Tag nutrition

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Every day there seems to be some new toxin that we’re being exposed to in the environment; an environment that our current government seems eager to pollute even more by relaxing regulations on the fossil fuel industry, big Agri-business, etc. So what’s the alternative? Do you trust regulatory agencies to do their due diligence for you, the consumer in terms of ensuring that our food sources are secure, safe to consume, and toxin free? Or, do you become your own advocate and educate yourself about where you food choices as well as put your money where your health is?

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Every day there seems to be some new toxin that we’re being exposed to in the environment; an environment that our current government seems eager to pollute even more by relaxing regulations on the fossil fuel industry, big Agri-business, etc. So what’s the alternative? Do you trust regulatory agencies to do their due diligence for you, the consumer in terms of ensuring that our food sources are secure, safe to consume, and toxin free? Or, do you become your own advocate and educate yourself about where you food choices as well as put your money where your health is?

There are a lot of factors to consider when it comes to making choices about what “foods” we will allow into our bodies and in the bodies of our loved ones. Key among them is, “is it safe to eat?”, “is it healthy?”, and the real kicker; “can I afford it?” Now I am sure you’re asking, “what does going vegan have to do with it?” For me, going vegan is simply a spectrum of food and nutritional choices based on one’s own personal decisions and calculations predicated on the issues I mentioned earlier. Given the current state of affairs both nationally and globally (i.e. obesity, climate and environmental crisis) we owe it to ourselves, families and communities, to be proactive about our health and that of the world we live in. We no longer have the luxury of blindly buying foods based on marketing gimmicks and misinformation!

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From a healthcare standpoint alone, diets high in fruits, veggies, nuts, (i.e. Mediterranean diet, etc) or largely plant-based diets, are associated with significantly reduced occurrences of chronic disease, obesity, cancer, and so forth. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that you need to shift your diets (nutritional sources) away from processed and packaged stuff that masquerades as food.

Will it take work? Yes, but no more than usual (if you prep your meals ahead of time,  plan your meals for the week while you watch tv, etc) and your wallet will thank you! In the end, consuming fewer animal products will save you a lot of money as well as lower your chances of having to pay a visit to the both the cardiologist and oncologist sometime in the future.

I’ll let you ruminate on that info for a bit and in the meantime, ask yourself what’s holding you back from taking the right steps to bring your fitness and life in balance. Better yet, if you really want to gain back your power and get off that hamster wheel going nowhere, book a clarity call below and get up and GO!

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Tonye Tariah, Holistic Health Strategist and founder of Freedom at The Crossroads Blog, helps free women from inaction and unhealthy habits so they can get fit, healthy, and live free. Her approach is “the cookie cutter method only works for cookies,” meaning she helps each person in a unique way helps them transform their lives from the inside out. She’s not about helping you lose weight quick. She’s about changing your habits and helping you fall in love with yourself so you can live a life with pure joy.

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Food and your waistline

Why are we so obsessed with food and our waistlines? This constantly leaves me with a bevy of theories or reasons why there so many women in the U.S. and the West in general  (and to a smaller degree, other parts of the world), who seem fixated on both food and their waistlines. Why the constant battle with our food? As a fitness and health strategist with a background in biological anthropology, I can’t help but wonder if something more complex, and culturally relevant is at play in this insanity. Dare I say, misconceptions based on misinformation are at the heart of the food and waistline debate!

Some issues at play in the food and waistline debate

This problem stems in large part, from a grossly uneducated and misinformed public with regard to what constitutes basic “good” nutrition and the plethora of misinformation peddled by a large segment of the media, as well as the fast and processed food industries. Additionally, our food policies and regulatory agencies (i.e. FDA, USDA, etc) have failed to show leadership in this area. Let us get real with ourselves, our food choices are also (and in some instances, largely) driven by factors other than basic hunger (i.e. “I hunger, therefore I eat”).

Some context

Individual tastes, culture, habits, and environment, etc play a pivotal role in our food choices, and by extension, the current food-related epidemic (obesity, heart disease, etc) we are facing at both the local and national level. First, let’s revisit the basics of why we need to eat at all. We need to eat and drink (water, at the most fundamental) to live.  Food essentially equals fuel for the daily life-sustaining functions of the body at the chemical, cellular, and systemic levels.

The basics

There is no physical reason (technically speaking) why we need to eat other than to sustain life. What I’m driving at here is that outside of eating to keep the body operating at an optimum level ( regardless of age, for instance) there is no real reason to eat anything beyond what is necessary for maintaining a “healthy body”. So why do we obsess about that food and waistline? Why are we so unhealthy in terms of what we eat and how that translates into our current health issues? While I don’t claim to hold all the answers to what will arguably, require complex solutions (I’ll leave that in the capable hands of academic researchers), I do believe that an informed public is one that is healthy and empowered.

