Your Guide to Real, Whole Foods

Real, whole foods are packed with all the nutrients we need to thrive. Real, whole foods are not processed, are found in nature, and contain just one ingredient. For example, a blueberry, steak, salmon, an egg. Unlike modern day processed foods, they don’t require an ingredient list.

Our bodies have evolved, over hundreds of thousands of years, to thrive on real, whole, nutrient-dense foods. These foods are naturally anti-inflammatory. A diet of real, whole foods naturally eliminates common problematic foods such as gluten, soy, and industrial seed oil. When we eat real, whole foods, we are giving our body exactly what it needs to function properly. Only in the recent past have we started introducing processed foods into our diets and our bodies have simply not evolved to adapt. The result? Nutrient deficiencies, which have been linked to the development of a variety of chronic health issues – poor gut health, chronic fatigue, brain fog, diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and the list goes on.

Eating real, whole foods is about simplifying our diets, going back to the basics, and giving our bodies what they are begging us for.

What are examples of real, whole foods?

• Meat – focus on beef, poultry, turkey, lamb, pork, duck, including organ meats, especially liver, as it is the most nutrient dense food on the planet. Pasture-raised and organic, if possible.

• Fish- focus on smaller fatty fish, including salmon, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, and herring. Wild caught, if possible.

• Eggs – Free-range and organic, if possible.

• Fruits – Organic, if possible.

• Vegetables – Organic, if possible.

• Nuts and Seeds – Organic, soaked and sprouted, if possible.

• Healthy fats – ghee, coconut oil, olive oil, beef tallow. Organic and grass-fed (ghee and beef tallow), if possible.

• Spices – turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, tarragon, cardamom, cumin, to name a few… there are hundreds out there!

What nutrients do I need?

A lot! But don’t let this overwhelm you. Eating a real, whole foods diet, you will naturally consume the nutrients your body needs to thrive. Our bodies require a combination of macronutrients (consumed in large amounts, required for human energy and health) – including fat, carbs, and protein and micronutrients – (elements consumed in small amounts and required for human health) – including the following vitamins and minerals: vitamin A, beta-carotene, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin K2, thiamine (vitamin B1), riboflavin (vitamin B2), niacin (vitamin B3), pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), pyridoxine (vitamin B6), biotin (vitamin B7), folate-folic acid (vitamin B9), cobalamin (vitamin B12), inositol (vitamin b8), fluoride, iodine, iron, calcium, chromium, copper, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, sodium, zinc, choline, omega 6 fatty acids, omega 3 fatty acids, and fiber.

Is it really possible to get every nutrient I need from eating real, whole foods?

By focusing your diet on real, whole foods, such as meat, seafood, eggs, fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, healthy fats, spices, you will be giving your body the rich diversity of nutrients it needs not just function, but thrive. A combination of both animal products and plants are required to maintain optimal nutrition.

It is possible some people may require supplementation for certain nutrients. While this is out of my scope in my role as a health coach, it may be something worth talking to your healthcare provider about.