5 Steps to Help You Eat Clean

5 Steps to Help You Eat Clean (Guest Post)

There’s a growing movement of healthy-minded individuals who have said ENOUGH to the frozen meals and drive-thru dinners and are making a conscious decision to eat clean. Clean eating is process of consuming foods that are in their whole, unprocessed, natural state—free of chemicals and preservatives. But if the microwave has become your best friend, the thought of eating clean may seem a bit daunting. Here are some steps you can take to start eating cleaner.

1.     Buy locally grown fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables are rich in vitamins and essential nutrients and should be a main staple in your daily diet. Buying local produce not only supports your community, it also helps to ensure your fruits and vegetables are fresh and free of chemicals. Many communities hold farmers markets for merchants to sell their locally-grown produce.  To find a farmers market near you visit http://www.localharvest.org/farmers-markets/

Another way to get local produce is with Community Supported Agriculture or CSA. With a CSA farmers offer “shares” (typically a box of vegetables or other farm products) to consumers. The box is delivered to your home, or picked up from the farm. To find a CSA near you visit http://www.localharvest.org/csa/

2.     Buy meats from a butcher or farmer. When you buy meat from your supermarket, oftentimes it has been processed with antibiotics, hormones, and a host of chemicals. Going to a standalone butcher’s shop can help ensure you’re getting a fresher, cleaner, healthier cut of meat.

Another option for fresh meat is to buy meat directly from a farmer. This doesn’t mean that a cow carcass will show up at your door. When you buy meat from a farmer, they will cut it up, just as a butcher would. Most farms allow you to buy a portion of a cow, or the entire cow. That’s probably a lot of meat for one family, so you can go in with some friends and buy the cow together, splitting the meat. To find a farm in your area visit http://www.eatwild.com/products/

3.     Pick whole grains over refined grains. Refined grains, such as white rice or white flour, have been processed and stripped of their beneficial nutrients. That’s hardly their natural state. Good sources of whole grains are brown rice and quinoa.

4.     Hydrate with water. When eating clean, water should be your primary beverage source. Avoid sodas and juices which are loaded with sugar, artificial sweeteners, and chemicals.

5.     Ditch the processed foods. Processed meats and frozen dinners are neither whole nor in their natural state. They are filled with sodium, preservatives, and chemicals to enhance their taste and prolong their life. To eat clean, you need to get rid of the processed foods in your diet.

Changes in one’s diet are never easy. It’s best to take one step at a time instead of jumping all in at once. But over time, eating clean will become easier, and your body will thank you for it.

This article is written by  + Stu Lieberman the writer for Nutri-Health.com, an online High Quality Supplement and Health Store.  Assisting people and helping them find quality supplements and health products online is what Stu has been doing for over 2 years.  Nutri-Health.com carries Digestive Supplements to Probiotics to Joint Health.