Terry Walters, best-selling author of “CLEAN FOOD” gives us the scoop on eating clean and feeling your best.
- Clean food is minimally processed for your maximum nutrition and beauty is a direct reflection of inner health.
- A diet rich in clean food features whole grains that are a great source of B vitamins and help strengthen hair and make it shine!
- A clean food diet that features all the colors of the rainbow is rich in vitamins and minerals and allows the body to operate with efficiency so that we can support a healthy metabolism and can maintain a healthy weight
1. What does eating “clean” exactly mean? Is it a diet, detox, or a way of life?
“CLEAN FOOD” is about eating minimally processed foods for maximum nutrition. Clean foods are the foods that we all need more of, no matter what else is on our plate! From whole grains and vegetables to non-animal sources of protein like legumes, nuts and seeds…these are the foods that pack the greatest nutritional punch. It is definitely not a diet or a detox, but a healthy way of life that is easy!
Eating clean is going to be different for each person. For one, it may mean giving up artificial ingredients, or another it may mean giving up processed foods in general, and for still another it may mean going straight to the farm. What’s important is not reaching some ideal or following a diet created by somebody who doesn’t even know you! The goal is to empower yourself with knowledge to make healthy choices, and to have the tools to create nourishing and delicious food for ourselves and our families with minimal effort so that we can feel great and enjoy all that life has to offer.
2. What are the benefits of eating clean?
The health benefits of eating clean are limitless! The cleaner we eat, the clearer we think and the more efficiently we fuel our metabolism and our activity. Every bodily system is benefited by the balanced nutrition of a clean diet – from our nervous system and adrenal function, to greater heart health and immune strength in general. Eating clean will leave you energized, balanced and strong on the inside – all of which is reflected on the outside, too! Not only can eating clean help you maintain a healthy weight, but you’ll also notice stronger nails, shiny healthy hair…and skin that glows!
In both the short and long term, eating clean helps you maintain physical and emotional balance, and good health in general. Eating clean also connects you with the source of your food, supports you local economy and farmers, and results in considerably less waste and pollution to your body and your environment from packaging and overconsumption.
Our bodies are designed to perform amazing tasks every single day, but the more processed and nutritionally void food we consume, the more of this natural ability we lose. Instead, we become artificially sustained and turn to things like coffee to wake us up, sugar to keep us going, alcohol to have fun, pills to sleep, to get rid of our headaches, and to regulate any- and everything. The cleaner, or closer to the source we eat, the greater health benefits we realize and the more we are able to naturally support our bodies and our good health.
3. What foods are not considered clean?
Eating clean isn’t about identifying good or bad food. It’s about finding your unique opportunities to move your food closer to the source. A package is the first sign that you’re further from the source. First and foremost, shop the perimeter of the grocery store for clean food. Look for whole grains, vegetables, legumes, fruits, nuts and seeds…all the colors of the rainbow and all five tastes – sweet, sour, salty, bitter and pungent! Look for foods in all colors of the rainbow, and avoid artificial ingredients like high fructose corn syrup, partially hydrogenated oils and additives that start with mono- or di-.
Besides eating a nourishing, healthy diet, what kind of exercise do you recommend?
What kind of exercise you get is less important than simply getting exercise. In general, I like to partake in both weight-bearing exercise to strengthen muscles and bones and aerobic exercise for cardiovascular health. Walking, cycling, yoga, pilates, weight training…are all great forms of exercise. My favorite is running, but I know that’s not for everyone. Most importantly, find the exercise that works for you and find a time of the day so that you can exercise daily. Studies show that people who exercise first thing in the morning are more likely to maintain their workout ritual over the long term. Another great way to insure your success is to exercise with a friend. Not only does it make you accountable, but it’s more fun and can be a great nourishing connection, too!
As a holistic health coach, do you emphasize other areas of ones life besides nutrition?
People ask me all the time for one thing they can do to improve their health and I tell them to meditate! Meditation trains the mind, provides healing stillness and helps us lock in intention. The more you meditate, the more able you’ll be to follow through with your other exercise and diet intentions. Meditation also changes the body’s reaction to stress so that you can more easily handle what’s coming your way.
What recipe would you like to share with CHICKagoan?
I always suggest for those who don’t know where to begin to start with something green! My New Year’s Soup comes together in a snap and is a delicious and easy way to add collard greens to your diet – especially for those who are new to eating greens. Personally, I’ve been making a lot of my Red Lentil Soup with Turnips and Parsley. Red lentils are a great source of protein and cook up super-quick making this a great meal-in-a-pot that satisfies my whole family. And of course, I wouldn’t be human if I didn’t include my Cocoa Brownies. Made with no oil, no gluten, no dairy, no butter and only ½ cup of maple syrup… They’re totally decadent and not the slightest bit sinful!
Any other advice for us Chicago Chicks?
Empower yourself with knowledge. Eating clean and living well is about making one healthy choice at a time. Let go of judgments about food and the food choices that you make and try one new clean food each week. By the end of the year you’ll be surprised at how great you feel and how successfully you’ve transitioned to a healthy new you! No matter what you eat, enjoy each bite, let it nourish you fully, chew thoroughly, take time to sit and enjoy your mealtime, and get as much non-food nourishment as you can!
Check out her books “Clean Food,” “Clean Start” and get more receipes at http://terrywalters.net/
