Creating sustainable dietary habits with Naturopath Eliza Matas

It’s that time of year when we are all thinking about giving our diet a refresh, especially after those holiday feels. But when doing a full appraisal of our diet, it’s important to not go too gungho and ensure that any changes we make are sustainable year round, rather than simply jumping on the yoyo diet bandwagon. Therefore, we’ve got some simple tips for adding more nutrition in, while removing a few of the common culprits that sneak into our everyday diet but would be more suited as every now and again treat. Lastly we’ve got just a few lifestyle tips that might assist in keeping you on track for the long haul.

Foods to eat more of

Greens!

You’ve heard it once, you’ve heard it twice, actually probably more than a million times from your mother to “eat your greens” and for good reason. Dark green leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale, swiss chard, bok choy, silverbeet and rocket all contain vital nutrients for energy production, nervous system function such as B vitamins as well as magnesium and plant-based iron. If that wasn’t enough for you, green vegetables also contain beneficial phytonutrients such as chlorophyll, carotenoids and sulphur compounds. All of these compounds, although subtle, have powerful benefits such as antioxidant actions.

Fibre rich wholefood grains & vegetables

Despite its absolute necessity to our health, sadly fibre is often an overlooked component of our diet with most of us not even realising where we can find it aside from that ubiquitous brown straw-like cereal or “whole grain bread”. Fibre is naturally occurring in all whole plant based foods such as whole grains, legumes, vegetables and fruits, and can be present in one or both of its varying forms of soluble and insoluble fibre. It's important we get a good balance of both kinds from a variety of foods.

Adequate water

You know the drill, our bodies are 60% water so we have to stay hydrated in order to stop our organs from turning into sun dried raisins. Not really, but water is essential for every chemical reaction that occurs in our body and also keeps our beloved brains afloat so it's an absolute must. If you’re struggling to get your 2 litres of water daily, a good way to incentivize yourself to drink more is to make it taste more exciting by adding steeped herbal teas, fresh fruit or our Collagen Beauty™ flavours.

Plant based proteins

Protein is a highly sought after macro nutrient commonly consumed by gym goers to get those “gains”. But aside from its role as the building block for basically all bodily tissues, protein is also essential to the manufacture and function of our neurotransmitters, the chemical messengers of our brain, so without it, we literally couldn’t function.

Healthy fats

Fat is not only delicious, making any meal that much more satisfying, it's also an essential micronutrient that supports our cells' structural integrity. However, not all fats have been created equal. Healthy fats such as polyunsaturated (including omega-3) and monounsaturated fats such as those found in sardines, salmon, olive oil, avocados, nuts & seeds have heart protective actions, support hormone production and have anti-inflammatory properties.

High antioxidant foods

We all know that berries, chocolate and red wine contain antioxidants, but what do antioxidants actually do? Antioxidants act like cellular protectors and help to stop oxidative stress from damaging our bodies tissues. Keeping oxidative stress in check is a great reason to include antioxidant-rich foods regularly. That said, I would advise against relying on red wine as a source of antioxidants and turning to other sources such as berries, dark leafy greens, beetroot and green tea instead.

Incorporate culinary herbs and spices into your cooking

Which side of the coriander fence do you sit on? I’m here to tell you that if you’d rather eat dirt than coriander, then unfortunately you are missing out. Coriander, amongst the other common culinary herbs such as parsley, dill, and basil, contains a multitude of beneficial phytochemical compounds that have antioxidant properties, plus beta carotenes and vitamin C. Spices such as turmeric and ginger have powerful idea.antioxidant properties, which is why they're popular in traditional cooking, so sneaking them into everyday cooking wherever possible is a great idea.

Lifestyle Recommendations

Cook more at home

By cooking more at home with real ingredients, you can naturally remove a plethora of added sugars, oils and table salt commonly utilised in fast food restaurants while gaining all the benefits of fibre, vitamins and minerals that whole foods have to offer.

Plan ahead

Planning ahead means no last minute drive through runs or cheeky midweek takeaway orders. It also means less stress for all involved in organising dinner each night and less food wastage which is a super added bonus for our environment.

Count colours, not calories/kilojoules

As already mentioned, food is a source of all the essential nutrients and phytonutrients we need to stay looking and feeling our best. When we reduce it down to kilojoules, we tend to deprive ourselves of these nutrients we literally need to live, but that is also extremely enjoyable. This aside, the human body is complex and not everyone will absorb or burn off kilojoules at the same rate. With this in mind, I would definitely recommend only looking at these numbers as a guide rather than a rule. Eating a diet that includes lots of vibrantly coloured fruits and vegetables is the best way to ensure you’re getting the most you possibly can out of your food while also staying fit and healthy.