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Food Philosophy and Tips
June 28, 2021 at 4:00 PM
by Toni Knudson
Vintage wine dinner for two

Food Philosophy & Tips

Coming together around the dinner table and breaking bread is a corner stone of our relationship with food. As mass food production grew in the industrial revolution and 19th century we were able to feed more people and find new ways to make the process of growing food work for us. The context around food, diet, and nutrition itself is ever changing as we learn more our how food impacts our bodies and what modifying food genetics means for us long term. We try complicated diets, scrutinize food labels and nutrition guides, and rely on scientists to tell us what to eat. What is means to “eat healthy” has become complicated and confusing as we are continually inundated
with conflicting advice. This does not have to be!

Nutrition is not about eliminating entire food groups. It is not about starving or depriving yourself to a look a certain way. A healthy balanced diet is about consistently nourishing your body with whole foods so your body, mind and spirit thrive. Extreme diets result in a large amount of weight loss in a small amount of time but we all know they are not sustainable. Our eating philosophy teaches a healthy lifestyle that results in real long-term weight loss and maintenance. The Western diet is highly processed, added fat and sugar, refined grains and very low in fruits & vegetables. These all result in obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer. Eating a diet containing unprocessed whole foods lower your risk of these diseases. Americans are starting to eat a healthier diet but we have a long way to go.

A few simple guidelines to maintain good health and improve your quality of life:

1. When selecting food go for the products that contain less than 5 ingredients ingredients you can pronounce. If your great-grandmother didn’t eat it, neither should you!

2. Avoid sugar, sweeteners and high- fructose corn syrup. Read labels and look for added sugars in condiments, salad dressings, yogurt, etc

3. Whenever possible eat organic. This reduces the amount of chemicals in your diet, namely pesticides, and is the best way to avoid GMO foods, artificial colors, flavors and preservatives.


4. Eat meat, eggs and dairy products from pastured animals. They are richer in antioxidants and do not contain traces of added hormones, antibiotics or other drugs. What the animal eats makes its way to you when you then enjoy that protein.


5. Wild-caught fish are also preferred over farm-raised. Farm-raised fish are commercially raised in controlled pens and fed a low-quality fish. Fish feed which may contain artificial coloring and antibiotics to prevent disease and infection. Wild-caught fish are caught in their natural habitats and the nutritional value is higher than the farm-raised variety.

6. Eat seasonally. Foods grown and eaten during their growing seasons not only taste better but are also more nutritionally dense. They typically are lowered priced too!

7. Practice mindful eating. Eat slowly and without distractions. Engage your senses by noticing colors, smells, textures and flavors. Enjoy meals with the people you love.

These are just a few simple way to start ensuring your quality of food is where it should be. If this is overwhelming we suggest to focus on one and make it a habit before adding in another. As you begin to consume less crap food (lets be honest) your body will have the opportunity to start dumping the harmful chemicals and you will begin to notice the difference in flavors, textures, and how you feel. Taking back your health begins with food, recalibrate your body to crave real, healthy, nutritious whole foods!

If you find this approach intriguing we recommend the following books:

In Defense of Food by Michael Pollen

Genius Foods by Max Lugavere