Living with a food allergy can be hard work especially when eating out or even just at home. It takes more organisation and awareness to make sure you are leading a healthy lifestyle.
The Free-From industry has grown massively in the past few years and the offerings are so vast now. However, it is important not to forget that just because it says Free-From on the package, it doesn’t mean you should automatically buy it!
When struggling with food allergies, it is even more important to pre-plan whenever you can, and that is one of the things I try to show with my blog. You shouldn’t always go to the “safe” area and pick a sandwich or ready meal. You should use the right ingredients to make your own lunches for work and home cooked dinners. This way you know exactly what you’re eating.
Often time is an issue and this is where planning is a crucial part of making healthier lifestyle changes especially when it comes to food.
A couple of ways that will help you to do this is writing a food diary for the week ahead. Write down what you would like to eat that week and plan around it. If you’re struggling with thinking what you would like to eat then just have a browse around for inspiration, my blog or Pinterest is a great place for that.
This also leads into the next tip which is shopping in advance. I personally like to order everything online to be delivered. This saves so much time and energy but it can also help you to save money as it stops you buying all those extras you don’t need.
Another great way of introducing more vegetables into your lifestyle is by having a weekly veg box delivery. Doing this can really inspire you to not just eat more veg but to get more creative and prevent any food waste. Trust me, nothing is better than having a lovely delivery of fresh colourful fruit and veg!
Batch cooking is vital for those that are leading busy lifestyles. On your less busy days/evenings cooking multiple portions is another great way of making good quality home cooked food that you can then use when you’re too busy to cook. This helps to stop you from buying takeaways or ready meals and reduces your exposure to processed foods that aren’t nutrient dense.
Another advantage of batch cooking is that it can really help you to meal prep lunches to take to work. I often use leftovers from dinner the night before to have for lunch the next day. This again ensures you’re eating home cooked good quality ingredients to fuel your body.
Changing the way you snack can really help. Instead of picking up sugary drinks or chocolate bars, swap it for something that provides your body with nutrients. I always have some Nairns oatcakes or flat breads with me as I can either eat them plain or add some extras to them such as nut butters, vegetable spreads or hummus and know that it will fuel my body with the right energy.
Researching the brands you use can be very helpful. Read the labels, see what ingredients they are using. Try to avoid products that use endless ingredients with things you have never heard of.
Doing all of these things can make quite a number of differences and not only help you to make a sustainable lifestyle change but it will help you towards a healthier and happier life.
The benefits from changing the way you eat is endless with little to no downsides! You will notice so many positives and the best part is these changes can make massive improvements very quickly to your health.
Improved mood- Your gut can reflect how you are feeling emotionally and is often regarded as your second brain. Healthy gut foods include: fruits, vegetables and wholegrains, beans, pulses, and foods high in probiotics such as fermented food (Sauerkraut, Kimchi, pickles).
Better sleep- Tryptophan is an amino acid that when ingested gets turned into the neurotransmitter serotonin and then converted into the hormone melatonin. Foods high in Tryptophan are nuts and seeds, legumes, fruits, veg, wholegrains and seafood.
More energy- Fruit & vegetables contain a lot of the minerals, vitamins and fibre we need to keep us physically and mentally healthy.
Weight loss- Lot’s of processed pre packaged foods are full of empty calories, such as hidden sugars. Make sure you stick to food that is giving your body the vitamins, minerals, protein and fibre it needs.
