We all want to eat healthier in the New Yea, but dramatic diet changes can be hard to make after all the delicious food during the Christmas season. To help keep us motivated, StyleNest have spoken to Nutritional Therapist Natalie Lamb for her advice on how to make simple changes to your diet that will improve it not just for the New Year, but all year round.
- Eat more veg – Sugar can deplete the body of much needed magnesium levels. So after all those mince pies, Quality Streets and mulled wine it may be a good idea to top up levels again. Magnesium is high in many vegetables, so why not steam them and include a wide range in hearty soups and stews this January?
- Cut down on sugar – Sugar can upset the balance of gut flora, feeding the bad guys, so best to cut down on sugary treats and refined carbohydrates. If still craving those sugary treats try adding cinnamon to porridge as a sweetener, or try making your own raw chocolate! Gently heat a cup of each raw cacao powder, coconut oil and almond butter (or ground almonds) with ¼ cup of local honey then freeze in an ice cube tray – absolutely delicious!
- Eat more wholefoods – The consumption of plenty of good quality, organic wholefoods is recommended to reduce further environmental toxin exposure. Adequate protein intake such as meat, fish and eggs is believed necessary to support the livers natural detoxification process.
- Cut down on alcohol – Alcohol can cause an imbalance of our delicate gut flora and damage to the gut lining for up to two weeks after drinking! Homemade bone stocks are said to be very supporting to a healthy gut lining, so why not add them to homemade soups and stews over the winter months.
- Start taking probiotics – Maintaining regular healthy bowel movements is essential to remove waste substances and toxins from the body. Eating plenty of high fibre vegetables, drinking plenty of water and herbal teas, and having a balanced gut flora are all important to support this process. Probiotics have been shown to help rebalance the gut flora, improve regular bowel movements, and keep the gut lining nice and healthy. Try a multi-strain probiotic such as Bio-Kult.