The last one is here. The wrap up. The compendium. The whole she-bang.
See, in 2016, I set myself up for a weekly task. And in 2019, I set the intention to update each of those posts, and make them more relevant, delivering in an order that made more sense.
✨Read up if you’re wanting to Keep Well.
✨Read up if you’re keen to Tame the Inflammation Dragon.
✨Read up if you want to Kick Chronic Disease to the Curb.
✨Read up if you want to Defeat the Blood Sugar Beast.
✨Read up if you want to Balance your Hormones.
✨Read up if you want to Feel Real Good.
2019: THE YEAR THAT WAS.
I present to you, all the #thursdaybasics posts from this past year. 🥳🎆🎇
Welcome to the last post of 2019.
I hope this finds you well, dear one. Today’s post is a wrap-up of the re-posts from a series I lovingly called The Monday Health Basics, back in 2016.
For 2019, I endeavoured to update the information and links found within those earlier posts and log them in an order that made more sense. The idea was, if you were following along, you could implement one good thing at a time to help make sense of this Holistic Nutrition world.
See, back in that first week of January 2016, with a year of possibilities ahead, I set out for myself the task of coming up with 52 simple and effective changes you could make in order to help you achieve optimal health. The idea was to post one new concept every Monday, in order to build content on my website and explain my approach, but also to connect with food- and health-loving people out there.
What I got in the end was this gift of developing ideas, jumping off points for classes and class material, and extra support I could offer to my one-on-one clients. This blog series is the gift that keeps giving.
There were simple ideas, and there were more complicated ones. Most ideas revolved around food (I am a Holistic Nutrition Practitioner, after all...), but there were some concepts that were aimed at lifestyle kind of things too. All in all, these were meant to be suggestions to up the ante for you to improve not only your quantity of life, but also your quality of life.
Today's post is the wrap up. Consider this me, setting the lay of the land, in order for you to implement these concepts or steps one at a time for yourself. Whether you are looking for improved health, or support with an existing condition, or just aiming for a better quality of life, these ideas are for you.
Thank you for coming on this #thursdaybasics journey with me this year. I am forever grateful for your stories, your struggles and your involvement. May 2020 be a year of discoveries for you, a year of joy with plenty of health.
I have broken down the 51 ideas into six categories in this compendium, if you will. Peruse at your liking, click on the ideas that interest you. Hit the 'share' button at the bottom of this article to share with someone you really dig! Bookmark this page, and make a plan to implement one idea a week for the year ahead, in order to help support you through any current health concerns be they chronic degenerative diseases, raising a young family and fuelling your days or the desire to ensure health and vitality as we age!
FIRST THINGS FIRST
These go over the rules of the game, as it were. Or the rules of engagement.
ON EATING: Ways to think about eating, and why we do it. This is about being human. It's called On Eating.
ADD ONE GOOD THING AT A TIME: Start with where you are. And add only one good thing. Only one good thing at a time. Building the positive. And here's the secret: it feels better.
PANTRY STAPLES: An essential primer on how to stock your pantry with the essentials, what to keep, what to toss.
PRACTICE MINDFULNESS: In order to help support your body's ability to digest, I recommend you start carving time out for meals and practice mindfulness at these times. We are working on improving your body's ability to digest, and so it is imperative we don't just talk the talk, we also walk the walk!
EAT TOGETHER: We have a golden rule in our house, and it's one that I will insist upon until the day I die. Dinner is a meal meant to be shared, a meal that requires we are all around the dinner table, together. Let's talk about the power of connection when it comes to mealtimes.
WHOLE FOODS PRINCIPLES a la Weston A. Price
This section focuses on the major tenets of what it means to eat whole foods, the reasons you want to reach for whole foods. This means a traditional way of food preparation which encompasses the words live, natural and good quality: full of nutrients, low in pesticides, additives and other toxins, minimally processed, nourishing foods and from good sources. Read on to grasp some of these major ideas.
J.E.R.F.: One of the biggest changes you can make in how you approach foods. I realize I'm probably preaching to the converted here, but bears repeating. Just Eat Real Food. JERF.
EAT BUTTER: I invite you to read on the importance of including butter in your daily routine. There are more ideas too that make it easy to do so, so get playing with your food. Butter is the newest superfood!
EAT GOOD FATS: Good tips on how to incorporate some good fats in to your every day, speaking to the importance of this macro-nutrient in our diet. This is a controversial topic at times: read this article to understand which fats to eat, which fats to ditch and why you would want to.
GO FULL FAT (one of my favourite topics): This article is on the importance of switching your dairy products, salad dressings, mayo and other foods to the full fat version. Look here for good tips and easy swaps in order to bring down inflammation and provide your body with those all important fat soluble vitamins.
EAT EGGS: I did a wee write up on the importance of including eggs in your diet, if you can tolerate them. They are a cornerstone of the full GAPS diet, a big influence on my practice as a Holistic Nutrition Practitioner.
CHOOSE GRASS-FED: This piece is about choosing meats and all animal products like dairy and fats, and reaching for grass-fed or pastured options when you're able to.
