Nutrition: Exploring Beyond the Table

March is National Nutrition Month.  This year’s focus is “Beyond the Table”.  Nutrition encompasses more than just the food we eat, it’s also about taking a holistic approach to nourishing our bodies, minds, and souls.  Here are 3 ways to think about nutrition “Beyond the Table” --  

Regenerative Agriculture
What is regenerative agriculture?  It’s a way of farming and ranching that rebuilds the health of the soil, improves water efficiency and promotes biodiversity.  Less than 2% are employed in agriculture today compared to 50% of Americans farming in 1880.  I remember growing up with a backyard garden and growing most of our own foods, or picking them from local neighbor’s gardens.  Statistics show that in 1945 Americans grew 45% of their food in backyard gardens.  Today only 0.1% of our food is grown in backyard gardens.

You’re probably asking, “what does this have to do with my health?”  Dr. Zach Bush, MD firmly believes the lack of backyard gardens has created a culture of “mega farms” that is not only destroying our health, but also our soils and water systems.   Dr. Gush is a physician specializing in internal medicine, endocrinology and hospice care.  In addition to being a physician, he also has a passion for educating individuals on the role of soil, as well as water ecosystems in human genomics, immunity and gut/brain health.  He has started a project, Farmers Footprint, to accelerate regenerative food systems and restore health. You can learn more about his project here – www.farmersfootprint.us. 

You can learn more about regenerative agriculture and where to purchase foods grown in this manner in the Portland, Oregon area here – https://www.newseasonsmarket.com/purpose/regenerative-agriculture


Reclaim Your Pantry
All too often our pantries are full of processed products containing many unhealthy ingredients that don’t benefit our bodies or our health.  By reclaiming your pantry and replacing these products with healthier versions we can pursue better nutrition “beyond the table.”  Here’s some “healthier” product swaps to consider:

• Swapping dye-free snacks for fresh fruits/veggies.  When this isnt’ an option and you need something quick or on the go, here are a few others:
• Bars – Cliff Kids, ZBars, Larabar
• Chips – Simple Doritos/Corn Chips/Cheetos
• Crackers – Simple Mills (one of my favorite companies), Wheat Thins original, Annie Organics
• Fruit snacks – Motts Fruit snacks
• Cookies – Simple Mills has several varieties to choose from
• Condiments – consider avocado mayo (Chosen Foods and Primal Kitchen) are two great brands that have healthy ingredients.  Look for Ketchup without added sugar.  Ensure pickles and other fermented condiments are salt/water brine vs vinegar for the probiotic benefits.   
• Pasta – consider chickpea pasta (Barillas is one of my favorite pastas), red or black lentil pasta.  There are also gluten-free options.
• BPA-free canned foods – we tend to think of BPA free when it comes to plastic, and drinking containers, but it also pertains to canned foods.  Here are some brands that use BPA-free cans for their products –
  • Eden Foods – they also pressure cook their beans before canning (for those who are sensitive to the lectins in legumes)
  • Vital Choice or Wild Planet (canned fish)
  • Muir Glen (tomato products)
  • Amy’s (all cans)
  • Bionaturae (tomatoes)
  • Native Forest (all cans)
  • Trader Joe’s (all beans – except organic baked beans, canned tomatoes, coconut milk, canned fish/chicken/beef – except sardines, crag, Cherrystone clams, oysters, all canned fruits/veggies except – mandarins, chilies, artichokes

Mindful Eating
Most Americans today are living fast-paced and hectic lives.  This doesn’t just impact juggling home life with work, extra-curricular activities but also spills (pun intended, Lol!) into our everyday meals.  We often eat on the run or while multi-tasking other activities of the day.  We may even skip meals because we just don’t have time to eat.  All of this impacts our digestive health.  Mindful eating helps us to slow down and focus on our eating experiences as a whole, which in turn improves our digestion process and overall health. Here are some ways to start mindful eating today:

• Think broadly about the meal as a whole – who prepared it, where did the food come from, how was it prepared.  All of this starts the whole digestion process by increasing salivation. 
• Pay attention to how we feel about eating.
• Use your senses while preparing the meal – how does the food look, taste, smell?
• Sit down to eat dinner, avoiding multi-tasking or having the phone at the table. 
• Pause before you begin eating the meal to allow the body to prepare to consume the food you are about to eat.  Some may choose to bless their food in prayer during this time.  If not, a few deep breathes with a focus on the plate before you and the information your senses provided about the meal work as well.
• Savor the food as you chew thoroughly. 
• Put the fork/spoon down between bites allowing yourself to eat slowly and avoid overeating. 
• After your meal is finished, sit for 5-10 minutes allowing time for the food to digest. 

What are some ways you’ve improved on nutrition “beyond the table?”