Pillar One: Body nourishment

We’ve all heard the phrase “you are what you eat” right? Have you thought about that?

Our bodies are amazing! They are constantly growing, renewing and repairing cells and need the proper fuel to do so. What fuel is going to best help the body to do this? A diet rich in vitamins and minerals, wholegrains, protein and a little healthy fat.

The simplest way to eat well is remember we are all mother earth’s creatures and the food we do best on is food from the earth rather than processed food from factories.

Look at your plate, is 80% of the food coming from the earth in the form of fresh fruits, vegetables and grains? Or is it manufactured in a factory with lots of preservatives, salt and sugar?

The foods from the earth will nourish you and are digested easier by the body therefore promoting gut health. When our gut is feeling out of sorts chances are we are too! We are learning more and more every day about the link of gut health to our mental health so it’s important to prioritise eating healthily for our mental well being as well!

Interested in learning more about the guts link to mental well being? Read more here; https://patient.info/news-and-features/the-link-between-gut-health-and-happiness.

This doesn’t mean never indulging in richer foods, this experience is a part of modern life and should be enjoyed from time to time without guilt which we will be able to do more when we know we are nourishing our bodies the other 80% of the time.

So start simple!

  • Can you reach a goal of 5 fresh fruits and vegetables per day? Or maybe you make 7 or 10?
  • Can you make each meal plate look like the rainbow? Full of much needed vitamins and minerals that will nourish and recharge your cells!
  • Can you drink the recommended 2 litres of water per day? Did you know being even 1% dehydrated drops cognitive function leading to poorer performance, memory and function?
  • Can you cut out that spoon of sugar in your tea?
  • Maybe you cut back on that afternoon coffee and reach a healthier caffeine intake? (and get a better nights sleep!...did you know that a cup of coffee takes up to 10 hours to leave the blood stream so if your drinking coffee after 2pm no wonder you’re not sleeping well!)

If you want to learn more about healthy eating and what eating habits will best serve you and your body useful information can be found on;

• NHS UK website; https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/ 
• British Dietetic Association website; Healthy Eating | British Dietetic Association (BDA)

Also check out the Western trust’s page;
Eat Well | Western Health & Social Care Trust (hscni.net)

Here you’ll find lots of helpful links for information on feeding babies, weaning, feeding under 5s, dietary needs through pregnancy, healthy eating for older adults and specific information on vitamin D!

Know what to eat just don’t know how to cook it?

Taking a cooking class can be a lovely method of self care and a chance to meet some new people or try cooking along at home with your favourite celeb chefs on youtube;

Also check out 100s of healthy delicious recipes from;

How we can support you should you feel you need more help;

  • Please speak to one of the doctors about being referred to a dietician if you feel you need dietary support.
 
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