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Instead of a list of foods to avoid, we’ve put together a list of amazing nutritionally-dense foods that you should be eating (unless you have specific intolerances/allergies or are on a low FODMAP diet). Eat from this list daily, and your challenge, should you choose to accept it is to create as many of your meals with these foods in them as you can.

Here are our top 20 healthiest foods to add to your day:

1. Berries especially blueberries and blackberries. High in antioxidants like polyphenols and despite being a fruit they aren’t going to spike your blood sugar terribly.
2. Lemon: squeeze it into water, over meat, over salads, over avocado
3. Coconut: eat the flesh, drink the water, use the oil (cold pressed)
4. Sardines (in a can): high in omega 3, without the mercury, and because they contain the bones they are also high in calcium.
5. Fresh herbs like basil, mint, coriander, rosemary and thyme don’t just add flavour to meals, they have great health qualities too.
6. Sugar snap peas… yummy crunchy, green and full of B vitamins, fibre, protein and yumminess.
7. Broccoli and cauliflower (preferably organic): there is so much goodness in cruciferous veg!  Wonderful cancer fighters.
8. Tahini (sesame seed paste) high in calcium…and yummy in dips or dressings
9. Apples (organic and washed!) – full of gut-friendly prebiotics
10. Chilli or Harissa
11. Cinnamon (this is a spice, not a food, but it can actually help you manage your blood sugar levels so eat it with foods like pumpkin, oats, apple)
12. Olives
13. Pistachios (one of the best nuts to eat for a number of reasons!)
14. Walnuts: bursting with ALA, the omega 3 fatty acid and super-antioxidant that works to scavenge free-radicals and repair and protect cell membranes in the brain.
15. Sauerkraut or Kimchi (fermented foods are great for gut health)
16. Ancient grains: quinoa, millet, amaranth, buckwheat (all wheat free and naturally gluten free, so these grains are not going to irritate your gut like other gliadin grains tend to, they are also high in essential amino acids)
17. Leafy greens especially watercress, Chinese cabbage, beet greens, dandelion greens, spinach and kale (which are great “liver cleansers”)
18. Ginger and Turmeric (cook with them, add them to stir fries, rice, casseroles…so good! Read all about the healing properties of turmeric in our blog post here.
19. Sprouted legumes or beans – bursting with B vitamins!
20. Great quality cocoa – full of antioxidants!

Some other tips: garlic is amazing, any veg especially mushrooms, artichoke hearts, asparagus, spaghetti squash, tomatoes.  If you are going to eat potatoes opt for purple or red skin new (small) potatoes or sweet potatoes.

If you are going to eat meat, go for organic where possible and always grass fed, same applies for chicken. Game meats and bone broth are great and full of goodness too.

Organic soya beans or tofu have amazing health benefits, are rich in B vitamins and have actually been found to be protective against cancer.

Of course, this list of healthy foods can go on for ages, but these are some of our favourites that we love using in the Wholesomeness kitchen 🖤

References:

Harvard Health

Aha Journals

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, we know that there are certain things we can do to prevent contracting the virus, for example social distancing, wearing our mask and washing our hands frequently. But keeping our immune system strong and robust is also a crucial element to ensuring that we stay healthy during this time.

The role of the immune system is to protect us against pathogenic organisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites. Defence against these pathogens requires a well-functioning immune system. As you can see in Figure 1 below, there are many factors that can influence the health of our immune system, including unmodifiable factors (e.g. genetics and age) and modifiable factors (e.g. nutrition, gut health, stress).  

Nutrition is one factor that helps to determine the immune response. Poor nutrition may not provide the immune system with the adequate nutrients it needs to function properly, leading to poor defence against pathogens and increased susceptibility to infection. That’s why a balanced, healthy diet is an important aspect of a strong immune system, which helps to reduce the risk of contracting viruses (including COVID-19) and helps to protect us if we do contract them with usually milder symptoms and a faster recovery time.

We’ve listed below some important nutrients and vitamins that play key roles in supporting the immune system:

VITAMIN D: important for moderating the immune system and the best part is, you can get this vitamin for free from daily sunshine! Cod liver oil is another great source of vitamin D, and also contains vitamin A, which is an excellent antioxidant immune-boosting vitamin. Recent studies have reported an association between low vitamin D levels and increased risk and severity of COVID-19. See our previous interesting post: Can Mushrooms Create Vitamin D from Sunlight?

