Eat Well Today: Day Two Of Your Three Day Sleep-Eat-Energy Mini-Course

HERE’S DAY TWO OF YOUR THREE DAY SLEEP-EAT-ENERGY SEE MINI-COURSE:

EAT WELL

So how are you feeling today? Three days isn’t long to reverse the habits and stresses of maybe decades of poor sleep, poor eating and low energy. But follow the steps and you can do it!

Once you realize how different you can be feeling from just three days of this step by step guidance, you’ll wish you started earlier!

How did you sleep last night? If you didn’t follow yesterday’s steps, don’t worry, just follow the steps and prepare to sleep well tonight.

If you followed the plan yesterday, today’s your day to Eat Well.

There is soooooooooo much misinformation about eating well. For me, food forms part of two of my core values: Hospitality and Generosity. It seems like love in action, to have good food for everyone living in my home and anyone calling by.

Some foods seem to be to be like jewels - I mean, check out the colours in these peppers. 

With beautiful foods like these, how can we get it so wrong?

According to McKinsey in July 2015, the $5 trillion food and agribusiness industry has a massive economic, social and environmental footprint. Already, more than 20 percent of arable land is degraded.

Since 2004, global investments in the food-and-agribusiness sector have grown threefold, to more than $100 billion and these companies on average have demonstrated higher total returns to shareholders than many other sectors, with the 100 publicly traded food-and-agribusiness companies around the world increasing an average of 17 percent annually in the last decade. Do you think your health is at the top of their priorities?

There’s increasing pressure to produce food quickly and economically. New Zealand, for example, famed for it’s pure environment, reports of a build- up of cadmium in New Zealand soils caused by the superphosphate that was commonly used for 60 years having high levels of the heavy metal, which can damage kidneys, bones and is a carcinogen. Even farmers who stopped using superphosphate ten years ago have a toxic legacy that is still giving problems.

The cadmium build-up in agricultural soils has been monitored only in the past decade.

Research done last year for the New Zealand Ministry found that dairy farms showed the highest levels, followed by orchards, including vineyards.

Massey University scientist Dr Mike Joy recently said it is not possible to say how much land was now too contaminated to grow food crops.

"The only real published work we can use is the Waikato Regional Council study where 160,000 hectares back in 2004 exceeded that level, and modelling showed it would be over half the region by 2030.”

Incredibly, Dr Joy said the cadmium-affected land could be used for milk production or forestry but not for meat farming or cropping. The flawed logic in this: cadmium lodges in flesh but not in milk. You have to be joking: it’s a well known fact that fat easily stores and carries toxins.

Dr Joy said if the government had not exempted agricultural land from being classified under the Bio Solids Guidelines, many farms would be officially classed as contaminated sites.

"For me the biggest issue is not being able to grow food from that land in the future; that we've put our food security at risk by contaminating our soils with this carcinogenic heavy metal.”

Since 2011, the fertiliser industry has been self-managing cadmium levels. Isn’t that like asking the dog to look after your dinner?

What does this have to do with your food?

So these are just two of the facts which prompt many of us to ask questions about what “eating well” means. We know that soils are depleted of minerals: the University of Texas found declines in the amount of protein, calcium, phosphorus, iron, riboflavin (vitamin B2) and vitamin C in fruit and vegetables.

What does this mean to you? Even if you eat a healthy diet, it’ll be deficient.

So good supplements are essential.

We only have today for you to begin to Eat Better, so here are your steps.

PLEASE DON'T READ THIS!

By that I mean, please don't just read this. Instead, take me with you right now to your kitchen. Or make a note to do it with me later? Put a reminder in your diary and we can do it together. Remember, knowledge without action is for fools. Sorry to be blunt, but we only have three days... and I really want to make the most of them with you.

So if you have to, come back to this later when we're in the kitchen together.

Are you ready?

