This morning I had the awesome opportunity to present a segment at a local nutrition workshop. The workshop was sponsored by the company that I work for part-time. Basically, we have started a national movement called the RVLution, that is seeking to empower people to take their health into their own hands by learning the tenets of proper nutrition (how it fuels and heals our bodies) and combining that with an exercise component. At the helm of the RVLution movement is NY Times best-selling author, CNN health correspondent, and founder of Venice Nutrition, Mark McDonald. McDonald created the blueprints for this movement, and following that protocal, we are now hosting nutrition workshops and group exercise sessions weekly, and hoping to get the community to together take a stand against obesity, heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and the host of illnesses that are debilitating our nation. I am so proud to be a part of this movement, as it is right up my alley as you can imagine. The opportunity came at the perfect time for me as I was finishing up my time in the classroom. You know what they say: one door closes, and another one opens.
I wanted to post the information that I delivered today to the group because, of course, this blog is not just about gluten-free living, but about living for optimal health and wellness. Today, along with sharing my personal health story, I tackled the dos and don'ts of grocery store shopping. Enjoy!
Tips for Grocery Shopping for Optimal Health and Nutrition
“The wise man should consider that health is the greatest of human blessings. Let food by thy medicine”- Hippocrates
“Don’t dig your grave with your own knife and fork.”- English Proverb
Whether you are at the beginning stages of your journey to better health or you are just seeking to improve the nutrition of your family, it is of the utmost importance that you understand one very simple, yet profound concept: the food we eat fuels our bodies. The food we put in our mouths everyday literally sends signals to our bodies that either promote or extinguish inflammation, and therefore, either encourage or minimize our chances of disease.
As you either begin or continue on your journey to better health, you must be informed about the tenets of proper nutrition and prepared with strategies to tackle the supermarket. The following are five useful and practical tips for grocery shopping for optimal health and nutrition.
1) Shop the perimeter- practice the 80/20 rule! In order to give your body the right food that it needs to function optimally, you should be aiming to consume mostly whole and unprocessed foods. As a rule of thumb, the whole foods (fruits, veggies, meat, fish, eggs, nuts, dairy) are located along the perimeter of the store. You should aim to buy 80% of your groceries from these areas of the store. Minimize your purchases in the inner aisles, as these are the places where the processed (disease-producing) food lies.
2) Shop the rainbow- The next time you are in the checkout line waiting to be helped, quickly survey the contents of your grocery cart. Is your cart colorful? Do you see lots of bright greens, reds, purples, blues, and yellows in the form of fresh fruit and vegetables? You should. These foods are life-giving and sustaining, and they are chock full of wonderful phytonutrients called antioxidants, which fight oxidation and inflammation.
3) Read labels- You don’t need to have a degree in nutrition to become an expert at food label deciphering. Do not concern yourself with memorizing calories or fat grams or macronutrient amounts. (As an aside, most knowledgeable nutritionists now understand that the calories in vs. calories out approach to weight loss and management is misguided and antiquated. Contrary to what some very popular weight loss programs tout as truth, you do not need to count calories or give point values to your food intake.) Here are two important questions to ask about any food label: 1) How many ingredients does the food have? 2) Can you pronounce all the ingredients? As a rule of thumb, the fewer ingredients the food has, the better. Remember, you want to consume food in as close to its natural state as possible. In fact, the food you should be aiming to buy should have only one ingredient and/or should not require any label at all (here is an apple: no ingredient label required!). Bottom line: if you can’t pronounce more than one or two ingredients on the label, put it back on the shelf!
4) Buy organic whenever possible! Yes, I know, I know. Organic food is definitely more expensive than traditionally grown and processed foods. But again, if there’s anything that we hope you’ve learned from our nutrition workshops, it’s that you will either pay a premium for good nutrition that you put in your body now, or you will pay a premium to the doctor and the pharmacies later! For a cheaper alternative to fresh, organic produce, you can opt for frozen organic fruits and veggies. You should also aim to buy organic produce that is in season as it is always more affordable. For a list of the most important foods to buy organic, see the "Dirty Dozen" list.
5) Do not go grocery shopping when you are hungry! This one is important! I know even as a seasoned nutrition expert, if I go shopping when I am famished, I am much more likely to fall into the temptation of buying junk. Pack a cheese stick, some almonds, or a piece of fruit in your bag at all times to avoid the mistake of going grocery shopping on an empty stomach. Remember, food product manufacturers and marketers are experts at making their “junk” food appealing to you with bright labels and fancy packaging. Don’t fall into the trap!