MEAT STOCK: Meat stock is one of the most nourishing foods you can eat; prioritizing this in your weekly menus will go far in supporting a reduction in inflammation and improving gut health. Meat Stock vs Bone Broth? Meat stock every time. Check this link for a video how-to.
FERMENTED FOODS: This is one of the pillars of my work: fermented foods. We run through all of the benefits + help you figure out if something is fermented. It is a basic pillar of the WAPF way of things, and also a big player in the GAPS protocol, a gut-loving protocol.
PICK SPROUTED OR FERMENTED GRAINS: May I propose we take a gander at how to make grains more easily digestible. This post is not for everyone; but the information found within may help explain a bit behind the idea of traditional food preparation methods, and the wisdom found within. Let's talk about the wisdom of sprouted and/or fermented grains.
USING REAL SWEETENERS: I have an article on the importance of using real sweeteners, and reducing our intake of refined sugars and artificial sweeteners, and the ills they present. Let's sweeten naturally.
GOODFOOD BASICS + EASY TRICKS
These are practical ideas and recipes or tricks I have come up with in order to help you play with your food more confidently. They are usually easy one-offs to work on, where I walk you through how to prepare these foods or incorporate them in to your everyday. There are recipes in this section: this is fun and delicious work, my friend.
SWAP YOUR TABLE SALT FOR REAL SEA SALT: This idea is one that is a pretty basic change that is fairly easy to implement, but is one topic that also raises many questions and controversy. We're talking SALT.
SWITCH TO FILTERED: We're talking water, of course. We're talking nix the straight up tap water, instead filtering it so it's of gentler support to your body. There are lots of reasons: all of this disinfecting comes with a price.
WATER: This article goes in to the benefits of water consumption and why we need it, but especially when and how to consume it. Timing and temperature is of the essence, here.
LEMON WATER TO START YOUR DAY: It takes all of 3 minutes to prep once every two weeks, and a little forethought every night before hitting the hay. We're talking the pros of starting your day with a glass of lemon water.
HOW TO THINK COFFEE: I love coffee. It can contribute to inflammatory things and blood sugar balancing things though, taking a toll on our adrenals. Here's a good way to think about that delicious elixir: there are good pro-coffee points here, and ways to mitigate the negative effects they can have on the work we have at hand.
REDUCE PACKAGED FOODS: In order to help your body reduce overall inflammation, with the intention to support gut health; loving your guts has a tendency to reverberate outwards, to all other systems in the body. This article is one more step towards reducing inflammation and supporting the gut lining.
MAKE YOUR OWN GREEK YOGURT: This article talks about two of my favourite things: dairy and fermentation. This blog post is for you if you like dairy. This blog post may also be for you if you are saying to yourself right now “Well Luka, I can't do dairy because I'm lactose intolerant”. It may also be something you want to check out if you find yourself reaching for that greek yogurt at the grocery store. Today's post is about how to maximize that probiotic hit, lowering the lactose and making sure that greek yogurt in your breakfast bowl is best going to support you through the day ahead.
BUY FROZEN FRUIT + VEG: Concerned about nutrient density? Want more bang for your food bucks? Frugal with your time? Buy frozen fruit and veg. Allow me to explain.
SOAK SEEDS FOR SMOOTHIES: This post is for those early birds who are regular consumers of smoothies come morning time. This article goes over some basic easy steps you can take in order to make that smoothie really count and nourish you from head to toe.
FLAVOUR YOUR WATER: As another option to help you increase your water intake (and reduce consumption of juice or sodas), may I recommend you infuse your own water with some tasty flavours.
SALAD DRESSINGS: Let's talk about making your own salad dressings, and why this is a good idea. We'll talk about how to manage this at home, and how to manoeuvre this idea whilst on the road.
MAKE YOUR OWN SEASONING MIXES: This easy tweak is a fairly simple thing you can do in your kitchen, in order to bring down the list of additives and other nefarious ingredients in your meals. We're looking to keeping it real food, mes ami(e)s.
BLITZED PULSE PASTE: I just like the sound of this. This article presents the idea of making a big batch of pureed pulses (lentils or beans) and freezing in small portions in order to use for easy protein and fibre additions to meals down the road.
A BAKER'S DOZEN OF BIG CHANGES
This section encompasses thirteen pretty big ideas and changes. This section is the heavy lifting, if you will. It's the section where you will find more complicated recommendations, or multi-faceted ways of supporting your body. You'll also find recipe round-ups in this section. Read on to find a topic that really resonates with you!
BREAK FOR 12: This one is about liver support. Let's go over the idea of a 12 hour break, in order to give your body that rest it needs to recoup from the day and prepare for tomorrow. This is about reducing inflammation and supporting your body's detox work.
LIVER LOVING BREWS: What a great way to augment your intake of water. I have a write up on liver-supportive teas with a recipe for a homemade brew of medicinal mushrooms, incredibly supportive to reduce inflammation in the body.
GOOD FATS via EFAs (Essential Fatty Acids): This explains the benefits of these all-important fats in your life. It is one that I think about every live long day, and it involves choosing foods that will support just about everything going on in your body.
