Has this ever happened to you?

You read a warning about healthy eating and food “X” and you immediately

→google search→ panic → share → more panic/googling →overwhelm → do nothing . . .

Yup, me too!

Recently I read an article warning about the health risks of heavy metals in chocolate, and immediately thought: OMG! My sister eats a lot of chocolate, (OK, not a LOT, but frequently - like every morning with breakfast.) I thought -  I HAVE TO WARN HER!!! 

Maybe you’ve had your own healthy eating scare and done the same thing?

It’s easy to do. Share alarming information in an effort to help someone you care about. You fire over a quick note with the appropriate link and your good deed for the day is done. (Social media is awesome, right ?!?) 

Almost immediately after I sent the note to my sister, I thought, how helpful was that?  No context, no nuance. Nothing but an urgent call to read the grim news!  How often do you come across information telling you something is gonna make your life worse, or possibly even shorten it, and you’re left scrolling alone with only your fear and uncertainty for company?

This happens to us all the time, especially if you spend any time at all searching the interwebs for the latest hot tip on how to eat healthy or a solution to your current health concern.

So, after asking myself WTAF was I thinking!?, I apologized to my sister and sent over the much more helpful information I’m going to share with you here.

Think of this like your go-to blueprint when you’re faced with an onslaught of negative information around food and healthy eating.

It begins like this: 

• I can’t stop you from doom-scrolling, and I won’t try to stop you from eating chocolate either!  Even the dark stuff.
  

• I’m not going to tell you what you should do, and if you want to protect your own peace of mind, you shouldn’t let anyone else do that for you either. Here’s why:
  

• What you decide to eat depends on a lot more than your love of chocolate - your lifestyle, your economic situation, your emotional state, your current health concerns and health goals, your likes and dislikes. Which is exactly why I’m never going to give you black and white, cookie-cutter rules for eating.
  

• Most important of all, focusing on HOW THE FOOD YOU EAT MAKES YOU FEEL, will always give you your best clues on what to eat.

What I do have for you are options. Everyday foods you can add in to help your body do what it does naturally; clean out the unwanted stuff (like heavy metals) and support the function of our major organs like heart, liver and kidneys.

FOCUS ON FOODS FROM THESE CATEGORIES (fresh or frozen will work)

1. PECTIN-RICH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

Pectin is a source of soluble fibre and is very effective in binding heavy metals to help remove them from the body

Pectin-rich fruits and veggies include:

• pears

• apples

• cabbage

• grapes

• beets

• carrots

2. SULFUR-RICH FOODS

Effective for removing heavy metals, these foods can also be helpful for muscle and joint pain, support cardiovascular health and blood sugar balance.

Sulfur-rich foods include:

• parsley

• kale

• avocado

• asparagus

• broccoli

• garlic & onions

• cauliflower

• cabbage

3. FOODS CONTAINING ORGANIC ACIDS

Abundant in a variety of foods, organic acids also help to bind heavy metals and remove them from our bodies.

Organic-acid foods include:

• vinegar

• citrus fruits including lemons, oranges and limes

• lactic acid in pickled vegetables

• foods high in vitamin C (aka, ascorbic acid), including:

  • guava, sweet red or green peppers, papaya, pineapple, kiwi, mango, cantaloupe, potato

Where do I start? You’re probably eating at least some of these foods already. Try to add more by including 1 food from each of the 3 groups daily.

Adding whole, minimally processed foods to your diet is always a good idea, and any combination of the suggestions above will benefit you in many ways, not just minimizing the impact of heavy metals in your chocolate.

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