LET'S GO:

1. First, gather together all your medicines and supplements. Put the medicines to one side. A good place for the supplements is a handy kitchen drawer so you can easily see them.

Before you put them in there, take a look at what you have: are any past their use-by date? Throw those away.

Now, do you have:

- a good quality amino-acid supplement with YTE®? If not, buy AminoBoosters

- high quality vitamin, mineral and botanical supplement? If not, buy Eagle Pharmaceuticals Tresos-B or something of similar high quality. Most of the mass produced vits and mineral supplements are poor quality so make sure you get a trusted version, like this one.

- good quality probiotics, if you're not eating any cultured or formented foods

- good quality fatty acids, if you're not taking in enough good fats

- a good quality Vitamin D - such as Key Sun’s Clear Vitamin D3 or Real Dose’s Vitamin D3. Now, if you have significant inflammation in your body or are over a certain age, you'll want to get your Vitamin D3 along with K2 in a different way.

These are the important supplements for most people, so this is the best starting point for today.

2. Now, if you don’t already have a big bottle of water next to you, get one now. 

You want to drink a glass of water every time you think of eating. At least 8 through the day, double that if you can. You’ll be amazed how much better it makes you feel.

3. Superfoods you want to eat today include almond milk, blueberries, cacao (cocoa), carrots, celery, cherries, chia seeds, crispy Cos lettuce, spinach, sweet cabbage, tea and/or coffee; an easy way is to “eat a rainbow” of different-coloured fruits, salads and vegetables.

4. Next, we’re going to look in your fridge. Throw out anything past it’s best. You can’t nourish your body with dead or decaying food. Sounds obvious doesn’t it. Now, what do you have that’s fresh? For your Eat Better day, you want to do just that. And you want to eat a lot! Getting it ready now makes your day so easy.

5. Do you have any food growing at home? Even just some herbs will help. So take that glass of water and have a look around the garden, the balcony, terrace or windowsill. See what you can find to add and bring it back to the kitchen. Don’t have any herbs? Later on today you might want to buy some herbs to grow at home so you can get those phytonutrients fresh every day.

6. Now it’s time to plan your meals for the day, and the start of tomorrow. It’s so much easier when it’s planned in advance. You can even write yourself a note of what’s on the menu and keep it in the kitchen - so if anyone else wants to cook for you, it’s there in black and white. Keeping it simple and fast.

So here are some ideas:

First thing: always start with water. Get that bottle out of the fridge. Choose a favourite glass and begin to hydrate from the night before. Our bodies are principally energy and water so it’s important to keep topping up both.

When you eat, essentially you’re topping up your energy supplies direct from the sun. We’re going to be talking about energy more in tomorrow’s Be Energetic day, but it’s worth understanding that we make use of the plant’s energy which has combined the sun, carbon dioxide and water. This all happens in our mitochondria, the tiny energy factories inside our cells.

So think of it like this: you wouldn’t put dirty fuel in your car and expect it to run.

When you eat or drink a heap of artificial chemicals and highly processed products, it makes it very hard for your body to work well. In fact, it makes it impossible to function properly.

Our internal energy factories produce energy currency called adenosine triphosphate (ATP) - and this high-energy molecule stores the energy we need.

So today’s purpose is to enable the molecules of your body to store enough immediately available energy of you to do what you want to do.

Remember, the food you eat is either healing and energising you or harming you.

Now, let’s look at breakfast: 7am is a good time to start your day with food that’s alive! Lots to choose from - maybe a fresh juice or smoothie that you make yourself (here are some good recipes) or a couple of free range eggs any way, pancakes or just a big plate of fruit.

Try and have some fruit and/or vegetables at breakfast because ideally you’re going to eat two portions (a portion is at least a handful) of fruit or veggies every time you eat. Five times a day. And anything processed, including bought juice, doesn’t count, despite what the marketers say! When you juice your own fruit and veggies or make a fresh smoothie, that does count because you're getting the fibre and the nutrients instead of the preservatives and reconstituted liquid.

