Foundations of Nutrition
When it comes to creating a healthy lifestyle, I recommend focusing on three pillars of wellness - nutrition, movement, and mindfulness - as essential for a joyous life and healthy body. Today I want to talk about my first pillar: the foundation of high quality nutrition.
I’m a firm believer there is no one diet for everyone. By focusing on food quality and tuning into how your body feels, you can learn what makes you thrive. Three pillars that I think serve as the foundation for your best eating habits include getting enough anti-inflammatory omega-3 fats, eating a variety of colourful foods filled with phytonutrients, and supporting your microbiome for optimal gut health.
The first pillar of eating for joyous health is making sure your diet includes lots of anti-inflammatory omega-3 fats. These fatty acids are considered essential nutrients because our bodies can’t produce them from scratch, so we need to consume them from food sources. Omega-3 fats, specifically EPA and DHA, help balance inflammation in the body, support skin health, build healthy brain cells, and may help prevent the onset of chronic illnesses like diabetes and heart disease. And we all know prevention is the best medicine!
Some of the best sources of these fats come from small cold water fish like salmon, sardines, anchovies, and mackerel. If you’re not a fan of fish, then a fish oil supplement rich in EPA and DHA is a great option. I love taking Genuine Health Omega-3 oils to ensure I’m getting enough of these fabulous fatty acids to support my skin, my brain, and to keep inflammation at bay! Each capsule contains sustainably sourced, wild-caught fish and is processed using the most advanced technologies, resulting in the cleanest, freshest fish oil. That means we get optimal absorption without any of that fishy aftertaste or odor.
The second pillar for joyous health is eating a rainbow of plant-foods to obtain a plethora of phytonutrients! These plant compounds are a crucial component of a healthy diet because they provide our body with an amazing source of anti-inflammatory compounds, as well as antioxidants, both of which can prevent disease and help us truly thrive.
I love adding Genuine Health Greens+ to my smoothies as a way to incorporate scientifically-backed superfoods and phytonutrients into my diet. Each scoop includes 23 plant-based nutrients that are compatible with most ways of eating, whether that be paleo or keto, and are research proven to energize and nourish your whole body. If you want a delicious recipe that incorporates the Genuine Health Greens+, try this Coconut Crunch Smoothie Bowl!
Finally, my third non-negotiable pillar for building a foundation of joyous health is a balanced microbiome. The community of beneficial organisms that live in our gut, called probiotics, are helpful for such functions as digestion, boosting immunity, supporting healthy skin, and even helping to regulate our mood. I could talk about the role of these friendly bacteria all day long, but trust me when I say that it’s virtually impossible to thrive without healthy bacterial balance in the gut.
You can get probiotics from unpasteurized fermented foods like sauerkraut (my hubby’s fave!), kombucha, or apple cider vinegar. But if you’re looking for a more potent dose to help rebalance your microbiome, a supplement might be the best way to go. I love Genuine Health Probiotics because they include balanced strains of bacteria clinically proven to support immune function, digestive health, and mood. They also have a great chewable probiotic for the little ones in your life!
