My Food Life

I love food and I love to enjoy what I eat without feeling guilty! Everything that I put in my mouth I wonder what is it doing to my body. Is it harming it? Is it nourishing it? Or is it just plain unhelpful calories? You will come across many and many and many and many different diets and ways to eat healthy. I definitely cannot say that I have the perfect answer, but my motto is BALANCE, MODERATION, SIMPLICITY and COMMON SENSE. I don't get caught up in one way of eating. I do what is best for me and my family without jeopardizing our health and our lifestyle. Portion control is very important, but you have to remember that the quality of your food is more important then the quantity you consume. I like to keep it simple, if God didn't make it then I should not be eating it, after all He is the one who made me and knows what is best for this body to function properly! Use common sense, deep down inside we all know in general what is going to benefit or harm our health and educating yourself about the foods you eat when you are not sure is not a bad idea! Know your foods, know what you are consuming and what it is doing to your body. I don't believe in temporary diets, I think that eating healthy should just be a lifestyle. I am still learning a lot about foods, it's chemistry and what it does to my body. I cannot tell you that my way is THE way to eat because many will beg to differ, but I can just simply share what has worked for me. I try to stay away from processed foods and things with ingredients that I have never heard of or have no clue what it means.  For me organic and natural is the way to go for everything. Certain things that I try to stay away from like pork and red meat is a personal option because of the things I have learned or read about it and decided not to consume it as much. I am very picky about what I buy to leave in my pantry and refrigerator. If it is not there then neither I or any member of family will eat it, that is the safest way to stay away from junk foods. I am not by any means a cook, but I cook, lol! You know what you are eating if you are the one cooking it. Salt and fat are one of the main ingredients that make food taste so delicious and they are also two very dangerous ingredients that need to be consumed in moderation. To burn fat we need to eat fat, but the right kind and the right portion. There are many different kinds of healthy oils we can use to make a meal very tasty and it is also fun to experiment with them. Coconut oil is my favorite, but you also have grape seed oil, olive oil and many others at the health food store. Eating does not have to be so stressful, keep it colorful when you cook to make sure you have a little bit of everything that is good and  have fun with it! I hear people say that if it is not white, salty or fatty then it is not good! NOT TRUE! If you have been eating unhealthy all your life then that is what your palate is use to and anything foreign will sound an alarm, but it does not mean that it tastes bad or that you cannot get use to it. My son loves certain foods that most people will not eat, but it is all he knows, to him it tastes good and  fortunately I don't have to force him to eat it like most parents do. Sugar is evil my friends!! Our society is dangerously addictive to it and it needs to be carefully monitored. I personally love, love chocolate like many of us do and I don't punish myself by not eating it. On the contrary, I buy quality chocolate and leave it in my pantry as a treat. The dark 70% cocoa Green&Black's organic chocolate is my personal favorite, but I make sure that I limit myself to three little squares a day and enjoy every bite of it. Instead of indulging on a big bowl of ice cream I like to mix shredded coconut, a little bit (and I did say "a little bit") of raw honey and a little bit ("little bit" again!) of dark chocolate chips in plain Greek yogurt. It is a very tasty treat! Everything in moderation my friends, even the stuff that is natural and organic like sugar for example. Just because it is natural it does not mean you don't have to limit yourself. Salt is salt, fat is fat and sugar is sugar! Last but not least, Water! Water is a need and I don't toy with the idea of not having enough in a day. The benefits are many and we just cannot live with out it! Much more food talk to come in the near future, but for now enjoy what God has given us to nourish and replenish our bodies!

Love, Karina