For me it’s mangoes – hands down.
We know that food nourishes your body but your spirit? The right food can nourish your body, mind, and spirit completing the circle of ultimate self-care.
Food is emotional. It has energy. It’s nature’s way of guiding you to the right choices for your body in times of different needs.
By listening to your body, you can intuitively make the right food choices for you. Every type of fruit and vegetable brings different nutrients and energy to your body influencing how you feel.
Nutrition experts and intuitive eating pros Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch developed ten principles of intuitive eating, which includes:
- ignoring diet fads
- honouring what your body needs
- using kindness to distract yourself when you feel the urge to emotionally eat
- making peace with food
- moving your body.
Food can heal; it’s nature’s pharmacy. Dr Deanna Minich PhD says if you eat the ‘food rainbow’ you’re more likely to get the essential nutrients your body needs. Consider how eating the following food colours can help.
Red - foods help reduce inflammation.
- Apples – phytonutrients in the skin are anti-inflammatory, help reduce allergies and has Quercetin in the white flesh.
- Beetroot – high in nitrates and helps the cardio vascular system.
- Cherries – are rich in melatonin and can reduce symptoms of gout and insomnia.
- Strawberries – rich in Fisitin and help off-set inflammation if eaten before a meal.
Orange – foods target reproductive health. Beta-carotene and carotenoids are in orange foods like carrots and sweet potatoes which have been shown to improve reproductive health. Oranges can also help with endometriosis.
Yellow – foods help with digestion and gut health.
- Pineapples are rich in enzymes important for digestion.
- Lemons have bio-flavonoids that help the liver to reduce toxins.
- Ginger helps with nausea.
- Bananas have serotonin which is the happy compound and may assist with helping you feel happier.
Green – foods assist with the healthy circulation of blood. Spinach, avocados, broccoli and kale are all high in nutrients that aid the cardiovascular system. They also contain folate which helps with methylation, the potent anti-oxidant chlorophyll, magnesium to help relax blood vessels, and Vitamin K which is important for coagulation.
Blue/purple – foods target cognition. Studies show the compounds that make these foods this colour are rich in a certain pigment that aid memory and learning.
- Blueberries - are incredible for brain health.
- Purple potatoes are more nutrient dense and have less effect on blood sugar.
- Grapes contain Resveratrol which helps improve mood and memory.
Eating diverse foods help to create a healthy and balanced gut microbiome essential for fighting disease.