The 5 Most Important Foods That Keep Me Healthy
by Bethanne Wanamaker
For a long time now, I’ve been considering what foods I consume on a regular, consistent basis make all the difference in experiencing optimal health. Which foods make me feel the best, and which ones are giving me so many benefits that I could absolutely thrive with these as my staples?
I finally narrowed it down to 5 foods. I am in love with them all, and feel a deep dense of nutrition when I eat them. They are part of my daily diet and when I run low, I tend to freak out. I invite you to ponder the same questions I’ve asked myself – what is serving you the most? What is giving you the most bang for your bite (meaning lots of nutrition even in lower quantities)? What foods are propelling you forward?
Raw Sauerkraut / Cultured Vegetables / KimChi
A year ago, I was not a cultured veggies kind of a girl; in fact, they weren’t even a part of my diet. Thanks to Donna Gates and The Body Ecology Diet though – which I follow more or less with the exception of raw honey, a bit of local, in season fruit, and infrequent quinoa dishes – I have become an ADDICT to raw sauerkraut. I have created the perfect dish that I’ve had nearly every night since last summer and make it a foundational recipe for my clients’ meal plans.
I have turned so many people onto raw kraut, especially people who were repulsed by the thought of introducing it into their diet. They thought, “yuck, no way!” – but now… they are crazy fans just like me and are raving about the age-defying benefits of this dietary staple.
I digest everything better, especially healthy fats (makes sense, doesn’t it?)! My energy levels have risen, ability to manage stress has increased, and my skin is looking younger. I could be the poster girl for raw sauerkraut – I’m that much of an avid fan! Because my habit is so heavy, I go through a lot – eating a heaping handful each day (afternoon – dinner), and can hardly keep up with making sure I have enough. I buy some and make some myself and eat all varieties possible, especially loving spicy krauts or ones with tonic herbs (that’s my dream, really – tonic herbs and kraut! – best diet for me ever).
The Goddess Mash (simplified)
Mix and Mash:
- 1/2+ cup raw sauerkraut
- 1/2 – 1 ripe avocado
- Approx 1 teaspoon spirulina
Smoosh it all together into creamy paradise.
OPTIONAL: Add the “works” (any or all of the following): dulse seaweed, sprouts, leafy greens from the garden, apple cider vinegar, raw tahini, quinoa, and Vitamineral Earth (roots, barks, herbs, and probiotics) – mash together and wrap in cabbage leaves from the garden or nori sheets. Hands down, this is my most favorite meal & it makes me happy
Try it! You’ll have yourself the best fast food meal possible: deeply nourishing, satisfying, quick energy, and easy for your body to break down and assimilate. It’s also no doubt the best travel food / meal ever.
Garden Greens
I’ve recently written 2 comprehensive posts on my EdibleGodess.com blog about my glorious garden greens, and will suggest you read over those articles to get a sense of what kind of impact the leafy greens & herbs have on me. They blow me away and I am in awe that I wasn’t doing this all along. Believe me, I am doing my best to catch up for lost time! I’ll just say this: I literally LOVE everything more because of the peace my edible garden brings me. How is this possible?! I don’t know, but it’s exciting!
* The Best Health Decision I EVER Made
* The 5 Must Know Steps About Growing Food
Algae
A couple years ago, for a year consistently, I included so much algae as part of my diet that one would think I was a fish! I didn’t have specific intentions when I embarked on this blue green adventure, but WOW did it have a powerful health impact for me. I was already consuming algae, just not in heavy quantities. My eyesight got dramatically better… so much so that when I went to renew my contact lens prescription and had the exam, the doctor was astonished when she realized my sight was improving even as I was “getting older” and claimed that this never happens. What in the world I was doing?! Btw – I am getting younger and told her that.
Ahhh, yes – that’s my algae habit. Simply put, it’s extremely beneficial for the skin (hair, nails, and all things beauty-related), mind, nervous system, digestive system, and every other system you could name. It’s loaded with amino acids, antioxidants, nucleic acids (DNA / RNA), enzymes, minerals, and everything else one wants in their body. I adore spirulina, wild blue green algae, and chlorella and feel a nutritional plan is not complete without them. Algae is a miraculous food, works miracles in the body, and I’ve witnessed health miracles by those who’ve consumed algae. Most often, I get my algae from HealthForce Nutritionals (this product is called Elixir of the Lake and is wild blue green algae at its finest!)
Bee Products: Bee Pollen & Royal Jelly
Bee pollen is another favorite that I could talk about forever, but I wrote an article that sums up the outstanding benefits of this true superfood titled, Bee Pollen: The Queen Strategy for Weight Loss and Stress Management. Check it out!
Here’s the thing with royal jelly – if you’re going to do it, do it right. None of that shwaggy liquid stuff that goes rancid quickly at the store. Fortunately, a good friend of mine – Sean Lee Gardner – has created an epic product line and the signature product is “Bee Mana” – a certified organic, truly raw royal jelly that is in powder form. His bees are never fed sugar like most bee are!
Bee pollen is known for balancing our hormones & addresses infertility issues. If you’re stressed or tired, it helps build stress resilience (it contains the entire vitamin B complex, even human active B12 ) so you feel better. And, it creates silky skin, luscious locks, contains anti-aging hormones (DHEA), and is an ideal supplemental food that has a long history of use for those wanting to look younger without botox injections.
Juicy Fruit
Not the chewing gum, Juicy Fruit – although I did chew plenty of that crap when I was a little girl – but I’m referring to the real deal fruit that grows from organic trees. Nothing replaces it… even fruit powder blends or dried fruit, it’s just not the same and you don’t get the same nutritional benefits. I don’t go overboard with fruit, but it definitely has its place and serves me well.
My very favorite fruits include oranges, mango, blueberries, apples, and avocado (an easy to digest fatty fruit, and I love it!). I eat fresh fruits when they’re in season, either from the farmer’s markets and avocados year round. I do realize that mangoes come from far away, but I love them I’m happy that my current neighbor has some flourishing apple trees.
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