Diet

Too Busy For Healthy Eating? 7 Tips That Save Time

  1. Cook grains in batches/large portions and keep/freeze leftovers
  2. Always have some healthy non-perishable foods at home
  3. Cook more large stews or soups
  4. Prepare your breakfast ingredients the night before
  5. Cook simple meals without too many ingredients or side dishes
  6. Stick with the same healthy breakfast (e.g. porridge or veggie omelet) every day
  7. Every week make a list with 3 meals that you are going to cook and make sure you have the ingredients at home

Some Random But Essential Healthy Eating Basics

  • Take your time and chew thoroughly
  • Drink a big glass of warm or room-temperature water before eating
  • Drink as little as possible during your meal
  • Eat as little sugar and white wheat flour as possible
  • Eat good carbohydrates and lots of fiber from vegetables and whole grains
  • Eat good bacteria (e.g. from pickled vegetables, Sauerkraut, Kimchi, Kombucha, Joghurt or Kefir)
  • Don’t overeat; try to stop when you feel 80% full
  • Make legumes easily digestible (e.g through long cooking, sprouting or soaking)
  • Don’t eat too late

The Planetary Health Diet

The planetary health diet is a guideline to more conscious, sustainable and earth-friendly food-consumption. It is supposed to slow down climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

  • Eat much more veggies, fruits, nuts, and legumes
  • Eat much less sugar, starchy vegetables, meat and animal products such as red meat, eggs, and dairy
  • Eat regional, seasonal and organic
  • Eat an average of 2,500 calories a day.
  • Avoid factory-farmed meat and dairy products
  • (Maximum of) one serving of beef a week
  • (Maximum of) two servings of fish a week
  • Get most of your protein from pulses and nuts
  • Milk, cheese, eggs or butter are okay in moderation
  • At least half your plate should consist of vegetables and fruit
  • At least one-third of your diet should be whole grains
Planetary Health Diet Plate

Source: Local Newspaper, Harvard

Ayurvedic Eating Principles

  • Eat calmly, mindfully, and avoid distractions while eating
  • Have gratitude for your food
  • Eat only when you’re hungry
  • Consume fresh, whole foods (try to avoid heated up leftovers)
  • Make lunch the biggest meal of the day
  • Don’t eat right before going to sleep (allow at least three hours between dinner and bedtime)
  • Eat 3 meals a day
  • Don’t snack in between meals to give your digestive system some rest.
  • Eat until you’re satisfied, but not stuffed (don’t overeat)
  • Try to include all tastes in a meal (sour, salty, bitter, sharp, acidic & sweet, ideally in that order)
  • Avoid cold foods and beverages
  • Drink unsweetened herbal teas (e.g. Licorice, Cinnamon, Ginger, or Fennel) between meals

Eat Bitter

Bitter foods are highly beneficial for gut health, stimulate the liver and therefore render nutrients more available and flush out toxins.

vegetables

  • Radicchio
  • Chicory
  • Arugula
  • Spinach
  • Kale
  • Dandelion greens

Fruits and plants

  • Cranberries
  • Grapefruit
  • Lemon, Lime or Orange Peel
  • Green tea
  • Almonds
  • Cocoa (raw)
  • Coffee (in moderation)

Spices

  • Ginger
  • Turmeric/Curcuma
  • Cardamom
  • Pepper
  • Apple cider vinegar

Herbs

  • Mint
  • Thyme
  • Marjoram
  • Rosemary
  • Terragon
  • Bay Leaves
  • Oregano
  • Sage