Yay! Springtime is here! Its time to tune-up your bodies and prep for outdoor activities. We spring clean our homes and tune-up our cars, so doesn’t it make sense that your body and mind would benefit from a spring tune-up as well?
There’s no better time than spring to give your body a raw food boost.
In winter, we tend to crave warm comfort-foods, and so, we often neglect raw foods in our diets, leaving us with sluggish digestion and low energy by the time February rolls around. As the climate warms up our bodies tend to crave lighter menus, which is convenient because more and more local, fresh produce becomes available as we move into summer.
Why is consuming raw foods so important?
Raw, living plant-based foods contain many more enzymes than cooked foods, which help the body to absorb nutrients and assists the entire digestion process. Most raw foods are extremely alkalizing to the body, which can help to prevent inflammation, and treat current inflammation in the body caused by stress or exercise. Though both cooked and raw plant-based foods are more alkalizing than animal-based foods, some people also find raw foods to be more healing to the digestive tract due to their high alkaline nature and easy to absorb vitamins and minerals. Eating more raw foods can help give you back some energy which can help you take on a more vigorous outdoorsy spring lifestyle, ?improve circulation and lymphatic function, and therefore help you feel better overall.
To reap the benefits, you need not give up cooked foods. Just be aware of what you’re putting in your mouth and try these easy tips to ease into spring (and then summer) with more raw, fresh foods.
1. Blend your Breakfast
For one week, try having a raw food smoothie for breakfast, and see how it makes you feel. Use ingredients like: raw nut milk, leafy greens, veggies, raw nuts and seeds, raw plant-based protein powders, fruits, and superfoods. This is an easy way to fit more servings of fruits and vegetables into your day, and provide your body with Vitamins A, C, E, K, B, along with a protein boost.
2. Add On
Add raw-foods to your existing meals. Just adding a piece of fruit or a side of raw veggies like carrots, grape tomatoes, cucumbers, etc. to what youre already eating makes getting more raw nutrition a no-brainer!
3. Lighten Things Up
Raw foods are naturally light and come with no additives and preservatives. Skip foods with heavy sauces and/or preservatives and have a salad, or a lovely gazpacho soup. Try quinoa with raw and even some cooked veggies, such as broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, and fruits like tomatoes, cucumbers, and zucchini. Snack on a homemade hummus dip with raw veggies, yum! Get creative!
4. Challenge Yourself to One Raw Day Each Week
Schedule one day a week where you eat raw foods all day. Dont worry; you wont go hungry! This will open your mind to thinking of new ideas and recipes. Youll be surprised how many delicious, raw recipes there are. Did you know there are even raw restaurants out there?
Just like all things, a balance is needed in our bodies, Both cooked and raw foods have their place in the diet. The idea is to transition with the seasons and to choose more fresh produce.
More energy? Better mood? Weight loss? Let us know in the comments how these tips made you feel!
Payments powered by:
