As you start becoming a more conscious human your view on life will change, this is because what consciousness means is being awake. One of the things that will be subjected to this new view is how you look at food. When a person is asleep (unconscious) the way they look at food is a lot different than to someone who is awake.
Society, for the most part, is asleep and therefore this is why you see a world full of very non-nutritious foods dominating every part of the planet. An asleep person sees life as if they were looking in a room at night, they faintly see some things but not with depth and clarity and this is why they consume the things they do.
I used to be one of these very asleep people and this is why I know how difficult it is to “wake up”. One who is asleep doesn’t know they are asleep and when this is so how are you suppose to wake up.
What I am saying is don’t blame others for what they are doing, just take it upon yourself to change and with doing so you might inspire some others too as well.
So if you’re on the verge of coming out of your slumber, here are some things that I learned on my journey about food. Below is also an excel spreadsheet that I created with vegan protein and iron sources + it includes the tips written here.
Simple Tips That I Learned Over My Journey
Bread
If you eat bread, try to get sprouted ones because the nutrients are much higher in them. Find better grains (spelt, millet, buckwheat, etc)
Fermented Products
Try to eat these a couple of times a week as the bacteria in these products helps the gut
Vegan examples: Kombucha, Sauerkraut, Pickles, Kimchi, Coconut Yogurt, Apple Cider Vinegar, Pickles
Tofu
Try to stay away from soy products in general as they aren’t so great, but if you want some get the fermented ones: Natto, Tempeh
Raw
Try to eat things in their raw form as most things touched by humans means additivesUse common sense… naturally grown least processed food, probably is the best for your body. some exceptions apply, but mostly the less manipulated the better
Example: Get raw nuts for instance instead of processed and salted
Smoothies
Especially in the summer, make a smoothie with greens, fruits, nuts, and seeds. That will make you feel full and give you a lot of needed nutrients in one go. Tons of good smoothie recipes out there to give you a guide, but ultimately make what you like.
If Cooking
Try not to overcook things, especially vegetables as that takes away much of their nutrients and also it takes more time for the body to digest it. Raw foods pass through the body much more quickly then cooked. This is why meat causes so many problems in humans. Animals eat meat raw. Humans need to cook it first and it takes 24-48 hrs to pass through, while vegetables and fruits in the raw form take 4-8hrs. The less time going through the body just makes you feel lighter and gives you more energy as your body doesn’t have to allocate it to this long process of digesting and grabbing the nutrients.
Water
Add lemon, lime, or some kind of citrus to your water. It alkalines it and creates a better environment for a healthy body. Drinking 8 glasses a day of water is a Western fad. The reason this came about is that the West eats mostly bread, meat, and other low water foods and therefore one must chug water to help not feel dehydrated. If you eat more plant-based foods (Vegetables and Fruits) you will be getting water from them and their composition matches your body’s composition of water approx 70%. Also, water in fruits and vegetables naturally gives you good nutrients, plain water is good but won’t be needed as often if eating high water-containing foods.
Living Food
If the food is in it’s purest state, it is alive and just makes sense to feed yourself with living things, rather than dead stuff. This is why so many people are feeling shitty. They eat mostly dead things and therefore they start feeling dead. A living food will spoil easy, dead food can last forever on shelves.
Limit Fried Things
This is tough to avoid, but the oils in fried things are very difficult for the body to deal with and lead to many health problems. The food is addicting, but very not beneficial. Cook with better oils (raw coconut, extra virgin olive oil, etc)
Consider baking more than frying.
Salads
Make your own salad dressing if possible because most out there is quite shit. Made with modified ingredients and tons of extras (not for your benefit, but just to keep the product lasting) Apple Cider Vinegar is a powerful addition to your diet and many good salad dressings can be made by mixing it with other ingredients of your liking. (Make sure the Apple Cider Vinegar has the mother) Braggs is a good brand.
Slow Down
Eat slower. Doesn’t matter how busy you are in life if you value health slow down. As your eating be conscious with the food as much as possible (take a bite, chew, observe how you feel during eating and afterward). This way you will eat smaller portions naturally, and you will start becoming aware of how the food makes you feel rather than just quickly eating and not noticing anything. Your body is smart, it knows what is good for it and when, but you just have to start breaking away from societal norms and slowly building awareness of what it is telling you. Trust your body.
Programs
Your mind is conditioned into wanting certain things, especially since you have happy memories with the food. This is why it’s important to slow down and observe how the foods make you feel and take the steps to start changing the program of just eating things because you did so in the past or because others are doing it.
Read Labels
Companies don’t really care about your health, they care about selling products. Read the labels as you shop. If the product has a short story of ingredients, then probably good to avoid. Big complicated words are another warning sign, google it if aren’t sure.
*A good resource is Dr.Axe
He seems to be a more conscious person and gives good information.
When I switched to a vegan lifestyle I always checked his site for tips.