Mindset Archives - Katie Vigesaa RD: Recent Episodes
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Hey there! This is article #1 of the Vibrant Health Newsletter!
Vibrant health is achieved and restored when we consider our day to day lives: our habits and routines. This includes what we are eating and drinking, how we are moving our bodies, relationships we have, even down to how much time we are getting outside to view sunlight.
Since I am a dietitian, of course one of my favorite things to discuss is food and nutrition. So let’s start there. If you ever feel overwhelmed by all of the things you think you “should” do in regards to your health and nutrition, take a pause and just go back to the simple basics.
Let’s start with real food nutrition. Think about your day to day eating habits. What percentage is real food? What percentage is in the more ultra-processed space? Real food is food that has been minimally processed and doesn’t contain unnecessary additives, in its whole form. Think fresh eggs, fruits and veggies, meats, nuts and seeds, beans, grains, all in the most whole form. What about ultra-processed? That looks like food that is a science experiment. It’s food you wouldn’t be able to recreate in your own home kitchen. We know that ultra-processed foods are often full of added sugars, preservatives, and food dyes.
Recent research shows our intake of ultra-processed food is on the rise, while real food nutrition continues to decline! In fact, data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey highlights in 2018 the average intake of calories from processed food was up to 57%. On average, Americans are consuming over half of their calories from processed foods! This isn’t something to just overlook. Ultra-processed foods are almost devoid of nutrients and fibers, and have many industrial added ingredients that have been linked to inflammation, heart disease, cancer, obesity, autoimmune disorders, and many chronic diseases we see today. If we want vibrant health, we need to move back towards a real food diet. A diet that our grandparents and great grandparents would have recognized as nourishing food.
You are literally what you eat Do you start your day with fruit and eggs? Or are you grabbing a quick granola bar and latte from the local café? Does lunch look like protein, veggies, and other real food additions? Or are you grabbing something out of the drive-thru or a package with a long list of ingredients? Do you rely on more real foods or ultra-processed foods for your diet? Does this really matter? Of course it does! What you eat literally creates the substance of who you are!
Our bodies are always in process, breaking down and re-building. They rebuild based on the raw ingredients we put into our bodies. This means the food you eat will quite literally turn into your brain, muscles, cells, and other tissues in your body. What you eat will either help your metabolism thrive or create metabolic dysfunction. This begs the question: are you made from real foods or processed? Luckily, we can start today to change the direction of our life and health! This isn’t about food shame, it’s about empowering and inspiring you towards feeling your best. We all want to feel our very best!
Awareness: Step 1So where do we start? This week just start thinking about what you are eating. Awareness is a stage of change, and it’s a great place to start. What’s on your plate? Where are you getting your food? Think about what you are eating and then pay attention to how you are feeling: do you maintain good energy? How were your blood labs at your yearly physical? Are you full of aches and pains? Don’t underestimate the power of what you put on your plate and in your body! It can change everything!
Real Food Resources:1. Check out a local farmer’s market! Often a quick google search will help you find a local farmer’s market. This is a great way to shop local and support your local farmer. The benefits of shopping at a farmer’s market are far reaching! Fresh picked produce and quality meats, using your dollars to support local farmers, and feeling great about choosing real foods for you and your family. 2. Find a local food co-op. Local food co-ops are an amazing resource! They are full of real foods, organic selections, clean personal care products, and so much more. 3. At your local grocery store, choose from the fruits, vegetables, non processed meats, organic dairy products, simple grains, beans, and potatoes and squashes. Try to select items that are in their whole form. Even frozen veggies that are simple in the ingredients section is a great thing to grab! 4. Azure StandardIf like me, you live very rural and don’t always have access to farmer’s markets or local food co-ops, then there are some amazing companies shipping real foods around the US. Azure Standard is an example of that! I purchase bulk selections from them monthly, and have access to quality food. Find (or start!) a local drop site near you.
Real Food (Quick!) RecipesThe food industry has preyed and profited from our busy lifestyles. We feel we don’t know how to cook, or have time to cook. So? there is always a pre-packaged or drive-thru solution just waiting for us. If we are going to take back our health, we are going to need to put in a little work in our home kitchens. It doesn’t have to be fancy, and you don’t have to spend hours in the kitchen. Just focus on some real proteins like chicken, ground beef, or fish, some real veggies like green beans, cucumbers, tomatoes, or salad greens, a real food carbohydrate/starch like fruits or potato or brown rice, and you have the base of a healthy balanced meal. Remember. Increase your real food intake and your energy and enjoyment to even get back to the kitchen will start to return!
Here’s some easy ideas for your week. Add olive oil, butter, avocado oil and seasonings as you please!
Monday: Steaks with green beans and roasted potatoes
Tuesday: Baked salmon with sautéed zucchini and beets
Wednesday: Bowls! Cooked chicken breast layered over brown rice and roasted broccoli. Increase the interest by adding a healthier sauce
Thursday: Turkey or Beef Burger Patties wrapped in lettuce wraps, served with pickles and tomatoes and a side of beans.
Friday: tired of cooking? Stick a roast in the crockpot in the morning and add carrots and potatoes. Voila! Done when you walk in the door!
Remember, just start with awareness. Stop and pause: how do I feel mentally and physically? What am I eating most days? If you want to feel great, you need to fuel yourself well! Real food nutrition is the foundation of a healthy body, healthy mind, and ultimately, a healthy society! Let’s get back to our roots with real food nutrition. Let’s move back towards vibrant health!
Cheering you on towards vibrant health!
P.S. Did you see Monday’s historic Senate hearing on chronic disease and nutrition?! It was 4 hours of bipartisan discussion on the root causes of why Americans are sick, and what we can do about it! Incredible to see these discussions taking place on Capitol Hill. There’s so much hope for our health! Watch the replay here
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Do it Scared (when you know it’s right) It is an odd intersection to be at: doing something that scares you, while having a peace it’s right. That is where I currently find myself. After 3 babies in 5 years and a body fat percentage that has crept far too high, I am ready. Now …
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Ok, let’s talk cravings. This is a topic that is near and dear to my heart since I lived my life for years struggling with really intense sugar and carbohydrate cravings. The cycle would go like this: -Wake up and just grab something quick, a granola bar, piece of toast, or some kind of breakfast …
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“You have no right to tell people how to be healthy and lose weight when you’re still fat” Whoa. Heavy. Did that make your heart skip a beat? Typing those words down actually makes my heart race and my skin flush a bit. Those words are ugly. They aren’t words that were sent to my …
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There are 2 disasters to dieting: 1. The inevitable hunger, cravings and low energy that typically hitch a ride with traditional low-calorie dieting AND 2. The hardest to swallow of all, the loss and predictable regain. How is it that you can work so hard and despite your best efforts, you can’t lose the excess …
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