The Book

Book image

Healthy eating doesn’t have to hurt…

Do you feel overwhelmed by the very idea of trying to consistently eat a healthy diet? Does the thought of giving up your favorite foods feel downright spooky? Or maybe you’re confused by the seemingly conflicting information out there about just what healthy eating is supposed to look like?

Listen, everyone wants to feel more healthy: to lose weight, gain more energy, and feel better for a long and fulfilling life. Most know that eating healthy food is one of the primary ways we can achieve this.

The good news in Nourish your Self Whole is that healthy eating doesn’t have to hurt. There are ample delicious foods and alternatives to less than healthy favorites that are nourishing AND deeply satisfying. And there is actually a growing consensus about overarching keys to what healthy eating looks like.

One of the primary goals Matthew had while writing this book was to focus in on just the most important dietary keys to vibrant and enlivening health. The four nutrition-focused pillars highlighted within are the most highly leveraged for doing just that. While there are many things you can do in relation to proper nutrition, these four core pillars will give you the biggest bang for your time and energy. They are at the top of the list for many of the cutting-edge nutritional experts who are working with the most up-to-date research.

These Pillars can help you:

  • Prevent and, in many cases, reverse disease
  • Generate more energy & vitality and help improve mood
  • Balance weight and weight loss without worrying much about calories (eat plenty of the good stuff!)
  • Improve blood sugar and cholesterol;
  • Shed long-standing body aches and pains;
  • Clear up foggy-headedness;
  • Create vibrant skin;
  • Experience better sleep; and so much more…

In addition to the nutritional pillars, Nourish Your Self Whole also spotlights key lifestyle and environmental tips important for living a well-balanced life, covering topics related to stress management, exercise, sleep, reducing toxic environmental exposures and more. This book is a great roadmap to cultivate healing for your whole self!

Healthy food and lifestyle choices are more than just virtuous habits. They are often the magic key to keeping our body running in its optimal and precision-tuned natural state of wellness.

The poor choices we make are often the driving force behind our body’s undue degradation, far more than most people realize.

Weaving into your life the nutritional steps spelled out within this book can help create substantial healing for your body and get you back into the shape from which you can thrive. This will inevitably lead to a more fulfilling life.

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Table of Contents

PREFACE

INTRODUCTION:

  • THE OVERALL HEALTH BENEFITS OF THIS PLAN
  • MY HEALTH STORY
    • Shedding Some Pounds I Thought Were Here to Stay
    • A Shift in Mood
  • YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT, FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE.
  • WEIGHT MANAGEMENT: DON’T STARVE YOURSELF, INDULGE IN THE GOOD STUFF!
    • The ultimate goal isn’t to limit your food choices—it’s to expand your options!
  • BODY, MIND, AND SPIRIT: AN INTRICATE INTERPLAY
  • HEALING OURSELVES, HEALING OUR PLANET
  • TIME TO GET YOUR AWESOME ON!

FOUNDATIONAL PILLAR 1: EAT A WHOLE-FOODS DIET

PILLAR 2: REDUCE SUGAR AND REFINED CARBS

  • WHY HIGH BLOOD SUGAR AND INSULIN RESISTANCE ARE BIG TROUBLE
  • WHAT MAKES GLUCOSE CREATE THESE COMPLICATIONS AND HOW DOES IT CAUSE WEIGHT GAIN?
  • HEALTHY EATING TIPS & CHEATS FOR A LOW CARB, LOW SUGAR DIET:
    • Cravings can be Tricky
    • Have Sugar/Carb Alternatives on Hand
    • Fruit is Great (in Moderation)
    • Fruit Juice Should be Avoided
    • Limit Your Grains
    • Carb Timing
    • High-Fructose Corn Syrup is Pretty Much Evil!
    • Think of Refined Sugar like Alcohol
    • Speaking of Alcohol…
    • Better Sugar Alternatives
    • Artificial Sweeteners are a Huge No-No
    • Good Alternatives to Refined Flours
    • Emotional Eating and the Warm Fuzzies of Baking

PILLAR 3: EAT GOOD FATS, DITCH BAD FATS

  • WHAT ROLE DOES DIETARY FAT PLAY IN THE BODY?
  • TYPES OF FAT:
    • Monounsaturated Fatty Acids (MUFA)
    • Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFA)
    • Saturated Fat: Is It as Evil as We’ve Been Told?
    • The Big Baddies: Trans and Hydrogenated Fat
  • DANGERS OF BAD FAT: OXIDATION
  • HEALTHY EATING TIPS AND CHEATS FOR A DIET THAT INCLUDES GOOD FAT:
    • Best Types of Fats and Oils to Use
    • Fats and Oils to Avoid
    • How Much Fat to Eat?
    • Cooking Temperatures for Fats
    • Meat Quality Matters
    • Raw Nuts and Seeds
    • Olive Oil
    • Avocado Oil
    • Coconut and Palm Fats
    • Butter and Ghee
    • Good-Quality Fish
    • Vegan and Vegetarian Omega-3 Options
    • Full-Fat Dairy
    • Tips for Restaurants
    • Fried Foods are Toxic!
    • Fast Food Fats
    • Storing Fats and Oils
    • Always Read Your Labels

PILLAR 4: INDULGE IN A RAINBOW OF VEGETABLES (AND A BIT OF FRUIT)

