When many of us think about healthy eating, we think about the broccoli we pushed around our plates as kids, or the sacrifices we make to skip pizza for a salad. However, when we have spaces like this to reflect on it, it’s truly incredible how powerful healthy eating can be! Ann Wigmore, a well-known holistic practitioner, once said, “The food you eat can be either the safest and most powerful form of medicine or the slowest form of poison.”
I began eating healthy as a high schooler when I was inspired by land-use sustainability concepts to begin a vegetarian lifestyle. This led me towards a great deal of research surrounding the ability we have as people to eat in such a balanced manner that we create health in our gut and other body systems. When we eat healthy, it means our bodies don’t have to work at processing toxins like artificial sweeteners, food dyes, and other harmful chemicals that are in processed foods. That energy can be used to maintain our other body systems, which benefits our mental health!
Some great ways to use healthy eating to your benefit are to start your day with 8 ounces of water, choose a balanced breakfast with foods that will stay with you like proteins and whole grains, and then to take small frequent breaks in your day to get some healthy calories like fruit, some veggies, chicken or turkey jerky, or some nuts. Making small changes at the start creates sustainable lifestyle changes that quickly become habits. When we take care of ourselves this way, it reduces stress and subconsciously reminds us throughout the day that we are worthy of care and good choices! What can you change today?
Written by Hannah Dewey, Residential Coordinator