Take in life, to sustain life. We have all heard the saying, “You are what you eat.” Does anybody ever wonder where this came from or perhaps what it is referring to? It was in 1826 that Anthelme Brillat-Savarin said, “Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are.” This is plain and simple, the literal sense how food affects us. The nutrients and enzymes that we take in from the food we eat, constitutes the structure and the function of the body and every single cell.
We also want to recall our father of modern medicine, Hippocrates who said, “Let thy food be thy medicine.” What he was trying to teach others, was exactly what many people like myself are trying to teach people still, today. Live foods are mostly plants that are in their closest to living form. The reason these are so vital is because we were designed to consume them. They are best in raw form, but cooked makes it easier to digest as our systems are more sensitive now than ever before. Due to the way our distribution of food is and considering the time it takes to get from ground/tree to table, cooking our food ensures that any dangerous microbes are rid of. Live, fresh foods are best and we want to get in as many of these as we can. Our bodies respond to all the live nutrients and enzymes that are packed in fruits, vegetables, grains and nuts.
Enzymes are important to aid in digestion and in metabolism. There are some 75,000 different kinds of enzymes. They play a very important role inside of cells. They are what drives the cell to carry out the chemical reaction, a million times faster than without them. It allows the cell to quickly build or take apart when needed. Some enzymes start the digestion process, some break down the food, and some run the body. A body without a proper intake of enzymes, will result in digestion issues.
So, what are nutrients and why is everyone always talking about them? Everyday you hear someone mention nutrition, but what exactly are nutrients? There are different nutrients, some are needed in large amounts and those are called macro nutrients. These include carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. There are also micro nutrients which are needed in lesser amounts, but still vital to the body and function. These include vitamins and minerals.
Why plants? They are full of everything that you need! There are many fruits, vegetables and grains that contain both enzymes and nutrients. Just by eating a salad with fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, and some olive oil on top with freshly squeezed lemon, you can provide your body with a plethora of vital nutrients and enzymes and watch the assimilation process to begin! The idea is to eat more of the foods that contain a number of these properties so that you are “covering more ground” per dish. For example, a plate with Quinoa, lightly steamed broccoli, black beans, sweet potato and avocado, contains macro nutrients, micro nutrients, and enzymes. The Broccoli contains calcium and Vitamin C. The sweet potato has Vitamin A and has carbohydrates. Quinoa is packed with protein, Fiber, Iron, magnesium, a little fat, folate, some copper, iron, zinc and potassium. The avocado is generously giving as well with fats, protein, Vitamin E, and enzymes! The black beans are super supportive with their protein and fiber. This is an excellent way to begin putting together plates that you can make a regular habit of consuming even just two times a day. Many easy snacks of seeds, nuts and fruit can be a good way to sustain energy and good health throughout the day in any work/home/outing situation.
One of the best things I ever did for myself, was to learn to love researching. I always did, but in school they often picked the topic. When they didn’t, it was exciting, and I was able to really take an interest in the information. Health must be significant to you for you to take pleasure out of not only learning it, but then practicing and forming healthy eating habits.
This by no means takes the fun out of food if that is what you are thinking!!! This is not restrictive as many think it is. Nobody is saying that this is all that you can eat. Of course, you can also in addition to these foods, eat some of your favorite not so nutrient dense foods. This helps your body to be able to obtain good health despite those other choices. I always say, it is not what you eat, it is what you are not eating that you must consider. If you are not eating fruits, vegetables, whole grains and seeds in abundance, how you can expect your body to do its job without the proper tools?!
So why plants?! I say, because they are here for your support and well being. Why wouldn’t we want to surround ourselves with that good nature? You are worth the best that this world has to offer, and that is what plants provide us with!
Health, Love, and Food... All A Girl Could Ask For... 
Beautifully written! I think nutrition information can sometimes be very cryptic and too dense to really take in. And so people give up trying because it’s too expensive/complicated/tasteless to eat plants. Eating well really doesn’t need to be so complicated, exactly as you said! 🙂
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Yes, thank you!! Exactly 100%. It can be overwhelming if thought of otherwise 👍😁
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