Yes, bulletproof coffee can be a good plan. 

If you prefer tea, make it in a teapot if you have one and take your time to enjoy it. It’s actually best to have your tea or coffee before a meal instead of with, because both tea and coffee can inhibit the absorption of iron and other nutrients.

So lay out your: water glass, big bottle of chilled water from your fridge, supplements, fruit - and whatever you’re having for breakfast.

If you don’t like plain water much, try flavouring with a slice of fruit.

10am - time for some fruit, nuts, seeds or some veggie sticks - carrots, celery, sweet cabbage, baby lettuce leaves and a dip, perhaps. Have a big glass of water first. Enjoy.

12 noon - yes, if you can, have lunch early…a salad or soup both work really well. Here are some good ideas. Whatever you do, decide at the start of the day and get it ready first thing, or at least know that you have it. Even if you buy a freshly made salad or soup, either will still be good for you.

It's a really good idea to aim to have lunch early. Even if you can't, having something ready - even if it's just planned in your head - makes life so much easier.

In Quantum Health Hacks, we have your complete meal plans for 21 days which are quick, easy, delicious and uniquely designed so you Sleep Better - Eat Well - Be Energetic.

3pm - afternoon tea time, and to avoid the afternoon slump, go for a fruit feast or veggie sticks again. A fruit feast is simply a variety of fruit cut up small on a plate - looks pretty and tastes pretty good.

You might want to include cherries, blueberries, an apple in slices, figs, melon, carrot or celery sticks.

There are more than 1,000 species of plants which are edible by humans and around 200 of these play an important role in world commerce. We tend to eat only around 15 of the most popular, though, including soybeans, peanuts, rice, wheat, potatoes, tomatoes and bananas. So there's a huge amount more for you to choose from.

In the last three years, grain consumption amongst large numbers of consumers has reduced by 30%, so much so that it's affecting the futures market. Yet, still, only 1 in 20 Australians for instance eat enough vegetables.
5pm - now it’s time to get dinner ready! If you’re eating out, go for something light and fresh. Remember, food is either healing or harming your body.

Avoid the myths: you don’t actually need carbohydrates with your dinner (unless you’re doing some extreme sports tomorrow) and there's a lot of protein is available in kale and hemp seeds, for example. Your plan today is to avoid the preservatives, artificial colours and flavours, antibiotics and growth promoters, and the heavy metals associated with traditional agriculture.

So something vegetarian or vegan if you like, otherwise some line-caught fish or small-scale-local-reared meat. And go easy on the carbs - if you eat enough veggies you won’t miss them. A big bag of baby spinach (eaten as salad or steamed for a minute or two), a crunchy coleslaw or salad, quickly stir fried sliced or diced veggies - all these can be ready in minutes.

Cauliflower rice instead of regular rice is quick and easy to prepare - packed with nutrients and delicious too.

Meals in our house are always a celebration - and the seasoning's vitally important.

Coconut aminos are healthy and more delicious than soy sauce, for extra flavouring.

More often than not we include onions and/or garlic along with citrus - lemons, limes, oranges and herbs. Fresh or ready-prepared ginger and turmeric boost the nutrient content easily and deliciously. Sprinkle in some extra spices where you can. Super flavourings and tons of extra goodness too.

A small sweet treat is fine if you really need it, like this special cacao treat or just have some cherries, berries or roasted nuts after your meal, maybe with a good glass of wine.

While we're preparing meals, let's get even more forward and talk about tomorrow’s breakfast.Try some Overnight Oats that are simply delicious: you need porridge oats, almond milk, some fruit, Himalayan salt and some naturally sweet like stevia, honey or coconut sugar.

