One of my good friends recently wrote me an excellent question that I wanted to share on my blog with you. Here goes:
“I can’t afford to buy organic stuff all the time, but are there some staples that I can try to incorporate daily (that aren’t crazy expensive or too time-consuming) that might make me feel better? I know cutting corners is never the way to get results, but was hoping you might have some suggestions!”
This is a wonderful question and one that I can really relate since the island I live on has a very limited food selection. There are no organic foods in the stores and very few healthy gourmet items so I have to ask friends to please bring them in for us when they come to visit. Needless to say, we have gotten good at knowing what we really need and what’s just extra.
So here was my response:
Coconut oil!
It makes everything so damn decadent and, “because it is made up predominantly of medium chain triglycerides that burn up quickly in the body—a lot like kindling in a fire rather than a big log it promotes weight loss instead of gain.” (click here to read more)
Here’s what I use coconut oil for:
I saute my foods with it
I spread it on my toast in the morning
I mix it with cocoa powder and agave (believe it or not we just started getting agave here) and freeze it to make vegan chocolate.
I use it for lotion on my skin
I use it as a hair masks to help repair the sun/salt damage.
It’s cheapest to buy it in bulk, and though the initial cost may seem expensive keep in mind that it will last for a long time and it’s not just a food, it’s a beauty product too!
Next, Chlorella tablets:
They are all natural (made of a single-cell freshwater algae) and have everything you need in the form of a “multivitamin”…they aren’t synthetic so they don’t make your stomach hurt or your pee bright yellow.
They contain more than 20 vitamins including your B’s, iron, calcium, potassium, magnesium.
They help the body detoxify itself, are a complete protein, an antioxidant and support bowel health.
They are actually pretty yummy too, and they give you that edge you need to feel really good. I eat a servings worth per day (when I remember) and just chew them up. they make your mouth green but whatever.
Chia Seeds:
they are a complete protein, they rehydrate the body, they have more omega 3s than salmon, and are outrageously high in antioxidants, fibers and calcium.
I mix them in my orange juice or add a few tablespoons in my smoothies. My husband eats them almost daily and swears by them!
Oatmeal:
Oats are the bomb. They are cheap and you can make milk, cookies, bread (You can grind them up in a blender and make them into flour), or just oatmeal with them. Better than glutenous flour and cheaper than all that crazy almond/quinoa/rice flour stuff.
Ayuvedic Spices:
Now these really depend on your personal constitution so I would recommend getting a consultation before loading up on spices that may be potentially throwing your body out of wack. For me personally, I use fennel, cardamon, cumin, **tumeric** (not so yummy but very good for your health), ginger powder, and paprika. I put all of them on just about, everything. It makes regular steamed veggies taste super gourmet and make your meals that much more healing!
Teas:
again, these depend on your constitution, but here is what I like. Ginger, peppermint, and green teas are my fav. I drink green in the morning to wake me up and then peppermint throughout the day to cool me down. I am a pitta/kapha dosha and live in a hot environment so this may be quite different for you. Ginger tea, for example, is more warming and stimulating..it helps blood circulation and digestion. I wouldn’t drink ginger throughout the day, maybe just a cup in the evening since it tends to stimulate digestion. (Also check out my Summer or Parsley teas)
Tofu:
Ok so I hear a lot of mixed stuff about this, but as a vegan in the Bahamas I don’t have much of a choice. I haven’t personally had any problems with it and I love it. It can be scrambled like eggs..or even better just fried and put in a biscuit and it tastes just like an egg mcmuffin! haha, no joke!
And last but not least, lentils!
They are cheap and are a good source of protein. These are wonderful alone, with spices, as a dhal or can be ground up with oats (!) and oil and made into veggie burger patties.
…and if you happen to be a sea-shell, you can also wear one as a hat 
xx, Britta
Email
Facebook
Twitter
Linkedin
Instagram
