How to Ellavate Your Nutrition

Ellavating your nutrition means being mindful. Mindfulness comes in all different forms. Mindfulness, in this regard, means reading labels, knowing what is going into your body, planning out your meals, and not holding yourself to an impossible standard. Ellavating your nutrition also means making healthy foods that might seem boring into exciting, delicious foods. 

It’s crucial to read labels because marketing and advertising can give you the wrong idea. I know I’ve been the victim of this when I come home, only to determine, that the item I thought was healthy actually has tons of sugar or a long list of processed ingredients. You may remember the noodle salad that I showed on my Instagram story a few weeks ago. I bought this product fully believing that this was a salad that was low calorie, high in protein, and meant to be consumed in one sitting. The next time I purchased the salad, I inspected the label more carefully, and was disappointed to find that the salad was actually 2.5 servings. This means that the nutritional facts reflected the 2.5 servings instead of 1. This is an example that it is important to be mindful and check labels when making choices. 

Another trap that is common to fall into is the lull of certain buzz words such as “smoothie” or “acai bowl.” These words make you think you are making a healthy choice, but in actuality they could be full of sugar and processed ingredients. All smoothies are not created equal, so check the nutritional facts to make sure you know what you are getting. When in doubt, make a smoothie at home with ingredients you choose.  

Knowing what is going into your body means making choices that reflect your goals. For instance, if you want a dessert, go for it and enjoy every last bite! If you are trying to reduce sugar, don’t skip the cake and then have a smoothie that’s full of sugar, because you think that it is a healthier choice. It’s semantics because the smoothie might as well be called dessert with its’ high sugar content. While natural sugar is better than processed sugar, your body responds in the same way and everything is good in moderation.  

Another example of mindful eating is planning your meals and snacks. If you put time into this you are more likely to eat something you actually want instead of what's easy and convenient. If you cut up fruits and vegetables you can eat those instead of grabbing a bag of chips. If you want to plan out your meals, take the time to consider what your schedule and goals are for the week and make a plan that aligns with that. 

Don’t feel pressure to conform to society’s trends to an impossible standard for your diet. For some people, going gluten free, vegan, etc. works great and they feel healthy and energized. However, don’t feel like you need to follow this bandwagon because it might not work for you. Further, some people while going on this diet, will remove entire food groups and replace them with something that purports to be healthy when it isn’t. My family and I tried to become vegan for a week to see how we would feel. We found ourselves replacing meat with processed meat substitutes and eating an excess of simple carbohydrates, leaving us feeling sluggish and hungry. For me, eating all food groups in moderation is what works best. 

Ellavate your nutrition by: 

•   I love to use organic ingredients because they don’t have pesticides, are better for the environment, and have more beneficial nutrients. Although buying organic is great, it tends to be a lot more expensive. If you can’t buy all your ingredients organic, there is a list of the most important items to buy organically if possible. This list is called the “Dirty Dozen” and includes strawberries, spinach, kale, nectarines, apples, grapes, peaches, cherries, pears, tomatoes, celery, and potatoes. This list is showing that it is important to buy organically when the skin of the item is very thin. If it’s not possible to purchase organic, make sure to wash the items in the “Dirty Dozen” very thoroughly. 

• Buying local produce and other foods is great because then you are supporting your local businesses, you know where your food is coming from, and your food is fresher. 

• Using seasonal produce and ingredients can make the food we eat more exciting. There are so many ingredients that are healthy yet relate to each season. For example, in fall a few ingredients I love are: pomegranate seeds, brussels sprouts, squash, green beans, pumpkin puree, pears, and pecans. 

• Adding lots of flavor by using spices and herbs.  Spices and herbs have an endless amount of health benefits, as well. Here are some of the benefits of just a few spices and herbs. These facts are provided by Healthline: 

- “Cinnamon has potent antioxidant activity, helps fight inflammation and has been shown to lower cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood.” 

- “Sage can improve brain function and memory” 

- “Turmeric is a great anti-inflammatory" 

Mark Bittman states, “Changing the profile of your salad dressing or stir fry sauce is quick and easy-but it can make you feel like you are traveling around the world.” This is more important than ever since we are staying put these days.