Holistic Health and Healthy Eating Tips

About 70% of my snaps on Snapchat consist of food. 90% of those are snaps of healthy food. I'm a health conscious person and have been since the beginning of high school. I succumbed to diet fads and was solely interested in being skinner (than I already was) but now it's a lifestyle... but not in a dangerous way. Like every other teenage girl, I had body image issues, despite being a 5'0", 90 pound girl. I was always small and continue to be, but now I eat not for my weight, but for myself and holistic being.

Many people judge me for not liking soda, chips, and most types of candy — I'm still a huge sweet tooth for chocolate. But now that I'm a junior in college and living off campus, I'm completely responsible for my own health. I would say I'm doing well so far even though it's only been less than a week. I went to our local farmer's market and Trader Joe's recently and purchased a variety of fruits, vegetables, and easy to cook meals for less than $40 and I have to say that it's been helping me holistically. My energy levels are at an all time high, my skin is improving, I'm more focused on my academics, and I psychologically feel well knowing that I'm taking care of myself.

Some of the foods I bought include grapes, apples, bananas, strawberries, apple & cinnamon flavored oatmeal, brown rice, celery, spinach, and yogurt. However, the brown rice has to be microwaved, which isn't the best due to the harmful radiation it emits but at least it's healthier than other foods. In order to rectify this, I also invested in a rice cooker which I plan to use if I'm permitted more time to cook. I'm aware that too many fruits and vegetables can cause a surplus of fiber which can be detrimental, but I also bought pasta, dairy, and various chocolate treats to balance my diet. One major thing I find myself doing in order to avoid feeling bad about consuming junk food is eating something healthy right after. If you ever see me walking from the kitchen, I will always have one plate of what I want to eat (sugary treats, carbs) and another plate full of veggies and fruits to help ease the digestion process. I make it a goal to incorporate fiber into my diet on a daily basis.

I also have to add that I don't drink or smoke, not because I want to be boring but because I respect the body my parents have blessed me with. That's not to say I judge those who indulge in the above, but personally, I like ingesting only clean food for the following reasons. Yes, there's health benefits which leads to higher energy levels and being more active, but there are also future generations to think about. I am beyond thankful to come from a family line who has little to no history of having cancer, diabetes, blood pressure, lung problems, etc. Two people I have known have lost their lives to pediatric cancer this year. They were generally healthy people from what I knew but their families had a history of cancer which was heartbreaking to hear. Many of the defects we're born with, the recessive genes we obtain, etc. come from hereditary traits — it's beyond our control.

I don't have monopoly nor complete knowledge over my future childrens' health and appearance as depicted in Gattaca and other sci-fi movies, but I do have control over how I treat myself. Not to give into clichés, but I'm a firm believer of treating my body like a temple. Eating right and exercising are one of the biggest forms of self love out there. You don't have to go vegan or cut off dairy entirely, but simply analyze your lifestyle and eliminate things that make you feel sluggish, unproductive, or bad about yourself. Have that brownie or a bag of Hawaiian barbecue chips every once in a while. However, don't forget to maintain a healthy balance.