While we’re in those peak earning years and, for some, raising kids at the same time our own physical and mental health take a (way) back seat to other priorities. I mean who wants to be cooking some healthy dinner after picking up kids at their after school activity, while on the phone with a business partner in Asia. Why not hit a fast food place on the way home, get the family fed quickly and then make the first of the night time work calls … or do the invoices … or pay the bills … or _______________ (insert your choice of extra work). Maybe you once had a few hobbies that went by the wayside when kids activities and work travel took over.
Well now you are retired or thinking of retiring and you want to make a few changes or maybe you feel like you are stepping off a cliff from the grind to unknown territory. It may be easy to make the transition, especially if you were able to hang on to a hobby or two and if you were able to resist the convenience food some of the time, or it may be harder if your working life left no time for personal pursuits and activities.
A good first step is to move towards a healthier diet. There is no reason, unless your health is compromised, to take extreme steps. Small steps in a new direction are more likely to lead to long-term changes. Improved diet can help other aspects of your life, which may help your energy and motivation levels which, in turn, may help (your energy level) in resuming many hobbies.
Please note: If you are suffering significant health issues, it is best to consult a medical professional. Some medical professionals just want to prescribe pharmaceuticals and/or surgery, but there are more and more who are interested in more natural solutions. It is important to have a medical expert helping you navigate the alternatives.
So what are some simple steps to take to ease your self into a healthier diet?
If you frequently eat convenience food (frozen meals, fast food, etc.), try 1 or 2 more dinners a week that are home cooked. Stick to relatively simple recipes, without really long ingredient lists. Every recipe site on the internet has healthy, vegetarian or vegan recipes. We’ve done full vegan holiday meals, without feeling like we missed anything. Again, look at the ingredients lists. Skip the ones with lots of spices, exotic ingredients and complicated prep. Keep the recipes that are hits and toss those that weren’t a success. We don’t think one needs to take on extreme changes in lifestyle to be healthier. Some incremental changes will make a difference.
If you don’t want to spend lots of time in the kitchen, look for 1-pot, crockpot types of recipes. An Instant Pot, crockpot or Dutch oven that you throw everything in and wait are invaluable. Another time saver is pre-cut produce, pre-diced garlic and similar pre-prepped foods. Some say the pre-processed foods are less healthy the whole produce, but any of these options are better than processed food.
Start reading food labels. Work towards reducing/eliminating refined sugars, unpronounceable additives, and highly processed foods. You would not believe how many foods and recipes have (a lot of) added sugars. Recipes still taste good with ½ or ¼ of the sugar. You might need something to thicken a sauce instead of the sugar, but generally you can just reduce or eliminate the sugar.
Some good foods are the so-called “super foods”. Every list is different but most lists include the following):
Dark leafy greens (Kale, spinach, chard, etc)
Berries (Blueberries, raspberries, etc)
Green tea
Legumes (beans including soy, lentils, peas, peanuts)
Nuts and seeds
Kefir and yoghurt (can be made from non-dairy bases)
Garlic
Olive oil
Ginger
Turmeric
Avocado
Sweet potato
Mushrooms
Fish, Seaweed, other vegetables such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, radishes/turnips, etc are often listed
Most of the super foods, above, are high in fiber. When you are reading labels of breads and cereals, look for a ratio of total carbohydrates (in grams) to dietary fiber content (also in grams). The lowest ratio possible ratio, in the range of 5 carbs to fiber is desirable, but hard to find. Grab the most processed looking loaf of bread and compare it to a more nutty/seedy loaf and it will be an eye opener.
For those who like their meat and dairy, try 1 plant based meal a week. You can try a vegan recipe or simply substitute meat and dairy alternatives in one of your existing recipes. We’ll cover some of the great plant based alternatives in subsequent articles.
In the future, we’ll also cover other health related topics, related resources that we’ve come across, plant based diets, products, restaurants and services. If this seems of interest bookmark this site for future reference.