Add

If you're around my age, 42 in June to be exact, you grew up in a somewhat toxic though (in theory) well-meaning diet culture that was all about restriction and what we should not be eating. We heard, in no uncertain terms, about all the foods that were "bad" and should be avoided at all costs in the name of health. Restrict. Lose weight. Be happy.

Well thankfully, we have learned that is not the path to health, mostly because A) we didn't lose weight, and if we did, we didn't keep it off, and B) we certainly weren't happy with all the restricting and losing and regaining. I know I wasn't at least.

If you think about it, it's kind of counterintuitive to think that learning about "nutrition" involves restricting and removing. "Nutrition." Here I go. I'm going to do it. I'm going to pull out my best undergrad essay writing skills and give you the actual definition of an everyday word in the hopes of illuminating a simple point. Apologies in advance for playing the obvious card here:

Nutrition is the biochemical and physiological process by which an organism uses food to support its life. Thank you Wikipedia.

Using food to support life. Not restricting food to support life. Not shaming our food choices to support life. Not never eating cake to support life.

So how did we get so off track? I think the answer lies somewhere in what is considered "food" as well as the aforementioned well-meaning though toxic diet culture of my youth/teens/20s/kind of today also. And that's a whole other blog post for another time when I'm feeling more soap boxy.

Lucky for you, right now I just want to talk about the joy and simplicity of taking what you're already eating and what you already love and making it more nourishing. Using the food you already eat, adding some more food to it, and using that food to sustain your life and help you feel your best.

It's one of my favorite nutrition hacks in truth. Don't restrict. Add. Don't change it completely. Just make it even better.

So what do I mean by this? Well take my morning oatmeal. First of all, oatmeal is just a vessel for toppings to me. I don't think I would ever sit down and eat a plain bowl of oatmeal by choice. It's warm (and I'm always cold), but that's the only good adjective I can think of for plain oatmeal. Otherwise, it's bland, gooey, soggy and has a weird texture. No judgement if you love it plain, but it's not my thing. However, adding some of the toppings I added today, transforms it into a magical bowl of goodness to me. Literally one of my favorite things in the world in the AM in the winter.

Today I had extra time (a phrase I hadn't uttered in 10 years pre-COVID life), so I made some cinnamon apples to go on top, but the rest of the toppings were quick and easy. And bonus, they added a TON of fiber, vitamins, antioxidants, anti-inflammatories, and blood sugar regulating-cholesterol lowering joy.

When you add nourishing ingredients to things you're already eating, you not only gain the beneficial properties of those foods, but you may also mitigate the less desirable effects of the other parts of your meal.

For example, adding veggies to your omelet. This adds fiber. Fiber helps pulls the cholesterol in the eggs through your system, limiting absorption and reducing serum levels. Another example is the cinnamon I added to my oatmeal. Cinnamon is anti-inflammatory AND helps regulate blood sugar, so it helps mitigate the glycemic effect of the carbohydrates I'm getting from the oatmeal.

Add nourishing things to your meal. Balance your plate. Keep eating your favorite foods.

So what can you add to things you already love to give your meals and snacks a boost? Here are some of my favorite ideas below.

1. Scrambled eggs/omelet: shredded fresh spinach, onions, garlic, bell peppers

2. Oatmeal: walnuts, pumpkin seeds, cinnamon, apples, bananas

3. Yogurt: flax, chia, blueberries, almonds

4. Sandwiches/wraps: banana peppers, avocado, shredded carrots

5. Burritos/tacos: peppers, roasted cabbage, shredded/roasted brussel sprouts

6. Homemade cookies/breads/muffins: flax meal, chia seeds, walnuts/almonds

7. Burgers: mushrooms, avocado, salsa, pickled cabbage

8. Pizza: banana peppers, spinach, cherry tomatoes

9. Stir fry: broccoli, peppers, carrots, edamame, sprouts, sesame seeds

10. Ground beef or smoothies: a GENEROUS handful of very finely chopped fresh spinach (preferably done in a food processor) - they'll never know it's there and you'll add a ton of calcium, fiber and vitamin K!

So, if you're wanting to add some more nourishing foods into the rotation, think about ways you can do it without completely changing what you're already doing. We love our routines. We are creatures of habit. Eating well doesn't have to mean a complete overhaul. Don't restrict. Don't go around hungry. Take what you're already doing and just make it even better!

#wendypedrazanutrition #mindfuleating #haes #telehealthnutritionist