For the past 2 years I have been my own nutritional test dummy, figuring and re-figuring out what foods work best for me in keeping a sound spirit, mind, and body. In the process I had to break many old patterns and I gained a wealth of knowledge and understanding on how my natural system operates based on what nourishment I provide for myself (on all levels). For the first 25 years of my life I understood very little, or I should say questioned very little of what I ate. Food came in boxes and plastic bags and cans, meat was tasty meat, and I was active enough all my life that my metabolism was good and I felt healthy enough.
Fast forward to now, and I equate food to medicine, as I am simply a plant that requires sunlight, water, and nutrients. I also believe that food should be enjoyed, even junky food, as it is sometimes offered in good company with the intention of enjoyment, so no use in fighting enjoyment (there is a line to be drawn in case of extremes). i was anti- bad nutrition for a while, trying too much to impose my beliefs on others and judging them for their choices. Silly, programmed ego functions had made me a reactive person, something I am still working on by being compassionate and viewing life through an objective child-lens.
this is my experience:
--water: purified and as much as possible but not right after a meal. Soaking foods such as oats nuts and grains helps add to water intake. Drink more when eating breads and more slowly digested things. keeps my 80% water system cleansed and flowing, ready for any toxic encounter...lukewarm lemon water to start the day and ph balance my system, cinnamon tea is a favorite, also boiling crushed chunks of ginger for about 10 minutes makes a zinger of a brew. being hydrated makes me more energized and free-flowing (as there is more flowing in each cell).
--veggies-gotta get my veggies everyday-RAW IS BEST (for most, definitely do not overcook-especially leafy green salads-spinach, arugula, kale (chopped up small for raw), all lettuce, beet greens-cabbage is baddass, cheap, and hearty- carrots galore - avocados like whoa - peppers because spice is the variety of life - all veggies have different water content which gives them different cooking times when steaming or sizzling, but any combination will do, they are all good - almighty herbs of all kinds as much as possible, herbs unleash little medicine men in your intestines to do battle with any unwanted intruders - onions and garlic are super antibacterial so eat plenty, and forget about garlic smell, the more garlic i eat the less i smell like it, because I believe that garlic is such a powerful detoxer that the smell comes from toxins being removed and not the actual garlic, when i am eating real healthy, garlic doesn't make me smell - -ginger is beyond incredible, just grate it super fine into anything, from oatmeal to salad to soup , it makes me feel amazing when I use it consistently
coconut - water, oil, milk, shredded, the whole thing is one of god's miracles (i have a theory that the most difficult things to get to were made that way to protect something special inside, like the turtle and the coconut)
--nuts and seeds- these have helped sustain me many a time, and in surprisingly little amounts. pumpkin, sunflower, chia, hemp, flaxseed galore, flax oil as well for brain supplement. any kind of nut gives me good energy and keeps me feeling full, they are good addition to salads as they complement the greens on the trip through me
--fruit - I only eat whole fresh fruit, or fresh juice when possible, but very rarely do I drink pasteurized juice and if I do I usually dilute it with water to lessen the sweetness - an apple to start the day goes a long way, banana after a bike ride or mashed into my oatmeal/porridge/morning gruel - oranges are fun to share with people (everything is!) - any kind of melon makes me feel like a champion - berries I can rarely afford organic but if I am on the west coast during blackberry season you better believe I am eating pounds per day
--morning energy mash - soaked oats with a banana or apple mashed in or raw honey for sweetness, any combination of nuts and seeds, piles of cinnamon, shredded or chopped ginger, a pinch of salt if its gonna be a sweaty day, shredded coconut and pedal 40 miles to lunch
--salad dressing - olive oil and raw unfiltered apple cider vinegar, sometimes mustard or bragg's soy sauce mixed in
--seasoning- mineral salt: himalayan or celtic right from the earth, I dont use much and a bit more if I'm going to be sweaty (glowing) - cumin, coriander, turmeric, cayenne pepper are my favorites, black pepper too.
--grains- mostly brown rice and quinoa...brown rice fills me up but keeps me light...quinoa is a complete protein which gives good energy to my skinny meatless bones
-- beans and lentils are hearty and I love them in delicious veggie soups
--raw honey and bee pollen are two favorites of mine, although I haven't had pollen in a while. The bees are magical creatures, nature's buzzy chefs, providing incredible medicinal nutrition derived from flowers, wild! Read "The Shamanic Way of the Bee" if you want to know more about their magic.
--seaweed- i have recently been using more seaweed, just boiled into a broth or put into soup...kelp mostly but anykind seems to give me a full feeling and good energy...all seaweed is edible and has amazing probiotic healing properties
Foods that make me feel weird/bad:
bread- makes me sluggish, low energy, smellier easier, sweat more, and bowel movements are not as smooth. I think of it just turning back into dough inside me, sluggin' along for days. i noticed a radical increase in my energy once i stopped eating bread, and it decreases anytime i eat it a few days in a row. Eating bread makes my muscles sore.
dairy- pasteurized milk and cheese do weird things to me, tummy rumbles, gassy, sweaty thighs. Yogurt is about as far as i'll go but seldom and in little amounts. A week after I cut pasteurized dairy out of my diet I felt amazing, and the few times I have eaten cheese in recent years I have enjoyed it but not felt good afterwards.
sugar - i have a sweet tooth but i have noticed that the more sugar i consume the more irritable i am, the less deep I sleep, and the more groggy my wakeup is.
chocolate - i eat it as dark as possible because when i do eat it i eat too much usually but it has no adverse affects on me as long as I don't eat it too late at night, it has to be burned right after eating it.
I have felt absolute best on all levels when eating simply, while the sun is up. plenty of veggies and only a little natural sugar...and small portions (portions these days are rediculous, a smoothie for breakfast and two small meals had me more awake than I have ever been). I enjoy eating slowly, with good intention and gratitude for the nourishment i am receiving...that is my ideal formula for staying light.
Old patterns are tricky buggers sometimes and as a traveler it is not always easy to stick to a regimented diet, and since life is not regimented and must be spontaneous, I often just go with the flow, but will definitely NOT eat gnarly meat that I do not know who raised or killed the animal, and I will NOT eat McDonalds or any related satanic flavorsponge.
I rarely eat out at restaurants for financial reasons and I do not know who is cooking my food and where it came from. If someone offers to buy me a meal I will usually always gladly accept and eat the most appealing menu item for me, usually a salad, veggie stirfry/soup, sometimes fish tacos, or sweet potato fries and shrimp gumbo (that sums up the past year of eating out). Most menus are at least 85% unedible for me and once I realized that i had no choice but to start cooking for myself ALL the time.
Old favorites that I may just take to the grave:
peanut butter, occasional bread and butter (coconut oil instead if possible, chips and salsa, sardines and canned shellfish (bike tour protein treats), pan popped popcorn with braggs soysauce and nutritional yeast or salt
Old favorites that I had to give up to stay out of the grave:
chocolate milk, pizza!, pop tarts, froot loops, donuts, too many desserts, ice cream!!, chili cheese dogs, bacon!
I stopped labeling the category of eater I am recently and merely say I eat what makes me feel good. I try and fast/detox once a year as a gift to myself and the results have been always positive and enlightening. Eating too much keeps me from stretching well, and stretching well makes me vibrate bright and stay light, so I try not to eat too much,,,,I heard it in a Rumi verse once that we are like lutes (flutes) played by the wind and if we are full, the sound is dull and barely audible, but if we are empty it is the sweet song of god whistling right through our entire being.
