Put Good In, Get Good Out

Part One of Three in the “Sustainable You” Series

In part one of this three-part series we’ll discuss how nutrition can affect your environmental outlook.

When it comes to our planet’s natural resources, everyone seems to have any opinion. Some say that water is the most important, others oil or wheat. In fact, just ask Google and you’ll get 201 million suggestions…

Personally, I believe our most important resource stares us right in the face every time we come to a mirror. (That’s us, humans, if you’re catching my drift.)

Each and every day we provide priceless contributions to our world and environment in the form of time, energy and enthusiasm. We create new, more efficient processes; we protest activities that are harmful to our planet; we rally behind technological advancements that reduce carbon footprints.

On the other hand, because of our contributions, many of us lead non-stop lives, which can wear us down to the point of exhaustion. One way to avoid this is to ensure we make wise nutrition choices.

(After all, you can’t share your green ideas and activities with those around you if you’re sick and unhealthy. You feelin’ me?)

When you’re making your grocery list for the week, be conscious of what’s in season. Think colorful. Fruits and veggies that are fresh and ripe from a farmer’s market or produce aisle will be visually appealing and contain the most amount of nutrients.

Spend a little time online checking out what proteins are caught or raised in a sustainable fashion. Make it a point to buy these - It’s a great way to support businesses that are keeping the environment front of mind.

Avoid processed foods that are full of sodium and ingredients with names 15 letters long. Think of it this way: If you don’t know what the ingredient is, and it sounds like something from your high school chemistry book, it probably isn’t the greatest for you.

Avoid indulging in too many sweets. Remember: everything in moderation. (I.e. Eat a slice of cake, not the whole cake.) Do ok when at home, but need a little help keeping those cravings down when you’re out on the town or at a party? Try this: Miracle Berries*. Basically they’re little pills that alter your taste buds temporarily. Things that are sweet suddenly become even sweeter. Things that are sour become sweet. Trust me, you’ll be happy to not eat all the sugary-goodness in sight after one of these little magic pills. (Bonus – Parents, want your kids to try new things? Make it a family dinner “game night” and explore new tastes that result from using Magic Berries. They’ll dig lemons and limes, I promise.)

While these are only a few suggestions, hopefully they’ll give you a little something to think about. Stay tuned, next week we’re moving to “bodies”. Might want to stretch as a warm-up to reading.

Greenopolis.com is dedicated to our users. We focus our attention on changing the world through recycling, waste-to-energy and conservation. We reward our users for their sustainable behaviors on our website, through our Greenopolis Tracking Stations and with curbside recycling programs.

GREENOP4736