Oats contain beta-glucan, a type of fiber that's been shown to help lower cholesterol when eaten regularly and are also rich in omega-3 fatty acids, folate, and potassium. Steel-cut oats contain more fiber than rolled oats or instant varieties. You’re not going to have to cook anything - just put a cup of oats, 2 cups of almond milk, a sprinkle of chia seeds in a jug in the fridge overnight. In the morning, it tastes like it’s cooked. Add a grind of salt, some sweetener and stir into a mashed banana or any other fruit like plums, mango, papaw, papaya, blueberries… fast, easy, super-healthy and fills you up for hours.

Wow - now you're organised!

Want to know a little more about which are the best vegetables to eat?

Vegetables are full of nutrients and anti aging properties. Scientific studies and nutritionists tell us to eat more fruits and vegetables – at least nine a day. Most of us aren’t even getting three, much less nine.

While most vegetables are low in calories and good for your body and overall health, some are better than others so here’s your list of...

YOUR TOP TEN MOST NUTRITIOUS VEGETABLES

The best way to get your vegetable nutrients is to grow them yourself, buy locally and/or buy organically grown veggies and eat them raw, steamed, in nutritious soups or stir-fries.

1ST) – GREEN LEAFY VEGETABLES –

Leafy green vegetables are typically low in calories, useful in reducing the risk of cancer and heart disease since they are low in fat, high in dietary fiber, and rich in folic acid, vitamin C, potassium and magnesium, as well as a host of phytochemicals, such as lutein, beta-cryptoxanthin,zeaxanthin, and beta-carotene.

Because of their high magnesium content and low glycemic index, green leafy vegetables are valuable for preventing or maintaining type-2 diabetes. An increase of 1 serving/day of green leafy vegetables was associated with a 9 percent lower risk of diabetes. The high level of vitamin K in greens makes them important for the production of osteocalcin, a protein essential for bone health.

Green leafy vegetables such as kale, chard, collard greens, spinach, parsley and dark green and red leaf lettuce are high in carotenoids and best eaten raw in salads, on healthy sandwiches, lightly steamed or in soups.

2ND) – BROCCOLI, BRUSSELS SPROUTS AND KALE –

Broccoli and Kale are nutritional powerhouses, rich in vitamins, minerals and fiber, loaded with antioxidants.

Broccoli and Kale contain generous amounts of folic acid, thought to be beneficial in preventing heart disease, strokes and some cancers. Both contain some of the highest levels of vitamins A and C of any food.

The high levels of vitamin E, vitamin C and beta-carotene provide a good intake of antioxidants, reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke.

These vegetables are rich in iron as well as folic acid that helps to combat anaemia. They are good steamed, raw (as a snack or in salads) and cooked in soups, stir-fries and other dishes. Both the green flower heads and stalks are nutritious - you can slice or dice the stalks as if they’re carrots.

Brussels Sprouts have only about 10 calories each, are low in fat and sodium, high in dietary fiber and are cholesterol-free. They contain high levels of naturally occurring vitamin C and specific health-promoting compounds called glucosinolates with antioxidant properties, with health benefits in the area of cancer prevention.

Brussels Sprouts have three times the level of vitamin C of an orange. Just like Kale, Brussels Sprouts are rather high in protein, accounting for more than a quarter of their calories. Four-to-six sprouts contain the adult daily requirements for vitamin C. They’re also an excellent source of vitamin D and folic acid during pregnancy. Brussels Sprouts are best quickly steamed to preserve nutritional values and avoid releasing sulfur smells caused by excess cooking.

We like to slice them as thinly as possible, stir fry a little garlic and diced onion in coconut oil then add the sprouts and pine nuts, seasoning with Himalayan salt, chilli pepper flakes and black pepper. You can add some coconut aminos if you like, at the end.

3RD) – GINGER AND TURMERIC –

Are ginger and turmeric vegetables or spices? They’re both rhizomes in the Zingiberaceae family. According to a 1999 study published in the "British Journal of Cancer" by researchers at the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia, extracts of ginger and turmeric can inhibit the growth of cancerous tumors. In 2006, researchers at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center showed that ginger kills certain ovarian cancer cells. The antioxidant properties of these two rhizomes contribute to their ability to help to prevent cancer and they have strong anti-inflammatory properties.

