Eating with Integrity

It has been over a year since I started this blog and time to revisit the theme.  But in order to talk about eating with integrity, I have to start with a conversation about WHOLE FOODS.

No, I’m not talking about the grocery store.

I’m talking about REAL food. Food you can picture growing. Food that has not been modified from its original form. Like an apple, a bag of brown rice, or a glass of whole fat milk. All these foods have one thing in common: nothing has been removed and nothing has been added. They are in their pure, unadulterated form. Just as God created them (see Genesis 1:29).

These foods have INTEGRITY.

When I write “eating with integrity” in this blog, I mean (1) choosing foods that are in the most natural form possible, preferably from local and/or organic sources, (2) preparing them with loving intention, and (3) eating them mindfully, appreciating each unique flavor and texture.

Anytime a food is processed, nutrients are lost. This can be as simple as removing the skin from your potatoes (the majority of nutrients are found just underneath the skin!), or as complicated as the chemical process of transforming whole corn into high fructose corn syrup.

In contrast, whole foods maintain high nutrient density. The more whole foods you can consume each day, the more vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients you provide your body, and the better defense you have against illness. But eating with integrity is not just about preventing disease (dis-ease), it is about reaching and maintaining optimum health. It is about feeling good so you can share those good feelings to the people around you and make the world a better place.