Naturopathic Nutrition Guidelines
Why? Simply, we are what we eat! Everyone wants to be happier, healthier, fitter, stronger, sexier… I guarantee if you follow these simple naturopathic guidelines you will feel all of those things. Let’s get you passionate about food! If you are not a good cook, you can become one! Everyone can cook - you just need to get the right cook books.
FIBRE - Think WHOLE-FOODS… think lots of fruit and veggies. Organic is always best but not always in the budget. Do what you can. Have food as nature intended. Avoid foods that have added colourings or preservatives. Fruit and veggies are bursting with nutrients to help you have a healthy life. Studies have shown that people that eat a diet high in fruit and veggies are less likely to have cardiovascular conditions or cancer. Try and select fruit and veggies of all different colours – each colour has unique phytochemicals with anti-inflammatory and cancer prevention powers.
Don’t shy away from legumes (kidney beans, chickpeas, pinto beans, adzuki beans, lentils to name just a few…) Not only are they a good source of fibre but a good source of protein and are a great alternative to meat as they are low in fat, contain no cholesterol and are full of folate, potassium, iron and magnesium.
Have WHOLE GRAINS - they taste must better and have higher fibre content. White breads and white rice for example are stripped of yummy nutrients that are beneficial to your health. Increasing your fibre content in your diet is one of the best things you can do to improve your overall health. Fibre:
Removes toxins from your body
Lowers cholesterol
Improves bowl motions
Fights cancer
Good fats – The fats that are bad for us are trans and saturated fats. They tend to be solid at room temperature and in processed foods. The fats that are good for us are in fish, nuts, seeds, olive oil, olives, and avocado for example. Too much of any fats are bad for us – so be sensible with the amounts you eat. Essential fatty acids (EFAs) have had a lot of media attention. The EFAs that we need to pay the most attention too is Omega 3 which is in fish and flaxseed oil. Omega 3 is hugely beneficial in reducing inflammation in our bodies which is the cause of many chronic diseases. You should eat deep sea oily fish at least 3 times a week.
Meat – We tend to eat too much red meat which is high in saturated fats. We should limit our intake to once/twice a week and only have a piece the size of your fist. That’s all you need! All animal protein is a good source of iron, zinc and bioavailable B12. We should eat lean good quality protein.
Drink plenty of water – we need to drink 2 litres of water a day which is about 8 glasses. We need to help our body flush out any toxins that aren’t beneficial to our health. The body also needs water to perform vital chemical reactions for sustaining a healthy life.
Salt – a high salt diet has been linked to high blood pressure. Salt can be hidden in a lot of processed foods. Try and keep to a minimum.
Alcohol – is hard on our livers! We should all have at least 3/4 alcohol free nights a week. Let our most amazing organ in the body regenerate its self. Alcohol is high in calories and dehydrates the body. When drinking try and keep it in moderation 2 units is best. NO drinking is always going to be BEST!
Caffeine – I’m sure a lot of us love that first coffee/tea in the morning – I do! In small amounts caffeine can be beneficial. One coffee a day or two cups of black tea is OK. Try and have some fun with herbal teas…there are so many to choose from with great health benefits. For example:
green tea – is high in anti oxidants
dandelion – is a liver-cleanser
peppermint – helps with digestion
Naughty refined SUGAR – refined sugar has NO health benefits to the body at ALL! It doesn’t supply the body with any vital vitamins or minerals. It does however feed the bad bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract. Studies have shown that refined sugar is linked to many chronic diseases. Instead use natural sweeteners like honey or pure maple syrup. Honey is full of beneficial healing nutrients.
Healthy eating habits…
Chew your food well
Eat regularly – every 4/5 hours
Don’t over eat
Eat when you’re hungry
Don’t use meal times as a time to hydrate yourself – can reduce enzyme activity – drink 2L of water between meal times
Prepare – shop for fresh food regularly
Try and eat 50% RAW – nutrients in fruit and veggies can be lost in cooking methods
Try and eat 80% well and treat your soul with yummy treats from time to time
Lifestyle tips…
Exercise – works the diaphragm, which massages the intestines and thereby improves digestion. It also regulates appetite, blood sugar control and metabolism. You should try and do exercise that increases the heart rate 3 to 4 times a week. Working out the heart muscle keeps a healthy heart and maintains a healthy blood pressure. Exercise also releases happy neurotransmitters from the brain which makes us feel good after exercise.
Stress levels – life can be stressful at times trying to balance work, home-life, studies and things that life throws at us. Try and keep a moderate stress-free life style. Things that might help are breathing exercises, yoga, meditation or just simply having time out and doing something you LOVE – gardening, reading a book, cooking, watching a movie. It’s OK to stop and re charge the batteries. Stress is one of the major causes of disease.
At Soultonik Wellness Centre we treat everyone as an individual. Everyone has a unique body and soul which requires different dietary and lifestyle choices. You have to work with your body and your beliefs and work out a dietary guideline that works for YOU!
Soultonik Wellness Centre - Naturopathy, Osteopathy, Nutrition, Live Blood Cell Testing/ Hemaview, Cellular Health Analysis, Therapeutic Massage, Acupuncture, Chinese Herbal Medicine, Life Coaching, Fertility and Pain Specialists
42 Grosvenor Street, Woollahra/Bondi Junction NSW 2025
(02) 9389 6000
Servicing Sydney's Eastern Suburbs including Paddington, Woollahra, Bondi Junction, Edgecliff, Bellevue Hill, Double Bay, Rose Bay at Soultonik Wellness Centre 9389 6000 | 
