Thursday - Week 1
"If your compassion does not include yourself, it is incomplete."
~ Jack Kornfield
Hello Lovely!
It’s day four now, and this is when everything seems to pick up speed. Unlike during the winter, time in spring moves very quickly ~ and so does our time together. With that in mind, it’s time to fully climb aboard, or to dive in with both feet, or whatever immersive metaphor you like best. We are doing this.
Let’s begin with some nourishing nostril breaths. Soften your face, relax your jaw, let your shoulders melt away from your ears. Lengthen your spine, gently draw in your belly to support your low back, and breathe. If you can’t exhale through your nose, it’s absolutely fine ~ focus on nostril inhales for now... and as you are breathing and softening, check in with your personal ecosystem. These moments are not to be rushed through. Spending a few moments here each day can really determine the rest of the day. Here’s a short article about checking your internal weather (and suggestions of how to improve it.)
By now, I hope you’re feeling a little more warmed up and present with the program. Hopefully your edges have softened, your rhythm is finding a good groove and that you find yourself with a bit of a strut in your stride. Perhaps you’ve planted some (literal) seeds and seen the first hopeful signs of sprouting (I have sunflowers, cucumber, greens coming through on my sill). And perhaps you have planted more metaphorical seeds. What are you hoping to get sprouting?
I find that this is a really good moment to pause ~ to take stock and revisit your intentions for being here. When we get clear as to why, the how becomes much easier. When we have a reason to get “to the other side” we will be able to cut through all the noise and clear the barricades to get there.
Changing what (when and how) we eat is a really good spring board into making other life changes. When we are fueled well, we can move and sleep better. When we move and sleep better, we can think better. When we think better, we can more easily see what we need to get us where we want to go.
Food as Fuel, Food as Ritual ~
We’re continuing the gentle “crowding out” approach ~ ensuring our plates are stacked with nourishing good stuff so there’s simply less room for what doesn’t nourish. The stars of the season are: bitter greens, cruciferous vegetables, vibrant colourful plants and fermented foods ~ co-starring with healthy protein, good fat, fiber and lots of hydration. It can be super fun and playful to really dive into this adventure. How pretty and colourful can you make your plate? How much diversity can you include? What new ingredients can you try, what recipes can you conjure up?
I think there is more of a natural drive to eat in this way during the spring and summer months, so let’s use that momentum and make a commitment to optimal health right now.
To help you get there, can you paint a picture of yourself at your strongest, shiniest, most energetic? What do you need to get there? What do you need to release (with a little crowding out help of course)? What are you willing to try now (perhaps for the first time)?
In addition to what is on our plate, we will be looking with a little more laser focus at when, why, how, with whom, as well as movement.
Break your overnight fast with protein to best nourish your gut, keep your blood sugar balanced and keep you sated later in the day. (You will be much less likely to have sugar cravings if you do this). At least an hour after waking, (and at least 12 hours after the previous night’s last food) break your fast with a grounding, nourishing, protein rich meal. It can be helpful to think outside the box a little and move beyond what we classically regard as breakfast. There is no reason why you can’t eat fish or legumes to break your fast. Some examples include a veggie-packed frittata or omelette, a couple of boiled eggs, a legume dish, warm miso soup with greens, a buckwheat galette (with egg or legumes), a piece of salmon with greens. I often enjoy a protein rich overnight oats dish ~ rolled organic oats pumped up with chia, hemp and sunflower seeds, as well as some nuts, coconut milk, tahini and peanut butter ~ served with frozen berries and kefir…
It is also a great time of day to enjoy some fermented foods. Like (sugar-free) kimchi, kraut, kefir, daikon…
If you missed this yesterday, check out these protein breakfasts and one-pot protein meals by the Doctor’s Kitchen. His videos are very accessible and engaging.
Move after meals. This is one of the best ways you can support your digestion and glucose regulation. Take a 10-minute walk, do 20 squats, dance in the kitchen, or just play. But make sure you move.
Make meals sacred. Sit down. Turn off the gadgets (no scrolling, no news). Use the handmade ceramic bowl and the nice cloth napkins. Light the candle. Admire your food. Chew slowly. Eat in good company or in silence. Avoid hard conversations over a meal. Appreciate your food. Notice all the nuances. Truly allow the act of eating to be one of presence and love, and use this time to visualize internal healing and repair. Think about all the internal work you are enabling by feeding your body such good stuff, and so mindfully.
Sweet Cravings. Sugar (in all its many forms) is everywhere! As such most of us are eating far more than we need. For the duration of this class, let’s explore that a little more and try to crowd out those cravings. As I mentioned, starting your day with protein will help diminish the sweet cravings later, so definitely do that. But here are a few other tips.
Choose a fibrous whole-food sweet option: frozen berries, roasted beets/carrots, an apple or a date. Avoid all liquid sugar (this includes orange juice and other so-called healthy sweet juices). And please try to eat some form of protein just before your sweet treat.
But what about chocolate? I hear you ask! It’s true, the right kind (and amount) of dark chocolate, eaten mindfully (after protein) can be beneficial. If you personally have it in you to eat just one square of dark chocolate (high cacao percentage: over 70%) after a meal, then absolutely, feel free to keep this in your repertoire for this class. But if you have a more complicated relationship with it (where one square leads to another, to the whole bar…) then perhaps swap out your chocolate now for a few cacao nibs paired with a date. I think this is akin to assessing our relationship with coffee.
When I taught in-person classes, I loved giving folks one raisin, and one square of chocolate to eat super slowly and intentionally, getting all the nuances. Try this for yourself.
Digestive Rest. If you are able, eat your dinner early, “close the kitchen” and go for a walk. This will enable better digestion before bed (which will help you sleep better too). Ideally you really need a twelve or more hour fast to rest/heal (though it is likely that autophagy kicks in closer to 14-16 hours). This has the potential to heal your gut, your skin, your brain, joints…Please listen to this 15 minute podcast talking about the importance of a 12+ hour overnight fast
Try also to allow your food to cool a little before eating; chew a little more than usual; and take pauses in between bites.
Digestive rest also comes in the form of eating mindfully, carefully, quietly, slowly, pleasurably, in good company and definitely without guilt/shame.
Hydration. Here is a really good/short article about how much water to drink. I definitely recommend not drinking very cold or iced water ~ drink room temp, warm or hot water instead. Make your hydration as enticing as possible (add some mint or rosemary, a cinnamon stick, some frozen berries… to your pitcher). Start hydrating as soon as you wake up and sip steadily throughout the day, easing off during the evening hours.
So for today, look at all the components of your food. Think about how you can elevate not just the ingredients but the whole experience.
Here is a video about unprocessing your diet.
Bonus ~ other podcasts and articles of interest to further enrich your experience. There is SO much good stuff here, from batch cooking to bees breath to breaths of joy to decluttering and so much more.
Love love love
Sacha x
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+ Holistic Integrative Nutrition Wellness Coach
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