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| Return to Mind Exercises |
'you
are what you eat'
- choose your food wisely
The
most important tool in your mental store cupboard is your common
sense! If in doubt about the value of a particular food, then
trust your intuition - it is that simple!
Deep down you will know if something is wholesome and nourishing
or if it is just a mass of 'empty' calories disguised by a clever
food manufacturer as an irresistible tasty treat! Your body deserves
only the best - and that doesn't necessarily mean the most expensive.
If, for example you choose wholemeal bread and pasta, rather than
the goodness-stripped 'white' varieties, you will feel full sooner,
so you will need to eat less. This means better nutrition for
an equivalent cost and fewer calories.
Treating yourself as a rubbish bin for artificially produced foods
packaged as mouth watering must-haves is really quite dangerous
to your long term health. And in the short term, you may well
experience 'a high' after consuming some sugar-laden fatty delicacy,
followed by a lethargic low - and so the cycle repeats itself.
Many people are feeling tired these days due in part to a poor
quality diet.
Below, you will find a brief summary of foods that will boost
your energy level, not just as a five minute wonder and foods
that deplete it after an initial unsustainable surge. If you want
to go into the subject in more depth, there are numerous books
and websites devoted to nutrition and health. Find the medium
that suits you and add zest to your life by eating for health.
Foods to boost your energy levels and
well-being
[Listed in alphabetical rather than nutritional order.]
*
Avocado pears
* Bread - wholegrains - wheat, rye, barley, oats etc
* Cereals - wholegrain - check for added fats and sugars
* Dried fruit eg. apricots, prunes, sultanas, figs etc
* Fresh fruit eg. apples, pears, kiwis, oranges, bananas, blueberries etc
* Fresh and frozen vegetables - all types - masses to choose from
* Herbs - of all kinds
* Honey - good quality 'set' honey in small quantity
* Nuts - unsalted eg. almond, brazil, cashew, walnut etc
* Oily fish eg salmon, mackerel
* Olives
* Pasta - wholegrain - avoid high fat sauces
* Rice - wholegrain - boiled
* Seeds - eg sunflower, sesame, pumpkin, linseed
* Soya milk - unsweetened - soya beans
* Yam - sweet potato - lentils - beans
*Yogurt - low fat with live bacteria cultures
Foods that may deplete your natural well-being
x
All highly refined foods eg. white flour, white sugar, cakes,
biscuits
x
All highly processed foods
x
Anything un-natural
x
Foods cooked in plastic containers
x Foods which contain modified fats
x Foods which contain certain artificial additives
x Foods which contain artificial coloring
x Most chocolates and sweets
x Too much caffeine eg. coffee, strong tea, cola drinks
x Too much alcohol - particularly on an empty stomach
x Unnecessary fat added to your food - taste the bread!
x Sugary drinks
x Diet drinks with lots of additives
Want to feel good about yourself and
full of healthy energy?
Use the HELP action plan - put a copy
on your fridge door:
H = Healthy eating and drinking choices - that's
what I make these days!
E = Enjoying my body and engaging my
self respect - it feels good!
L = Learning to be free of anxiety, worry
and guilt over food - I'm getting there!
P = Positive choices for positive
energy in my life - it's not that complicated!