  • VITAMINS, MINERALS, ANTIOXIDANTS, AND PHYTONUTRIENTS AS DISEASE INHIBITORS
  • ANTIOXIDANTS AND PHYTONUTRIENTS:
    • How Free Radicals Do Their Damage and How Vegetables and Fruits Can Help Clean Them Up
  • FIBER: VEGETABLES AND FRUITS CONTAIN SOME OF THE BEST KINDS
  • WEIGHT LOSS AND DETOX
  • HEALTHY EATING TIPS AND CHEATS FOR A DIET RICH IN VEGETABLES AND FRUIT:
    • Cooking and Preparation
    • Raw vs. Cooked
    • Fresh, Frozen, or Canned?
    • Going Organic
    • Fermented Veggies and Fruits
    • Prebiotics
    • Herbs and Spices
    • Salads
    • Smoothies
    • Sweet Potatoes vs. Russet Potatoes
    • Garlic
    • Be Adventurous, Mix It Up!

FOUR PILLARS WRAP-UP: A NEW LEASE ON LIFE AWAITS!

ADDITIONAL HEALTHY EATING TIPS:

  • PROTEIN:
    • How Much Protein to Eat?
  • IS SALT REALLY THE ENEMY?
  • SNACKING
  • LEAVING SPACE BETWEEN YOUR MEALS
  • GOOD GUT HEALTH: HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR DIGESTIVE SYSTEM, DEAL WITH FOOD INTOLERANCES, AND OTHER FOOD RELATED HEALTH CONDITIONS:
    • The Microbiome and Probiotics
    • A Cure for Gut Problems: The Elimination Diet
    • Digestive Bitters and Enzymes
    • Bone Broth
    • Eliminating Gluten
    • Dairy Challenges
  • MINDFUL EATING
  • INDIGESTION
  • COOKING POWER TIPS: LET COOKING BE AN ENJOYABLE EXPERIENCE; MAKING THE BEST USE OF TIME TO PREPARE DELICIOUS AND HEALTHY FOODS
  • TIME MANAGEMENT:
    • Instant Pot/Pressure Cookers
    • Mason Jar Salads
    • Sheet-Pan Meals
    • Paleo Meal Delivery Services
  • EATING GOOD FOOD MORE AFFORDABLY
  • PROPER HYDRATION: WATER IS A LIFE FORCE; GET PLENTY TO KEEP YOUR BODY IN PROPER FLOW
  • THE PSYCHOLOGY OF CHANGE: HOW TO FIND THE INNER MOTIVATION TO ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS SUCCESSFULLY
  • GET SUPPORT

HEALTHY LIFESTYLE TIPS:

  • EMOTIONAL WELLNESS, STRESS REDUCTION AND HEALING LIFE’S TRAUMAS: EXPLORING THE IMPACTS OF STRESS AND EMOTIONAL CHALLENGES, HOW TO BETTER COPE AND CULTIVATE MORE CALM:
    • Therapy
    • Functional Psychiatry
    • Mindfulness and Meditation
    • Conflict Resolution: In Relationships and the Workplace
    • The Mindful Benefits of Yoga
    • Binaural Beats
    • Breathwork
    • Tapping
    • Spiritual Practice
    • We are Interconnected with the Greater Whole: Spending Time in Nature
    • Building Family and Community
  • MINIMIZING ENVIRONMENTAL TOXINS: THE DANGERS OF HOUSEHOLD CHEMICALS, PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS, ENVIRONMENTAL TOXINS, AND HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF:
    • Air Quality
    • Off-Gassing: Let new products and furniture breathe awhile before bringing them into your home.
    • Air Filters
    • Low-VOC House Paints
    • Are Your Candles and Air Fresheners Making You Sick? 205
      Air Fresheners
    • Personal Care, Cosmetics, and Cleaning Products
    • Water Filtration
    • Shower Filters
    • Get Rid of the Plastics! Especially Related to Food
    • Nonstick Cookware is Not as Safe as Proclaimed
    • General Resource Guide for Your Home
  • SUNLIGHT NUTRIENTS: WHY YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE TO GET ENOUGH LIGHT FOR GOOD HEALTH:
    • Vitamin D
    • Circadian Rhythm
    • The Incredible Healing Powers of Infrared and Red-Light Spectrums
  • MOVEMENT AND EXERCISE: KEEP YOURSELF MOVING TO MAXIMIZE VITALITY AND STRENGTH:
    • Yoga
    • Standing/Treadmill Desks, Exercise Balls as Chairs, and Other Tools for Staying in Motion at Work
  • THE HEALING POWER OF SLEEP: CULTIVATING A BETTER SLEEP RHYTHM FOR OPTIMAL ENERGY AND CONTINUAL HEALING:
    • How to Get Better Sleep
  • OUR COLLECTIVE NEEDS: BUILDING RESILIENT COMMUNITY AND WORKING FOR SOCIAL CHANGE

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

  • INFORMATIONAL WEBSITES
  • BOOKS:
    • Nutrition
    • Recipes
    • Functional Medicine and Deeper Healing
    • Pets!
    • Psychology/Spirit/Social Change
  • PODCASTS
  • PRINTABLE CHEAT SHEET SHOPPING LIST
  • FAVORITE FOODS SHOPPING LIST
  • ACTIVISM AND SOCIAL CHANGE ORGANIZATIONS