Calorie Density vs. Nutrient Density

Did you have that sibling that would torture you for fun until you cried, "Uncle?" Well, that's YOU and your body is screaming, "I GIVE!"

You'd have to live in a hole if you don't know by now that burgers and pizza are not as good for you as blueberries and kale. But if you're one of those people who believes bacon is a food group and all calories are created equal, you might not get why the quality of the food you shove into your face matters.

Some people get the car analogy: “Would you put bad gas into your car and expect it to run well?” But does that really translate into healthy food choices when it comes down to it? Usually not.

Part of the problem is that we don't totally grasp how bad certain foods are for us. If it's on the grocery store shelf, it must've passed some sort of safety regulation, right? Well, not exactly. U.S. safety standards for ingredients and food products are surprisingly loose and they typically make life better for corporations rather than consumers. In other words, YOU are your own best advocate when it comes to ensuring the quality of the foods you eat.

So, the more educated you are about ingredients, the better choices you'll be empowered to make. Definitely don't abdicate that function to corporate interests and a government that protects them over your health!

First, the bad news… (Cue Chicken Little video here... It may sound like sky's getting ready to fall)

1) Most processed foods contain ingredients that are full of chemicals, some of which don't even exist in nature. They're made in a lab with the intention of making the foods extra tasty and addictive. This is why you should choose foods with fewer ingredients that have been minimally touched.

2) Food additives such as colorants, flavorings and preservatives have been known to cause digestive distress, skin conditions, nervous system disorders, respiratory problems and even behavior issues. Though we don't always make the connection, these ingredients take a toll on our health and can affect our children's well-being too.

3) Pesticide and herbicide-laden produce are just a few ways we are exposed to toxic chemicals in our everyday lives. Plastics, flame retardants in our clothing and mattresses, non-stick pan coatings and artificial perfumes and fragrances are just a few substances known to increase our toxic load and damage our ability to function properly. The liver, our main detox organ, gets bogged down with the sheer volume of the work and something starts to give. This is often the genesis of symptoms, sickness and, if left uncorrected, disease.

The good news is YOU ARE POWERFUL! Often, you can change your health just by changing your lifestyle.

So, how do you help yourself lose weight, alleviate anxiety, quiet digestive distress, improve joint pain and generally feel better in your body?

You take it day by day, even meal by meal.

You begin to listen to your body. It's likely you will FEEL better eating more vegetation and less processed foods. Add more of the good stuff and eat less of the bad.

Here's a biggie: when your body asks you NOT to eat or drink something, COMPLY. That means if you get indigestion every time you drink coffee, skip the coffee for a week. See how you feel. If you're significantly better, skip the coffee most of the time and only indulge when you're willing to pay the price. Find a good substitute for coffee-- Dandy Blend, perhaps, or a really flavorful tea. That's the trick. Listen, find worthy substitutes for the big offenders and be as consistent as you can.

A great general strategy is to move from calorie-dense foods to nutrient-dense foods. Calorie-dense foods are foods that have more calories per gram of weight, while nutrient-dense foods are foods that have more nutrients (vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, antioxidants, fiber and the like) per gram of weight. All of that good stuff actually serves as the medicine nature intended your body to use to detoxify chemicals and create healthy acids, hormones, enzymes and immune substances. Check out this infographic to see how calorie-density and nutrient-density stack up against each other and some possible swaps to ensure you get extra vegetation in your life.

The response to this change alone is that your body will begin to heal from the chemical onslaught depicted above. Chances are, your weight will stabilize, your digestion will improve, your mood will lighten, your focus will return and even your skin will begin to glow. If I offered you a magic pill that did all of that, you’d pay me beaucoup bucks. Yet, I’m telling you it’s available right at your grocery store.

Take some time to plan your meals, sneak extra veggies and fruit in and listen to what your body’s telling you in the language of symptoms. Remember, just as the appearance of unwanted symptoms is a message, the disappearance of symptoms is also a message. Your body is telling you you’re on the right track.

As always, share in the comments your experience with the nutrient-density strategy, especially any recipes you come to love.

Wishing you peace, love and happy healing!