The University of Maryland Medical Centre proved that a mixture of Ayurvedic herbs and turmeric decreased inflammation caused by osteoarthritis, who reported on health care professionals often using ginger to treat inflammatory conditions such as arthritis and ulcerative colitis.

Turmeric and ginger are used to improve digestion, reduce nausea and even vomiting related to chemotherapy.

Include these two wherever you can - ideally fresh either finely chopped or grated.

4TH) – CAULIFLOWER –

Cauliflowers are most recently famous as “cauliflower rice”. If you haven’t tried it - check out this great recipe  excellent source of vitamin C, cauliflower also provides vitamin A, vitamin B-complex, vitamin E, carbohydrates, protein, iron, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, and dietary fiber. It’s low in calories (only 25 per serving), very low in sodium and has no fat, saturated fat or cholesterol. Including Cauliflower regularly in meals and snacks may help prevent cancer, heart disease and hypertension. Cauliflower, because of its bland flavor, can be eaten as a raw snack or added inconspicuously to dishes like soups and chili to boost nutritional values.

5TH) – RED, GREEN, ORANGE & YELLOW PEPPERS –

Brightly colored bell peppers, whether green, red, orange or yellow, are rich sources of some of the best nutrients available. As well as being excellent sources of vitamin C and vitamin A which are very powerful antioxidants, Bell peppers contain folic acid. As with all veggies, their fibre content help lower high cholesterol levels, a big risk factor for heart attack and stroke. Fibre from peppers and other veggies can help to reduce the amount of contact that colon cells have with cancer-causing toxins found in certain foods or produced by certain gut bacteria. It’s no coincidence that vitamin C, beta-carotene and folic acid, all found in these peppers, is associated with a significantly reduced risk of colon cancer.

Red, Green, Orange and Yellow Peppers are great in salads, stir-fries, for stuffing and baking in the oven.

6TH) – GARLIC AND ONIONS –

Garlic contains the amino acid, alliin, which has antibiotic and bactericidal effects and is believed to promote cardiovascular activity as well as a beneficial, soothing action on the respiratory system.

Onion may be a useful herb for the prevention of cardiovascular disease as the reduce the risk of blood clots. Onion protects against stomach and other cancers, as well as protecting against certain infections. Onion can improve lung function, especially in asthmatics.

Garlic and Onions are highly nutritious eaten raw in salads and dips as well as when cooked.

7TH) – SWEET POTATOES –

Sweet potatoes are loaded with vitamin A, which is important for vision, skin, nail, and hair health. Vitamin A also helps the body fend off bacterial infections.

These veggies are high in potassium, which helps heart and kidney function, facilitates muscle contractions, regulates blood pressure and keeps body fluids in balance.

Vitamin C is also found in high levels in this vegetable, which promotes healing and helps the body fight infection, keeps blood vessel walls and gums healthy.

Sweet potatoes contain calcium as well, important for building strong bones and teeth, also necessary for healthy muscle and nerve functions. Also containing Vitamin B6, which helps the body metabolize carbohydrates and proteins, Vitamin B6 to promote healthy nerves and helps the body form red blood cells, good sources of fiber, copper, and many other vitamins and minerals.

In addition, sweet potatoes are relatively low in calories, with a low glycemic load which means they are digested slowly so you feel full longer.

Sweet Potatoes are delicious when baked - the easiest way is to dice them and roast them in a hot oven till they sort of caramelise. Quick, easy and sooo good. Just bear in mind that you can't eat much sweet potato or pumpkin if you're wanting to lose weight.

8TH) – TOMATOES –

Antioxidants in tomatoes are helpful in cleansing toxins from the body.

