The topic of health and nutrition can be a stressful and overwhelming rabbit-hole of information, so we’ve provided a few small but powerful things that you can do now to kickstart your healthy lifestyle, get back on track to all systems running smoothly and help aid your recovery. Keep in mind though – if you make changes too drastically from your starting point, it can cause a shock to your body, and you can experience uncomfortable symptoms. So start yourself with small achievements and go up from there in a gradual process.
All information in this module was provided by Cori Baker, Nutritionist.
Disclaimer: These are guidelines only and are not intended to replace medical advice. Always follow your doctor’s recommendations first and speak with your doctor about any dietary changes if you have any medical conditions. Do not use this website, recommendations or services without appropriate medical care and consultation.
Simple Action Steps
Limit Overly Processed Vegetable Oils
- Limit highly processed oils that are very hard on our system and increase irritation with little benefit such as canola oil, margarine, shortening, corn oil, palm oil, sunflower oil, grapeseed oil, safflower oil, soy oil, cottonseed oil. Most chips, crackers, protein bars, granola, cereal, store-bought spreads/pastries and restaurant foods unfortunately contain these, so check the labels to find the high-quality ones.
- Replace with higher quality and less processed fats such as olive oil, avocado oil, peanut oil, high quality butter/ghee, coconut oil, sesame oil, walnut oil, fatty fish, nuts and seeds. (Note that refined peanut, avocado and coconut oil are more highly processed than the pure versions of these, so the pure versions are much preferred.)
Limit Your Sugar (simple carbohydrates)
- Limit simple carbohydrates/sugars which have lots of calories, minimal nutrients, and place a high burden on our system. These can be found in alcohol, cereal, white bread/rice/pasta/crackers, fruit juice, soda, pastries, and especially high fructose corn syrup which is very heavily processed.
- Replace with nutrient and fibre-rich complex carbohydrates such as whole-wheat flour, wheat bran, nuts, beans, cauliflower, green beans, potatoes, oats, peas, apples, citrus, carrots, barley and psyllium.
Stay hydrated! Check your urine colour and stool consistency
- If your stool is too hard, it can be a sign of dehydration. If too soft, it can be a sign of lacking fibre or intestinal inflammation. You should not need to strain to pass stool.
Fill Your Plate With Real Food
- Fill half of your plate with vegetables/leafy greens, and the other half with a combination of proteins (see above point 4), fruits, herbs, spices, whole grains, nuts, seeds, beans, full fat dairy and other good fats (see above point 1).
- Real foods are unprocessed, free of chemical additives and rich in nutrients.
- There’s a difference between food and edible food-like substances!
- Fresh-grown produce is typically the most nutritious, then frozen (close second), then canned. Steamed, sautéed and raw produce are more nutrient-rich than boiled or deep-fried. It’s recommended to eat 6-9 cups of veggies and fruit per day!
Increase Your Protein Intake When Recovering From Injury or Increasing Muscle Mass/Exercising
- Try and eat these sources of protein: chicken, beef, seafood, pork, eggs, tofu, beans, legumes, lentils, seeds, nuts, quinoa, dairy products. You can add protein bars/shakes too but check the labels for added vegetable oils and simple sugars to check quality! Check the label for grams of protein.
- Increase your protein intake by about 1g per pound of body weight. Ex: If you weigh 150lbs, increase your protein intake by about 150g per day.
Eating For Injury Recovery
- Increase protein, zinc, copper, vitamin C, Sulphur and magnesium when recovering from an injury. Watch this video for details on which foods to incorporate for each!
- Quick list: also add into your diet leafy greens, seeds, nuts, citrus, peppers, blueberries, organ meat, shellfish, broccoli, cauliflower, turmeric, and pineapple.
Use Good Quality Salt That Is Full Of Minerals
- Limit your intake of table salt as it’s stripped of any mineral content.
- Replace with nutrient-rich salts like high quality sea salt, pink salt (check label to ensure it’s from Pakistan), Fleur de Sel, or grey salt.
Note: You may have to moderate your salt intake if you have high or low blood pressure (always follow doctor’s recommendations).
Notice Any Food Intolerances
- Many people have allergies or experience gastrointestinal symptoms from certain foods (or even certain combinations of foods), such as dairy, gluten, nuts, fruits, etc. Our recommendation is to be mindful of how your body reacts to certain foods and adjust accordingly. Speak with your doctor if you have any concerns.
Improve Your Overall Health and Wellness
- Restful sleep, managing stress and adequate exercise are all vital for our bodies to function well, digest our food more effectively and properly use the nutrients from the food we eat. And our food gives us the needed energy and nutrients to improve these processes. They all work together!