EAT YOUR GREENS: This is the why + how to up the greens in your life. They are supportive to every inch of your body. SO GOOD! Make it delicious.
ADD NETTLE: I am a big lover of all things nettle. Further to the post just above, it's a fabulous green that is easy to add to your daily cooking. It is a fantastic anti histamine herb, works hard at bringing down inflammation, and rich in minerals.
ADD SEAWEED: Further in to this discussion on consuming your greens, this may help you figure out how to incorporate mineral-rich seaweed in to your kitchen creations. The benefits are manyfold on this super green.
EAT PREBIOTICS: This write up is on the importance of eating your fruit and veggies every day. There is a method to the madness! Feed the good bugs, my friend.
LOVE YOUR HEART: This is a post that originally came about as summer was making its first appearance. Through the Traditional Chinese Medicine lens, summer is the season of the heart. In this blog post, we look at how Holistic Nutrition can best support your ever-lovin heart. This one is a good one at any time of the year.
PUT UP THE HARVEST: This post came about at harvest time. This blog post is meant to inspire you to take full advantage of Mother Nature's bounty and gifts, and to celebrate this most wonderful time of the year. Friends, it's time to put up the harvest. (In small batches. Do-able things. Easy things. Delicious things. One good thing at a time. Your future-winter-self will thank you.)
SNACK WELL: This one focuses on good ideas for snack foods. I like to think of this list as a possibility for snacks, or maybe piece a few of these together to make for easy take-to-work lunches. Go play with your food!
LUNCH BOX PLANNING: I wrote an article with ideas on how to think about packing lunches, be it for the littles or the bigs in your life (and that includes you.) There are nutrient-dense ideas that are fairly easy to pull together, making lunch time a delicious and nourishing thing.
THE PRACTICAL IDEAS
This section zeroes in on the practical tools to help you make these changes do-able tasks, and ones that will carry you forward. Tools to your toolkit, you could say.
DIRTY DOZEN/CLEAN FIFTEEN LIST: This is the latest list of Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen that is put out every year by the folks at the Environmental Working Group. In the interest of reducing toxins in your every day life, use this list to help make trips to the grocery store a bit more manageable.
TAKE NOTES: This is a good place to start, in terms of the practical. Let's talk about writing down where you're at, noticing how you're feeling and really taking stock of where you begin this journey. This one's called Write This Down.
MEAL PLANNING TIPS: I wrote an article on meal planning, and tips on how to approach it. I find it helps to make mealtime easier during a busy family week night. I hope you find it useful!
BATCH COOK: This write up focuses on good ways to think about batch prep work. Batch prepping is meant to be one task you undertake once a week in order to supply easy to incorporate things for the meals in the week ahead. It's all meant to make meal prep during the weeks a bit of an easier task. It's also meant to help ease in to this whole-foods preparation with a bit of an easier time.
CRITICAL LIFESTYLE SUPPORT
These ideas are integral and critical to supporting good health, and keeping inflammation at bay. Remember, this is all about manageable things to make this a good life. And implementing these components? Perhaps the funnest and easiest ways to ensure vitality and health. And feeling good, top to bottom.
SLEEP LIKE A CHAMP: This idea is one that can get overlooked, one that can often fall to the back burner. Good quality sleep is critical to supporting health, allowing for the important rebuilding and repair work to take place. And rejuvenating. Start counting sheep!
TAKE A WALK: It's time to get practical, kids. Getting outside for a walk a day, even if it's a short walk, will do wonders to help support your body through the work it wants to do. The benefits are manyfold – I mean name a system in the body, and you are sure to find that walking would support that system's function, nay I'd go so far as to say improve that system's work.
GO GREEN: This one is about lessening that toxin load on your body, bringing down the number of nefarious substances your body has to filter or move out. It's about supporting the liver, in turn helping reduce inflammation. It's about going green when it comes to your cleaners.
DITCH THE DRYER SHEETS: This is a practical in-house thing you can easily swap out or eradicate from your home. We're talking dryer sheets my friends. What they are, why you want to get rid of them, and some simple swaps you can add to your cupboard this weekend and know you've reduced the toxin load in your home already.
BREATHE DEEPLY: This is the perfect time to add this tool to your arsenal: this write up touches on the importance of reducing stress via grounded breath. It leads you through the how-to, and the benefits behind this easy (and free!) practice. Breathe deeply.
CULTIVATE JOY: In the interest of having fun and bringing down inflammation, supporting blood sugar regulation, it is imperative that you play. Every day. Here is a wee write up and explanation, with a long list of inspiration or ideas to get you started.
THE COLES NOTES VERSION
For those who'd rather just get the basics of what to aim for:
Eat real food. From good sources.
Reduce toxins everywhere, from your foods, your cleaners, your clothes, your household purchases. This could also speak to reducing the negativity in your life.
Sleep like a champ.
Play. Cultivate the joy in your life. Seek it out in the every day.
Connect with people.
Repeat.
Sorry to say it, but no one is getting out of here alive. So let's make it a good day, shall we?