In the first of a three-part series, Nutritional Therapist Amelia Freer discusses the basics of eating well...
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In her book, Eat, Nourish, Glow, Nutritional Therapist Amelia Freer shares all of her principles for healthy eating. Amelia believes that one of the most important factors is preparation – how you prepare your kitchen, how you prepare your food and how you shop are all essential to staying healthy.
Good oils to use
Amelia firmly places coconut oil in her top ten must-have ingredients, as it’s one of the most versatile fats to be cooking with. She ensures that she always cooks with coconut oil because it has an amazing tolerance for heat – it’s one of the best oils to be heating. When making salads and dressings, Amelia reaches for cold olive oil.
The oils that you really want to avoid are vegetable oils, as these are highly processed, such as sunflower oil. Amelia advises to stick with coconut oil, butter and olive oil.
Choosing good quality salt
Amelia is a big fan of salt and always uses it in her cooking, as it gives excellent flavour. Lots of her clients are afraid of using salt – they think that it’s bad for their health. Amelia says that the kinds of salts we want to avoid are the processed and refined types that are usually found in ready meals. Her favourite is pink Himalayan salt and sea salt, as they give a great flavour and are also an excellent source of additional minerals.
Choosing alternatives to milk
There is now such a wide variety of milks, meaning dairy isn’t your only option. Amelia believes that everyone should get out of their comfort zone and try the new nuts and seeds options that are available now.
They’re also really easy to make. Amelia’s instruction are; choose your nut/seed of choice, soak them in water overnight, pop them in a blender with fresh water and then blend until smooth and strain away – easy.
Green leafy vegetables
Amelia says that the most important to start for healthy shopping is with vegetables. We know that our diets need to be predominantly plant-based, so making sure that you always have a nice supply of fresh and, preferably, organic vegetables is key.
One of the most important vegetables that Amelia makes sure she always has in her diet is dark green leafy vegetables. She says that items such as broccoli, kale, brussel sprouts and cabbage are all sources of phytonutrients, which really are a life source for our cells and help in preventing cancers and keeping our immune system strong.
Spice things up
Amelia is passionate about the fact that healthy eating doesn’t have to be bland and boring. Lots of people have the misconception that it’s similar to eating bird food but if you’re clever with herbs and spices, you can really add great flavour and variety to your cooking.
Amelia suggests using cinnamon, as this is great for taking off sugar cravings, and chilli is great for speeding up the metabolism. Try a new spice every week and get creative with your spices.
Be particular about your protein
Amelia says that if you are eating animal proteins, it’s extremely important to know where the source is reared and where it’s come from. Her main points of concern is making sure that it’s organic and has been humanely treated.
She also applies this principle to fish, as she believes that it’s better to avoid farmed fish and make sure that you’re getting wild fish. It’s essential that you’re always making sure that you’re getting good quality protein into your meals each day.
Credits:
Hair and makeup by Arabella Preston
Director: Susannah Taylor
Production and filming by Pocket Motion Pictures (http://pocketmotionpictures.com/)
