone else in another situation. Not everything is black and white, and nuance is essential!
There are so many factors that influence the way we should eat. Our gender, our age, our constitution (according to naturopathy or Ayurveda), our lifestyle (active or sedentary), where we live (hot, cold, temperate climate), the season of the year, our health condition (illness, allergies, intolerances, hormonal imbalance, etc.), whether pregnant or breastfeeding, and so much more.
Before getting started, it's a good idea to take a look at where you are right now. This is done during an initial consultation with a health care practitioner, such as a naturopath or a holistic nutritionist. It's essential to understand the terrain you'll be working on. If you take this path on your own, you can also observe yourself and ask the right questions.
9- Follow your intuition and listen to your body
As vague as it may sound, intuitive eating is an evidence-based dietary framework. It was created in 1995 by two dieticians, Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch. Essentially, it consists of connecting with your body, learning to listen to it and trust it. By honouring its desires and needs, and by observing and taking into account its signals, such as hunger and satiety.
The body is highly intelligent, able to remember the composition of each food it has eaten. As part of a healthy diet, we can therefore trust some of our cravings. Especially if we are lacking something, our body will let us know by sending us signals to crave a specific food.
This principle is very dear to my heart, as I experienced it first-hand a few years ago. I removed a certain food group from my died, convinced that it was bad, by following the precepts of a dietary dogma. Although I felt great at first, after a few years, much to my surprise, I began to feel strong cravings for the foods I had abolished.
Looking back, I can see how much better I feel, having reintroduced this food group into my diet. It would have been a lot harder to make the adjustment if my body hadn't told me so clearly what it needed! This direct experience allowed me to see the real benefits of the intuitive eating principle.
Of course, it is not recommended to give in to every impulse to eat chocolate cookies or potato chips. Some cravings are the result of mechanisms put in place by eating disorders and addictions to certain ingredients (like refined sugars, fried foods, some food additives etc.). That's why intuitive eating should be implemented gradually and as part of a healthy, diverse and balanced diet. Here is a good resource for learning more about intuitive eating.
10- Enjoy healthy eating and avoid rigidity
Once you understand the other pillars of healthy eating, this is probably one of the most important to implement! If, like me, you're a healthy eating nerd, you will notice that by trying too hard to do the right thing, it's very easy to fall into extremes. That's why the notion of balance is so important...
Or, if like me, about a decade ago, you have always eaten an imbalanced diet, rich in processed foods, the above precepts won't seem very appetizing at first. That's why the notion of pleasure is essential when it comes to adjusting your diet. Here are a few points I feel are essential to pass on to help you in either case... knowing that I've been through both!
Beware of orthorexia
An important point is to avoid dieting or other elimination diets, unless prescribed by your doctor for medical reasons such as allergies, food intolerance or other conditions. Again, beware of health "experts" who claim to have the ultimate solution to every problem. If there is one thing I've learned in my journey in healthy eating, it's that nothing is black and white, everything is nuanced.
This type of mentality, which demonizes certain food groups, can lead to an eating disorder known as orthorexia. But, what is orthorexia you way ask? Orthorexia is characterized by an obsession with eating only healthy foods. It's about trying to eat only the healthiest foods at all times, maintaining a rigid or perfectionist form of control over what you eat in all circumstances.
This eating disorder is rooted in a rigid, even dogmatic way of thinking, with a Manichean vision where every food is either ultimately good or ultimately bad. There's no room for nuance. For some people, it starts with adherence to a dietary dogma or a type of elimination diet. This was my case for several years, without realizing it. In this article, I explore the subject of orthorexia in more detail and share my testimony. LINK
That's the danger of orthorexia: in the jungle of healthy eating, you hear so much about everything and its opposite that you don't know who to believe, and you can end up becoming excessive, extremist and obsessive, to the point of even eliminating healthy or neutral foods and creating deficiencies.
Use Pareto's law to find balance and pleasure in eating
Remember to eat everything in moderation. The more diverse your diet, the greater the range of nutrients that your body can access to satisfy its needs to function properly. Using the following tip will be just as helpful for beginners who aren't used to healthy eating, as it will be for perfectionists who need to be more flexible and balanced in their diet!
A good way to balance your diet is to use Pareto's law, also known as 80/20. Eating perfectly healthy all the time is neither healthy nor realistic. In fact, it's even healthier to eat less healthy foods from time to time. Besides, if you want to lead a fulfilling and balanced life, it's important to enjoy your social life while eating out.
That's why a good ratio would be to eat healthy about 80% of the time and be more indulgent the remaining 20%. You can also be more flexible during the holidays (or when you go on a trip) by eating healthily 70% of the time and indulging 30% of the time. In fact, the latter may be a more realistic ratio if you are a complete beginner to healthy eating. This is a very good compromise that will enable you to enjoy life's pleasures without restricting yourself too much, while still eating healthy the majority of the time. In a nutshell, balance and nuance are the remedies for rigidity.
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In summary, the 10 pillars of healthy eating according to naturopathy are the following:
Eat a balanced diet
Eat locally and seasonally
Choose organic and non-GMO foods
Eat colourful and fresh foods
Choose whole foods over processed foods
Eat more fibres
Optimize your digestion with simple actions
Customize your diet to your unique needs
Follow your intuition and listen to your body
And finally, enjoy healthy eating and avoid rigidity
I hope this in-depth two-part series of articles was helpful to you. Now, don’t overwhelm yourself by trying to apply it all at once. Pick 1 or 2 and try your best to implement this new way of eating.
With infinite love and gratitude,
- Anne 🧚♀️
***Amongst the 10 pillars, which one do you want to start implementing into your life? Which one do you think would be the most difficult to try? Have you been surprised by any of them?***