The lycopene in tomatoes is known to neutralize free radicals in the body and cut the risk of prostate cancer. Those who eat raw tomatoes have been found to be at a much lesser risk of developing rectal, colon or stomach cancer. It is believed that tomatoes block the effects of nitrosamines and thus, reduce the risk of lung cancer.

Researches have suggested that eating tomatoes might help reduce the risk of heart attack.

The vitamin K in tomatoes helps in keeping the bones strong and healthy.

When applied topically, tomato pulp can help heal sunburn, wounds and sores. Tomatoes can also help the body prevent diarrhea and soothe eye irritation as well. Tomatoes have been found to have positive effects for constipation, diabetes, indigestion, intestinal disorders, jaundice, morning sickness, liver disorders, night blindness, obesity and urinary tract infection.

Tomatoes , which are actually fruit, are good in salads and on sandwiches. Cherry tomatoes make great raw snacks. So that pasta sauce is a good source of tomato nutrients.

Just bear in mind that these are from the nightshade family so are best avoided for a small number of people.

9TH) – GREEN PEAS –

Peas are rich in protein and carbohydrates, low in fats, a good source of fiber and iron, vitamins A and C as well as being very rich in thiamin (vitamin B1). This vitamin is essential for energy productions, nerve function and carbohydrate metabolism.

Green Peas are best eaten raw (especially snow peas, lightly steamed or stir fried. They’re great raw with dips, in salads or just as a snack on their own.

10TH) – CARROTS –

It is one of the foods richest in beta-carotene, which is a vitamin A precursor and is transformed by our body into vitamin A. This antioxidant which may reduce the risk of certain cancers. Carrots help keep your skin healthy and improve your eyesight, especially night vision,

This vegetable will help boost your immune system and lower your risk of lung cancer. Carrots will also assist in lowering blood cholesterol levels.

Carrots are naturally sweet and ideal for grating into salads, cooked dishes and baking as well as making great raw snacks.

As I mentioned, you have 200 plants to choose from for fruit, vegetables, herbs, spices, nuts and seeds.  Eating a rainbow of colours is the easiest way to get your nutrients - how convenient that our food comes "colour coded" so all we need to do is choose from the spectrum of colours.

One of the most important is Cacao, from the cocoa tree: the part we eat is a seed. So as you can see, choosing the rights fuels for your body mean that you can eat really well. Even chocolate - especially when it's dark, minimally processed and as fresh as possible.

When you avoid all the empty calories of processed food, starch, sugar and junk, you can also eat a lot. No more punishing your body with ridiculous calorie restrictions of processed junk. Just try to eat early so that your body can digest easily.

Here are a few useful reminders for your shopping list:

• Fruits: apples, bananas, berries of all kinds especially blueberries, cherries, lemons, limes, oranges… and anything in season, local and freshly picked
• Vegetables: avocados, cabbage (the sweet version), carrots, celery, cauliflower,  courgettes (zucchini), garlic, ginger, herbs, kale, lettuce, onions, peppers - red, yellow, green, chilli, spinach, spring onions, sweet potato, turmeric… and anything in season, local and freshly picked
• Pantry: agave syrup (natural sweetener), almond milk, cacao (cocoa), chia seeds, coconut “everything” because it’s so good for you including cream, milk, oil, sugar, water and yogurt; also... coffee, hemp seeds, herbs including chives, coriander (cilantro), parsley, mint, nuts,  honey, maple syrup, oats (steel cut), spices including salt (Himalayan) and pepper, stevia (natural sweetener) teas… wherever you can, choose local, organic and unprocessed.

Tip: look up “fruit and vegetable store” on Googlemaps to find somewhere other than the supermarket, near you. The best ones will have reviews showing… farm shops and farmers' markets are good too.

Remember: in order to eat well, you need healing ingredients not harmful ones. And a clean, healthy environment in your kitchen. So clean out anything that’s not healing and buy in the good stuff. Plan your meals the day before