What is REAL food and are you eating it?

Hi!

I am Beth Schmitt, new blogger to patch and owner of Your Wellness Gal, LLC, holistic nutrition and lifestyle coaching. I look forward to posting information, tips, tricks, resources and some YUMMY recipes I have collected on my journey of healthy living and coaching. 

I love vegetables, supporting my local farms and business and playing around in the kitchen :) I appreciate you joining me and welcome you to throw out some burning questions you may have regarding healthy nutrition and lifestyle. And for the record, I love digging up new information so if I am unsure of the answer I will be happy to find it.

My coaching practice is built on a get REAL lifestyle. This includes REAL food, REAL movement, REAL you and REAL life. Everyone has their own individual needs and goals when building a sustainable healthy lifestyle and I am here to assist you in creating what is right for you. I firmly believe REAL food is the  first step in this amazingly fun journey. It's like Hippocrates said so long ago "let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food". Food is meant to nourish the body, not harm or destroy it. Think about what is fueling your body? REAL food or FAKE food?

So here are my thoughts on what REAL food is and what FAKE food is.........

REAL food characteristics: ~grows from the ground or comes from a mother (not talking the kiddos either) ~food in a natural, unscathed state the way nature intended ~food full of nutrients like vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, healthy proteins and fats ~fresh, colorful and full of life

REAL food sources: ~vegetables, vegetables and more vegetables ~fruit  ~quality meats and seafood ~eggs ~nuts and seeds ~beans ~some grains ~some dairy        

**Eating these foods on a regular basis can offer endless health benefits, especially when combined with a healthy lifestyle.

Where do you find REAL food: ~the outer perimeters of the grocery store (produce, bulk bins, meat and seafood counter) ~local farms ~local orchards ~local retailers ~health food stores or coops ~farmers markets

Preparing REAL food: ~meal planning ~a bit of prep work ~shopping with a list ~a bit of kitchen organization ~some home cooking

**This all may seem overwhelming when you begin the journey but it really can be quite simple and is for sure well worth it.

FAKE food characteristics: ~they are found on the inner isles of the grocery store ~items with many ingredients that you cannot pronounce ~science experiments filled with preservatives and chemicals ~items that come in a box or can and are able to sit on a shelf for years ~items that contain high fructose corn syrup or other artificial sugars or sweeteners, enriched flours and trans fat ~food that does not have or has very little nutritional value

FAKE food sources: ~anything that is not a REAL food ~foods that come in a box like rice and pasta dishes ~frozen entrees ~frozen breakfast ~most cereals and boxed breakfast ~canned vegetables and fruit ~pastries and muffins ~and the list goes on.....

Where do you find FAKE food: ~just about everywhere you turn

Even though you may not know me quite yet, Do me a favor, well actually do yourself a favor, the next time you sit down to a meal, take a walk through the grocery store or pick up something quick for dinner, ask yourself "Is this REAL food and how will this nourish and fuel my body?" And if the answer is "no, it's not REAL food" and "it's not nourishing or properly fueling my body", perhaps it's time to take charge of your health and open the door to some new, more nourishing options.

I am certainly no purest but I do think you can do amazing things with a         well-nourished body and life:) Thanks for reading and I look forward to next time.

Until then,                                                                                                 Don't forget to eat your veggies!!

Beth

And here is a little food for thought:  You would not rely on fake-fuel to run your car, would you? So why do we rely on our bodies to run on fake-food, deficient in all things necessary (nutrients) for our body to thrive?

**This information is for education only and is not meant to diagnose, treat or prescribe for any disease or medical condition.**