Some Major stakeholders: Fast food industry, media, and the public

Who are the big winners here? Big agribusiness and the packaged food industry argue that it is “expensive” and “unsustainable” to buy local and organic food items. Many also say that there is no “real” difference (in terms of nutritional content or quality) between organic produce and conventionally grown produce. Additionally, they often point to “research” that supports their claims. However, there is an increasing body of unbiased research that not only counters these claims but also exposes a number of the myths about the benefits of consuming organic produce vs. conventionally grown produce, food additives (i.e. dyes in processed foods, etc), and so forth. Let’s not forget the role of media in this hot mess! Mainstream media amplifies what’s wrong with our society. Skewed body images, cultural norms, etc all factor into how we relate to food.

Why you need to make educated food choices

When you add it all together, you realize it’s a cycle perpetuated by misinformation, profit, etc. Our obsession with food and waistlines hides the issues that we truly need to address in order to claim our health and wellness. Let’s also not forget that we as individuals also have some responsibilities here. In basic terms, good legislation, and policy on food safety, equity in healthy food options, as well as behavior, impact our waistlines (i.e health). As consumers, we have a stake in this too.

Final  thoughts

When you get active about your food, you reclaim your food as well as your health. Recognizing we have options is just the beginning! Want some helpful tips about detoxing your fridge and pantry? Get my pantry detox guide right here! You can also get helpful tips on food storage to help you stretch that grocery budget right here. 

once you get behind the scenes and see what’s really going on, things become easier. You can make educated choices about where your food comes from, save money on the grocery budget, etc. Plus, you won’t get caught up in fad diets, or fooled by slick marketing labels on your grocery items!

About the author

Tonye Tariah is a Holistic Health Strategist and founder of Freedom at The Crossroads Blog, as well as a podcaster and speaker. She dedicates her time to help free women from inaction and unhealthy habits so they can get fit, healthy, and live free. Her approach is “the cookie-cutter method only works for cookies,” meaning she helps each person in a unique way helps them transform their lives from the inside out. She’s not about helping you lose weight quickly. She’s about changing your habits and helping you fall in love with yourself so you can live a life with pure joy.

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Time for some skin and skincare indulgence! It all starts right here with some of my favorite goodies! I love, love, love me some DIY skincare and no, I’m not letting any of it fall out of my hands!  Ha, ha resistance is futile Y’all! But on a more serious note, I’ll always remember my mom’s constant mantra of “take care of your skin, and it will take care of you”, “what you eat shows up on your face”, yadda yadda, yadda…

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Turns out mama was right and thank God I listened! Diet, exercise, and nutrition make up the foundation for great glowy and healthy skin; so put away the gimmicks and tricks to hide the evidence of poor nutritional habits and start taking care of YOUR HEALTH! Did I mention the whole thing about diet, exercise, and nutrition? Yeah? Ok GOOD!! There is no shortcut to beautiful skin, and barring such things as hormonal changes, genetics, etc, REMEMBER: YOUR SKIN IS THE LARGEST ORGAN OF YOUR BODY, get it? Ok now let’s move on to the fun stuff.

Lately, I’ ‘ve become even more about all natural skincare and beauty items, especially DIY skincare. This is because I’m researching and learning so much more about the beauty and skincare industry as well as it’s dark side! Skincare lines that I thought or were claiming to be “all natural”, actually aren’t and I’ve become almost obsessed with it. I fully admit to being a DIY skincare freak and I’m proud of it, so there. The good news is, anyone can become a skincare freak by simply educating yourself about your health and nutrition as well as those products that act as nirvana for your particular skin type.Everybody’s skin is different in terms of sensitivities, needs, problem areas, etc.

My skincare actually starts with what’s in my pantry and If you’ve got tons of processed stuff in there you need to detox your pantry and fridge ASAP! I believe the best thing you can do for your skin is to eat tons of fresh fruits, veggies, spices, etc. Did you know that turmeric, cinnamon, avocado (all ingredients that I use in my DIY skincare, by the way) are awesome for the skin?

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I Was blessed to have a mom who believed that your skin is a reflection of your internal health and it’s also a “canvas” upon which you express yourself through makeup and attitude. So over the years, I’ve tried just about every major skincare line and their bargain brands too! I’ve learned to “evolve” on my skincare product choices based on the needs of my skin and the consistency of product integrity. Needless to say, I’ve moved away from major brands that constantly “REFORMULATE” certain products in their skincare lines; it works for them, but most of the time my skin yells “No, No, No”.

I’ve got a long list of favorites but my foundational skincare regime is made of skincare lines that use nonsynthetic natural products and are NOT constantly changing out formulas! But for the most part, I’ve learned to use my own DIY skincare secrets that nourish and enhance my skin. As a matter of fact, I recently created a yummy spiced avocado mask to soften and moisturize my skin.

I love making DIY skincare mask because I know the benefits of every single ingredient I added to it. Plus, it’s organic and infused with essential oils. You can actually watch my latest skincare video with step-by-step instructions.

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Tonye Tariah, Holistic Health Strategist and founder of Freedom at The Crossroads Blog, helps free women from inaction and unhealthy habits so they can get fit, healthy, and live free. Her approach is “the cookie cutter method only works for cookies,” meaning she helps each person in a unique way helps them transform their lives from the inside out. She’s not about helping you lose weight quick. She’s about changing your habits and helping you fall in love with yourself so you can live a life with pure joy.

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