In our society today, many foods come in a package, tin or box

The foods we eat are labelled with ingredients that we don’t recognise and can’t even pronounce.

Many people are eating merely as a means to quick gratification, rather than a source of energy that has the power to affect how they look, think, feel and act.

There is a simple rule when it comes to nutrition: Nature gets it right, human interference often gets it wrong. Eating food in its natural state is a great way to nurture your mind, body and spirit. Try to eat food that is closest to nature as often as possible and cut out the junk as much as possible. Your health, immunity, digestion, clarity of mind and energy levels will all reap the benefits. Food can heal or harm, and good health is all about self-responsibility. A lifestyle that entails mainly natural, healthy, whole foods will pretty much ensure good health and a life of longevity.

Positive habits and simplistic rituals create healthy living. It may not always be easy to implement, but the more you learn about how what you eat affects your mood and energy levels, the better off you’ll be. Something else for you to ponder is: Could the food you frequently feed your children be triggering behavioural and health problems? This is a serious question and one that needs to be answered honestly.

Your children will reap the benefits if you make their health and wellbeing your priority. Planning ahead and being organised is the key to good nutrition, good meals and snacks. Otherwise, you will reach for the quickest option available, which is usually the vending machine or takeaway. It is important to put thought and effort into the preparation of your meals to ensure that you’re eating foods that strengthen and revitalise you, rather than leave you feeling weakened and sluggish.

Let’s take a look at some little changes we can start making now that will make a BIG difference.

Some foods to think twice about before eating are:

  • White bread (substitute with sprouted-grain, gluten-free or Paleo, a grain-free option bread)
  • White sugar (substitute with stevia, coconut sugar, rapadura sugar, organic maple syrup, blackstrap molasses, raw honey, dates or date paste)
  • White rice (substitute with brown rice, quinoa, millet or amaranth)
  • White flour (substitute with whole-grain or gluten-free flours such as spelt, buckwheat, amaranth, kamut, brown rice, chia, quinoa, coconut or almond)
  • White salt (substitute with crystal-pink Himalayan or Celtic sea salt)
  • Sugar-loaded processed breakfast cereals

Regarding cereals, don’t be fooled by the healthy claims on the very clever, attention-grabbing, brightly coloured cardboard boxes (substitute with a beautiful omelette filled with salmon, mushrooms, tomatoes and baby spinach, or you may like to make your own muesli by adding things like rolled oats, quinoa flakes, pumpkin seeds, linseeds, nuts, sunflower and sesame seeds, cinnamon, shredded coconut, bee pollen).

It is important to note that nutrition can be a powerful medicine or a form of poison. If good health is important to you, ensure that good nutrition is a priority.