Nutrition
There’s a big difference between eating well and getting proper nutrition.
Merriam – Webster states that Nutrition is the act or process of being nourished. Specifically the sum of the processes by which an animal or plant takes in and utilizes food substances.
When I think of being nourished I think of whole, loved, hydrated, radiant etc. They’re all loving words to describe something that is absolutely cared for in every essence. I get images of growing and thriving, living to the full and feeling energised.
The human body, as you may have heard me describe before, is a fascinating and marvellous machine. When it comes to nutrition your body has processes in place to attempt to get you to give it what it truly needs. Your body will continue to give you hunger signals until you start satisfying the nutrition requirements. Manufactured ‘food-like’ substances that are high in sugars and chemicals trigger your body into thinking its real food, for a moment. Once the body processes and discovers little to no nutritional value it sets off the signal again that you require more food. This process continues until you can actually start to nourish the body and give it what it needs.
Our body was originally designed with periods of feast and periods of famine. Think back to cave men and women and the hunter-gatherer process. Today very few of us have famine, as food or ‘food-like’ substances are abundant. The intelligent body is programmed to think famine will come so it stores the excess calories in your ‘food-like’ substances as fat.
When it comes to nutrition we could delve into a lengthy blog of information that is easily accessible on the www. So rather than bombard you with all the typical nutrition your body needs. How about we take a look at the importance of just one nutrient Vitamin C. It is winter after all and some of you may be finding themselves having a clean out and an immune system boost.
The average recommended daily intake for vitamin C is said to be just 75-90mg. However, there are studies show that there is great benefit in having a daily dose at 500mg. There are many ways to get this dose from supplements to healthy eating of 5 serves of fruit and vegies a day.
Vitamin C is one of the first nutrients to be affected in stress. Your adrenal glands love using vitamin C so when they are activated into performing at a higher rate “stress” they consume more. When your adrenals deplete your vitamin C there is now a lack for all the other processes in your body that Vitamin C is used for. Such as immune system function and general healing and repair. Vitamin C is a building block involved in producing collagen. Collagen is a building block for your entire body, including skin and therefore helping to reduce wrinkles, this alone it is extremely important don’t you think! Vitamin C has also been shown to improve the absorption of iron when taken together and to help guard against macular degeneration.
If this blog has inspired you to up your daily dose of vitamin C then there are some easy and not so easy ways to get it. In the end it must suit you and be a combination of not only that little tablet in the morning. How your body gets all your nutrients and vitamin C depends on how easily it can absorb it. Sure take a supplement just make sure you include some vitamin C rich vegetables and fruits to your diet. Eat plenty of food such as dark leafy lettuce, cauliflower, purple cabbage, sweet potato, capsicum, oranges, strawberries and kiwi fruit. I have included one of my favourite anti-inflammatory curried cauliflower soup recipes from ‘Heal Your Gut’ by Lee Holmes. Enjoy this delicious and warming soup on a winter’s night.
Anti-Inflammatory Curried Cauliflower Soup
· 1 large head of cauliflower roughly chopped
· 1 TBS coconut oil
· ½ (125ml) cup coconut milk
· 1 onion, chopped
· 3 garlic cloves minced
· 2 tsp. finely chopped ginger
· 2 tsp. turmeric
· 2 tsp. cumin
· 2 tsp. curry powder
· 2 cups (500ml) vegetable stock
· Celtic Salt to taste
· Freshly ground pepper
· Chopped coriander or spring onion for garnish
- Method:
- Over a medium heat in a soup pan melt coconut oil and fry onion until browned.
- Add garlic, ginger, turmeric, cumin and curry powder; stir until fragrant about a minute.
- Add the cauliflower, vegetable stock, coconut milk and sea salt and bring to a boil reduce heat, cover and simmer 30 minutes.
- Blend the soup in either a blender or with a stick blender. Soup can be blended in batches for a smoother consistency.
- Garnish with Black Pepper and Fresh Coriander or sliced spring onion.
https://www.superchargedfood.com/blog/all/curried-cauliflower-soup/