Food and its role in transformation and change
Amanda Campbell
Intuitive Coach & Mentor | Keynote Speaker | Kinesiologist | Author | Courses | Podcast & Blog | Workshops teaching the power of flexibility & the art of Bending Like Bamboo
I believe that every meal can be an opportunity to renew ourselves. In this blog I will share with you:
- How you can maximise your intake of nutrient dense food to encourage growth and repair
- How food and hydration is information and our foundation to maximising growth and repair
- How to identify and eliminate inflammatory food and bad food habits to support healing
Nutrition is the foundation for the health of our brain, hormones, gut health, emotional and physical wellbeing. Our body depends on water and nutrients to survive.
A HAPPY MIND IS CONNECTED TO A HAPPY BODY WHEN YOU ARE NOURISHING IT WITH HAPPY FOODS.
It was an absolute game changer when I optimised my nutrition. Within a few months my health, and overall feeling in my mind and body had vastly improved.
I no longer had to lay down for half of the day, which was life changing. I had more energy to walk and jog every few days. My MS symptoms started to completely subside. Emotionally I started to get the spring back in my stride, the sparkle back in my eye.
For me this was proof, that when you eat better you feel better, and perhaps because of my disease, this was even more noticeable. I began to fall in love with cooking and nourishing my body, a habit and attitude that translated into the other areas of my life.
I did extensive research into nutrition that would promote repair which led me to the work of Dr Swank, McDougal, Wahls, Jockers, Jelinek and Dr Chutkan to name a few.
To custom a specific approach that is right for you, I recommend working with a nutritionist and naturopath who can support you and your specific needs. There are biochemical tests that they can do, helping you to work out what foods are best for where your body is at.
Having said that there are fun ways to eat better, and when you eat better you feel better – which is such an important part to being open to change.
I have learned many tricks that can help you along the way, and that’s what I’d love to share with you.
HYDRATION
Hydration is so important. Every cell, tissue, and organ needs water to function optimally.
Water makes up: 90% of our lungs, 76% of our brain, 25% our bones, 75% our muscles that move our body, 82% of our blood that transports nutrients.
Our body uses water to maintain its temperature, remove waste, and to lubricate our joints. Our brain, muscles, skin and organs are all made up of water.
Just to perform our daily tasks, we require water and nutrients to think, walk, run and problem solve.
I recommend drinking x 8 glasses or 2 litres of water a day and make it fun. Add lemon to your water for flavour, which also promotes digestion.
I love to stock my home and office with beautiful teas, so I am sipping on them all day!
WHEN DO WE NEED TO RAMP UP OUR NUTRIENTS?
The Australian Health report in 2018 found more than 99 per cent of children and 96 per cent of adults don’t eat the recommended daily intake of five serves of vegetables a day.
When we are in need of repair, we need more than the RDI’s. If you are going through a difficult time emotionally, if stress levels are high, if your body is in need of repair, or is going through change I highly recommend ramping up your nutrient intake.
When I started to increase my nutrient intake, my results became most profound.
HERE ARE SOME TIPS TO HELP GET YOU STARTED:
1. Focus on what to increase. Your greens, deeply coloured foods all the way through, fibre, good fats and hydration. Sulphur rich foods and iodine rich foods can help to detoxify your cells such as onion, garlic, broccoli, mushrooms, cauliflower and seaweed. Resistant starches and inulin foods are great for our gut and the species diversity of our gut microbes such as green banana, peas, lentils, white cannellini beans, artichoke, leek, asparagus and bananas.
2. Protein is a building block for repair. Proteins are amino acids. Amino acids are responsible for the heavy lifting, growth and repair in our body. The body makes some amino acids naturally and the others we must get from foods. The ones we must get from foods are called essential. All vegetables have amino acids. When you eat a variety of vegetables you get a variety of amino acids and you will meet your RDI.
Fish are high in protein and also rich in omega 3’s and are a source of good fat. ?Source wild and deep-sea water fish to avoid mercury.
Plant protein is great for you. When you eat plants not only do you get protein, but you also get antioxidants, fibre, vitamins and minerals to assist with overall health, weight management and inflammation such as joint pain. In fact, every fruit and vegetable contain protein and an array of nutrients and minerals.
The key here is variety., as you want to make sure you get the recommended daily intake of all the 9 essential amino acids, which makes a complete source of protein.
3. Season your dishes with herbs, such as turmeric, thyme, cumin, rosemary and dill, all rich in nutrients and excellent remedies for insulin control, inflammation, immunity and brain function.
4. Where our food comes from matters, to maximise nutrients source organic, ethical and free-range foods. Going organic helps to eliminate pesticides, toxins and added hormones in our food. Ethically sourced real wholefoods are richer in antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and fibre.
Think - sustainable, free range, fresh and local and wholefoods meaning food in its most natural state.
5. Reduce inflammatory foods and this is an individual process of elimination, such as night shades, legumes, beans, peas and grains. You can test yourself to see if you have any food allergies to wheat, gluten or dairy. Other foods you might consider reducing are processed foods, sugar, fruit juice, soft drinks, diet drinks, white foods and corn products, which are high in fructose. Omega-6 sources such as sunflower and vegetable oils, artificial flavours and sweeteners. Limit your alcohol intake, trans fats, vegetable or refined oils like canola.
As they contribute to inflammation in the body.
6. Limit your alcohol and coffee intake. When we drink coffee, remember that it sends a signal to our adrenal glands to release adrenaline, which can exacerbate stress, and feeling more ON in our nervous system. Particularity on the days when you feel more stressed, try and limit yourself to 1 coffee a day or remove it from your routine all together, until you feel more balanced within.
7. If you can Master X 5 salads x 5 sides x 5 sauces x 5 proteins, when you mix and match them, you now have 625 recipes! Matt Kennedy an amazing chef taught me that, and it is how we used to create our menu when I had a food delivery business called Nourissh.
Make if fun, focus on what to increase and organise yourself to make cooking work for you. Focusing on these nutrient dense foods will also help you to heal your gut, so that you can assimilate your nutrients.
Remember when you eat better you will feel better. When you feel better you are more inclined to make better choices, leading to a happier and healthier you.
My Happy Food eBook, is loaded with nourishing and delicious recipes for you to enjoy.
I am excited to launch my new online course which dives into the importance of nutrition and how to nourish our minds and bodies on a cellular level to repair and perform. Out at the end of May!
WORK WITH AMANDA
To give yourself the best environment to transform, I created a program. You are welcome to work with me in person or online via video coaching. I also can be booked for speaking engagements and workshops.
Consultations with Amanda in person
If interstate or international :
Call us on 1300 188 882 or email [email protected] to find out how to book in for online coaching if you are outside of Melbourne / International.
Speaking:
To book Amanda to speak at your event or workplace please contact:
1300 188 882
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amandacampbellspeaker
Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/amandacampbell_speaker/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AmandaC_health