6 minute read
FIVE HACKS TO SPICE UP YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH HEALTHY FOOD
FIVE HACKS TO SPICE UP YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH HEALTHY FOOD
by Henry Lee
How is your love life? And by love life, I mean your relationship with what you put in your mouth. That’s right, get your mind out of the gutter, and let’s talk about one of life’s necessities: FOOD
Eating is a life necessity, but our food choices can either work FOR us or AGAINST us With the New Year upon us, what better time to begin a healthy relationship with food?
Whether it’s getting back that sexy body, becoming regular again, modeling healthy habits that your kids will thank you for later, or decreasing the risk of cancer, heart attack, and stroke, we all could use some support when it comes to our food choices
Most people know that eating fruits and veggies is good for you, but they would also agree that eating enough fruits and veggies daily, in the quantity and variety that our bodies need, is challenging So here are a few simple solutions to “spice up ” your relationship with food while overcoming the common challenges of eating healthy
1. Keep it HOTT
Being intentional about dating after marriage is vital to keep the flame ”Hott.” Playing, changing up your routine, keeping it fresh, and spicing it up; are all common cliches that not only apply to a healthy relationship, but also to a healthy diet
Two common challenges around eating healthy are how bland the food tastes and how boring it can be Simple ways to give your veggies and clean protein a sexy new flavor twist include adding a bit of garlic, honey, ginger, cayenne, cumin, or rosemary. A little bit goes a long way, so try out a few combinations and explore to discover what delights your palate most
Simple additions to give your veggies or protein a fresh new look and a splash of color include orange bell peppers, spinach, butternut squash, zucchini, carrots, red onions, or beets Heart-healthy spices like turmeric and cinnamon can add natural color and flavorful variety to your meal.
2. Find someone to do it with
Doing it solo decreases the success rate Similar to the 80% of people who commit to going to the gym in January and quit by February, finding someone to do it with increases your odds of following through with your goal Yes, I just made up that statistic, but you get the idea. Doing it with someone else makes it fun and helps with accountability
One of the tools that I use to empower communities to eat healthier is having healthy potlucks for a group of friends and family “Healthy Living Parties” is what I call them, and I’m always happy to support anyone in organizing these At these parties, we are intentional about sharing tips, tricks, and recipes for anyone who wants to adopt a particular dish into their own regimen of healthy home cooking
3. Talk to your food
My girlfriend and I say, “I love you ” every time we depart or arrive Whether we feel like it or not, we say it to remind others that they matter to us
There is power in prayer Whether you are religious or not, pausing gives a deeper purpose to your actions. The same applies to your food. Eating is no longer a mindless routine; instead, becoming a meaningful act of something greater than self For me, praying over my food first grounds me in gratitude and allows me to appreciate what it will do for me on a deeper level than I would otherwise Giving thanks to the Giver (God) for the gift (food) humbles me and reminds me that food and my health are not to be taken for granted.
Even without prayer, taking a moment before you eat to pause and reflect on the meal in front of you will ground you and fill you with gratitude. This solidifies the desire to continue to eat healthily and make strides toward a better relationship with food
4. Habit Stacking
“People who have a full set of teeth when they are 74 years old are significantly more likely to reach the age of 100,” according to the Oral Health Foundation and published in the Journal of Periodontology (Eke et al., 2016). While our parents may not have known that statistic, they were likely relentless about teaching us to adopt brushing into our bedtime routine Even when we fought with them, they didn’t give up. They found creative ways to integrate it into our routines, stacking it with other habits until it became rote.
The phytonutrients in fruits and veggies boost brain function, improve depression and anxiety, suppress cancer genes, correct fertility, and much more We can use the habit-stacking method to add veggies to our daily meals.
Building a healthy snack of carrots or celery into a work break or grabbing an apple on the way out to the car are easy ways to incorporate and develop a new habit into an existing routine
5. Cheat on your tastebuds to have an affair with your gut
While it’s not wise to cheat on your spouse or partner, it can be beneficial to cheat on your sense of taste As predicted in the 1960’s series The Jetsons, today’s innovative food technology has realized a vehicle to bypass the less desirable flavors of raw plant matter, while still delivering the necessary nutrients straight to the intestines where they are easily absorbed into the blood
One of the common vehicles that I utilize daily is Juice Plus, which is encapsulated fruit and veggie powders packaged into small capsules This provides the benefit of eating a wide variety and large quantities of raw plants without tasting the concoction of broccoli, spinach, elderberry, pomegranate, beet powders, and other healthy superfoods
Playing around with these five approaches toward healthy foods can transform the act of eating into an exciting and enjoyable experience, rather than a bland, boring relationship. As you reflect on 2022 and look forward into the new year, make certain you set yourself up for success with your relationship goals with food.