VITAMIN A: great sources of vitamin A come from apricots, carrots, green leafy vegetables and egg yolks.

VITAMIN C: a good water soluble vitamin that helps the immune system function effectively and protects against oxidative and inflammatory stress. Citrus fruits are famous for their high vitamin C content, but there are actually lots more foods that are bursting with this vitamin, including broccoli, raw cabbage, pineapple, strawberries and even parsley.

PROBIOTICS: our gut is our first line of defence with our immune system. It is lined with different types of immune and defence cells that will pick up different viruses and bacteria that come through the gut. Having a healthy gut requires having healthy microbiome (read our previous post on tips for restoring & strengthening your gut microbiome). Probiotics support both the immune system and the gut so that they can both do their job effectively.

ZINC: zinc is a powerful worker bee in the body. It’s important for so many different functions in the immune system, activates over 200 different enzymes in the body and helps to control oxidative stress and inflammation. Food sources of zinc include beef, beans, cashews, egg yolks, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, oysters and nutritional yeast. Recent studies have reported an association between low zinc status and increased risk and severity of COVID-19.

IRON: iron transports oxygen around the body to all of our cells. Without oxygen our cells cannot function effectively, so making sure that we have proper iron stores is important.

HERBS: for example, anti-viral herbs (which help to stop viruses in their track and improve response to infection – elderberry is a good example - helps to mitigate inflammation, swelling, soreness and mucus production). Anti-bacterial herbs (e.g. garlic, oregano, thyme, green tea). Adaptogens (herbs that help our body adapt to stress) and immune stimulants (e.g. Echinacea).

Other lifestyle factors to consider:

STRESS: Stress dampens and weakens our immune system, affects our mood and our mental health. Find ways that work for you to alleviate stress. Get good sleep to allow your body to heal and regenerate (7-9 hours per night), laughter, connection, do things that you love (this helps our adrenals which strengthens our immune system).

EXERCISE: Daily exercise helps our cardiovascular system and our lymphatic system (which is also part of our immune system). When we move our body our skeletal muscles help to pump lymphatic fluid, which helps to flush out viruses and bacteria from our system. Exercise is also amazing for our mood, endorphins and our mental health!

Some of our previous posts on the immune system that you may find interesting:

• Immune Boosters You Need Now: Going Back to Basics
• 3 Surprising Signs of a Weakened Immune System
• Home Remedies for Clearing or Preventing Phlegm and Mucus Caused by Respiratory Viruses

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2021

References:

The FEBS Journal

Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition

Redox Biology

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition

Sometimes a quick boost of self-confidence and motivation can be found in a few positive words. In fact, research has found that positive thinking and positive thoughts can add great value to your overall health and wellbeing. Thinking positively can broaden your mind and open you up to more possibilities in life, a skill that is greatly beneficial when you are faced with challenges that are sometimes hard to overcome.

Sometimes, all it takes is one uplifting quote to help you gain a little more perspective on your life, boost your mood and give you a burst of inspiration.  

A few of our favourite “feel good” quotes include:

1. “Once you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, you’ll start having positive results.” – Willie Nelson
2. “Work hard, stay positive, and get up early. It’s the best part of the day.” – George Allen, Sr
3. “Believe that life is worth living and your belief will help create the fact.” – William James
4. “Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift; that’s why it’s called The Present.” – Bil Keane
5. “Just when the caterpillar thought its world was over, it became a butterfly.”
6. “Sometimes, there is no harm in putting off a piece of work until another day.” – The Little Prince
7. "Tension is who you think you should be, relaxation is who you are." - Chinese Proverb
8. “A goal is not always meant to be reached, it often serves simply as something to aim at.” – Bruce Lee
9. “Each day provides its own gifts.” —Marcus Aurelius
10. “Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment, until it becomes a memory.” — Dr. Seuss

References:

Fredrickson, B., Cohn, M., & Finkel, S. (2008). Open hearts build lives: positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. J Pers Soc Psychol, 95(5): 1045-1062.

