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10 FOOD MATTERS NUTRITION PRINCIPLES

1. EAT AS NATURE INTENDED
Nature didn’t create you to eat frozen ready-made meals with artificial preservatives and chemicals. Our ancestors have always lived in harmony with nature, and we are designed to eat as nature intended. Pure, natural, and organic foods direct from the farm to your table. Many of the longest-living, healthiest, and happiest people on planet Earth alive today eat plenty of vegetables and fruits, herbs, seaweeds, superfoods, mushrooms, sprouted nuts and seeds, activated grains and pseudograins, live-cultured foods and fermented vegetables, and occasionally small amounts of free-range eggs, wild fish, and game.

2. CHOOSE ORGANIC WHEN POSSIBLE
Organic fruits and vegetables contain more vitamins and minerals than their non-organic counterparts, particularly if they are picked ripe and locally grown. Moreover, they are safer to eat as they are grown without the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and genetically modified organisms, all of which may have harmful long-term effects on our reproductive health and hormones, as well as overloading the liver with harmful toxins. Throughout this book we recommend choosing organic ingredients wherever possible. If animal products are in your diet, we encourage you to choose sustainably farmed, organic meat and products. This includes sustainably sourced fish, pastured-raised and free-range eggs, and grass-fed, ethically raised animal products.

3. LIMIT YOUR INTAKE OF GLUTEN-CONTAINING GRAINS
Gluten is a protein found in many grains, namely wheat, rye, barley, triticale, and contaminated oats. Gluten may irritate and damage the intestinal lining, causing inflammation, and may result in an autoimmune response that contributes to increased intestinal permeability, commonly referred to as “leaky gut.” Because of the domestication and genetic modification of modern wheat and its increased consumption in the Western diet, celiac disease, gluten intolerance, and gluten sensitivity are becoming more prevalent. In this book, we’ve compiled our recipes with gluten-free grains so everyone can enjoy them, especially those who can’t live without pancakes, bread, and cookies!

4. STEER CLEAR OF PROCESSED SUGAR
Too much sugar or other refined “simple” carbohydrates can lead to blood sugar highs and lows, causing mood swings and food cravings and possibly contributing to obesity and chronic disease. Consuming large amounts of refined sugar is associated with a greater risk of fatty liver disease, insulin resistance, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes. The solution: opt for foods that naturally have a lower glycemic load or a low glycemic index (GI), and avoid sweetened packaged foods, particularly those sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), corn and glucose syrups, and artificial sweeteners. In this book, we use natural sweeteners such as dates, honey, and pure maple syrup.

5. EAT GOOD FATS
People who are trying to lose weight often try to keep their fat intake to a minimum. The reason behind this is that fat contains more calories per gram than carbohydrates and proteins. However, good fats are essential for the absorption of most nutrients, as well as for satiating hunger and for the production of hormones—so, it’s actually important not to avoid them. Here at Food Matters, we believe in counting nutrients, not calories! We’ll help you to make a healthy relationship with the fats found in hemp seeds, chia seeds, flaxseeds, Brazil nuts, almonds, walnuts, coconut oil, extra virgin cold-pressed olive oil, macadamia nuts, and avocados, and, additionally for non-vegans, select high-quality wild-caught fish, ghee, butter, and grass-fed meats. Make sure you steer clear of the oxidized, free-radical-creating trans fats found in margarine spreads, cookies, chips, factory-farmed meat, and refined, processed vegetable oils such as safflower, sunflower, and canola oil.

6. BE SMART IN THE KITCHEN
Prepare your meals with care. Ditch the microwave. Eat more raw, living foods. Don’t burn your foods but rather steam or sauté them in heat-stable fats over low to medium heat. Get an old-fashioned cast-iron pot and learn how to slow cook. Ditch the Teflon and nonstick pans. Ferment your veggies. Compost your scraps. Ditch the plastic wrap. And stock your pantry with health-promoting foods to help support your transformation. Soak and activate your nuts. We’ll expand more on preparing your kitchen in Part III.

7. DUST OFF YOUR JUICER AND BLENDER
A juicer or blender can be your best friend in the kitchen, making it easier for you to up the intake of vegetables and fruits in your diet. This will help you to naturally crowd out the foods that can have a harmful effect on your body. Let’s say you come home from work and you are feeling hungry and lethargic. You might normally reach for a bag of chips or cookies, but with your juicer, blender, and selection of quick, delicious, and easy recipes handy, you’ll be nourishing your body with a cold-pressed juice or smoothie loaded with vitamins, minerals, and enzymes. This is our kind of instant meal!

8. SHOP FOR ETHICAL AND SUSTAINABLE SOURCES
When buying fresh produce, fish, eggs, and other animal products, it’s important to choose sustainable sources and to know where your food comes from. Toxins and chemicals tend to accumulate mostly within fat cells; therefore, sourcing organically grown nuts, seeds, oils, and animal products is best. With organic and free-range animal products, it is reassuring to know that there are no antibiotics, growth hormones, or GMO products used in the production process. If in doubt, ask your local food supplier or farmer some simple questions; if they have nothing to hide, they will always be happy to help.

9. AVOID FOOD ADDITIVES
Read your food labels! Chemical food additives can wreak havoc on our hormones. In general, avoid E numbers (these are codes for common food additives) but be particularly careful with the flavor enhancer MSG, which tricks our brains into thinking we need to overeat. MSG is disguised under the following names: E621, monosodium glutamate, glutamic acid, hydrolyzed vegetable oil, yeast extract, and monocalcium glutamate. It is often found in ready-made soups, chips, sauces, and cookies. As a general rule: if you can’t pronounce it or it’s listed in numbers or code, don’t eat it!

10. EAT IN A RELAXED STATE
Our stomach and digestive systems are very sensitive. Rushing your meal and eating on the run will put your body in a state of fight or flight, which in turn will compromise or even halt your digestive processes and the uptake of nutrients. What we don’t digest can turn into bacterial fermentation or bloating, or, worst of all, it can be stored for later (aka fat and cellulite in the places we want it least). Make sure you are seated and take the time to enjoy your meal in a relaxed state with a peaceful intention. We like to say a quick blessing before we eat a meal, to give thanks, and to take a few deep breaths to calm our bodies.