Eating healthy foods that are truly nourishing for your body is so important. Food is the fuel that gives us energy to be at our optimal health and power through our day. Our body requires nutrients from our diet to be able to perform all the vital functions that keep us alive and thriving.

The more wholefoods we eat and less processed and refined foods we have in our diet, the happier our cells will be! So I was thrilled to have the opportunity to ask naturopath and wellness expert Karina Francois  her thoughts on nutrition, clean eating and maintaining a positive mindset around food. She shared loads of great insight and helpful tips on improving your overall health.

What is clean eating? And why is it good for you?
Clean food is nothing new. It’s all about eating foods in their most natural state and steering away from packaged, processed foods full of additives and preservatives

Clean foods don’t place stress on the body’s organs of elimination, and don’t create a toxic environment that compromises all of our bodily functions

For our bodies to function at an optimum level, our pH levels need to be balanced. Ideally our body functions at a pH level of 7.4. Food and liquids have a significant effect on pH levels in our blood, and clean foods that have less acidity play an important role in balancing this pH level.

Having too much acid in our blood is the precursor to health conditions such as cancer, arthritis and heart disease. Replacing acidic foods with alkaline foods will make you less susceptible to disease, provide an immense energy boost and promote fat loss. The key to optimum health is to alkalize your body.

 Making smart food choices is the key. Ideally you should be consuming 80% alkaline foods and 20% acidic foods, but I start the majority of my clients on 60% alkaline and 40% acidic foods. Some of the best alkaline foods include cucumbers, kale, avocados, salad greens, broccoli, cabbage, celery, asparagus, quinoa, almonds and fresh herbs. Conversely, some of the highest acidic foods include cheese, yogurt, beef, poultry, eggs, fish, potatoes, and dried fruit. You don’t have to eliminate all acidic foods from your diet to establish a healthy pH level, but your diet should involve a higher ratio of alkaline foods.

What the most common nutritional misconception you hear?

The most common misconception I hear is that fat is fattening. Low fat diets were a thing of the 80’s.

All of our cells are surrounded by a double fat layer and fats in our body act as insulation to reduce heat loss, cushion the skin and provides a source of stored energy.

Fats are also a component of myelin, the fatty material that sheathes nerve cells and makes it possible for them to fire the electrical messages that enable you to think, see, speak, move and perform a vast array of tasks. Fats are also a constituent of hormones, such as sex hormones and other biochemical such as Vitamin D and bile.

I recommend that people consume fats from coconut oil, olive oil, deep sea fish, avocados nuts and seeds.

How important are your thoughts about food in achieving your health goals?

Your thoughts about food are the most important thing to manage if you want to achieve your health goals.

To achieve your goals, you need to uncover the reason why you really want to achieve your weight loss goal. Fitting into those jeans or getting a bikini body in time for summer are not real goals. A goal that will actually motivate you to change is one that is in line with your values.

My reason for living a healthy lifestyle is that I need to set a strong example to my children and clients.

Let me explain in more detail. As an example, if you’re a parent it’s safe to assume that the wellbeing and happiness of your family means a lot to you. If you have a weight problem, it could be posing a serious threat to your health and your ability to be around to provide for your children. So an example of a goal might be to lose weight so that you can improve your wellbeing so you can be more active in raising your children and ensuring their security.

Setting goals such as this will create an emotional attachment to your goal. When you become emotionally attached to your goal this will permeate your subconscious mind, where your habits are entrenched. Then you will be able to change those habits to accomplish your goals.

For more information about Karina Francois you can find here at Infinite Health Practice.