It’s nearly June, which means winter is nearly upon us here in Queensland. Characterized by frosty mornings, early sunsets and chilly nights, the cooler months call for hearty dishes to keep you warm and nourished all winter long. 

You may think that the range of winter fruits and vegetables is limited, but with a bit of creativity and preparation, you can enjoy fresh, local produce all season long. With a Wholesomeness meal delivery, we have done all the hard prep for you – we source fresh, local seasonal produce to create tasty winter dishes that are packed with nutrition and maximum flavour. Winter is all about comforting foods that are warming, cozy and satisfying. Think flu-fighting soups, winter one-pots, hearty stews and roast root vegetables.  

Fruits and vegetables flourish at certain times of the year, however grocery stores stock just about everything all year round, which makes it easy to forget what’s in season and what’s not. A good tip is to take a walk around your local farmer’s market and see what kinds of produce are available – these will usually be the ones that are in season at that time.

There are many benefits to eating seasonally.  The food is at its freshest, tastes the best, is best for you, is more sustainable, and is usually cheaper. It also allows us to get back to the roots of local and sustainable eating, by supporting local businesses and our local community as a whole.  

Seasonal fruits and veggies that have been allowed to fully ripen on the plant and picked at the peak of freshness are better quality and higher in nutrition compared to produce that is picked unripe and then transported to different areas or countries. Therefore, eating local sustainable produce allows for maximum nutrition that is tailored to your local environment.

In winter, many people often lack vitamin D due to the increased time spent indoors. Mushrooms are often at their peak during winter, and they contain excellent sources of vitamin D (see our previous blog post on mushrooms and vitamin D here). Mushrooms are such a versatile ingredient, with the potential to add a delicious savoury and warm umami flavour to so many dishes. We love using them in our Mushroom Bourguignon with Mash and Green Beans, and our Mushroom, Spinach and Truffle Risotto with Broccoli and Pepitas.

During winter, we also need extra vitamin C to keep our immune system strong and to help fight off colds and flu quicker. Winter citrus fruits like navel oranges, mandarins, grapefruits, lemons and limes all contain amazing sources of vitamin C and antioxidants. Winter fruits also often last a lot longer than the soft summer fruits, which means less food wastage and more value for your money.

Eating foods that are in season gives you the opportunity to appreciate the foods that are available, and allows for more variety in your diet as seasonal foods are constantly shifting – a wonderful cycle that allows you to experience each food.

What veggies are in season this winter? Print out our handy list of winter seasonal veggies and hang it on your fridge!

The number one reason that people workout is to lose weight or to look good, but the truth is that there are so many other benefits of moving your body and being physically active. Once you start to shift your mindset to one that’s more focussed on feeling good rather than looking good, you’ll start to see exercise as more fun and enjoyable which will help you get into a healthy cycle of motivation, energy and accomplishment.

 1. Improves your mental health

Exercise releases endorphins which are neurochemicals that affect our brain and our mood. Regular movement helps to regulate our moods, relieve anxiety and depression, boost our energy and improve our focus.

 2. Improves your sleep

Better sleep helps with stress management, boosts our mood and gives our brain quality time to reset, which helps with learning and memory.

 3. Self-esteem

Regular movement that you love doing helps to release all those happy chemicals. Getting stronger and fitter helps us to feel proud, accomplished and empowered.

 4. Improves your long term health

Regular physical activity gives us a healthier heart (reduces our risk of cardiovascular diseases), stronger lungs (reduces our risk of cardiorespiratory diseases), improves our posture (which improves our confidence), improves our bone health (reduces our risk of injury) and gives us a better quality of life.

 5. Boosts your lymphatic system

The lymphatic system is a network of tissues, vessels and organs that help to rid the body of toxins and unwanted materials. Movement and contractions of the muscles stimulate the lymphatic system to pump fluid around your body, which helps to cleanse, detox and boost your immune system. A healthier immune system means less colds and illnesses and a reduced risk of cancer and other diseases.

So find your groove with the type of movement that you love doing and you will see how wonderfully beneficial moving your body can be!

Author:
Lisa Cutforth
B.Sc Nutrition with Psychology (Dual Degree)
Consulting Clinical Nutritionist to The Banyans Wellness Retreat
Owner and Managing Director of Wholesomeness