Back to Basics in 2025

“We are what we eat!” 

Food sustains our life; it should also nourish our life. 

There is a surefire method to eating, which will provide a person a more vibrant, fulfilling and healthy energy.   

A better feeling and better-looking person will feel and look better with the nourishment that the person gives him or herself. 

Would you like to know more? 

We begin with the basics of eating: 

EAT SIMPLY 

EAT WHOLE FOODS 

Foods in their most natural state, without being processed and without added sugars and preservatives are whole foods.    When the meal starts there, you are halfway to the goal of healthy.   

Think about lean meats, nuts, seeds, beans, plants, fruits, vegetables, herbs, fish, yogurt, cage-free eggs.  

“Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you who you are.” 

Why do you want to eat whole foods?  Because whole foods have not been altered with phony chemicals and they contain most of their vitamins and nutrients necessary to feed your body what it needs for optimal function.  Your body is designed to carry you though life, and when trouble hits it’s also created to heal itself.  Your body is miraculously created, and it has tremendous potential for being healthy and ola kala – all is well. 

The human person’s anatomy is capable of automatic digestion and breaking down of recognized whole foods, but conversely it is not able to easily digest and, in some cases, cannot digest heavily processed foods.   

TAKEAWAY:   

Eating the proper whole foods which contain the nutrients your body needs to work optimally nets you homeostasis.   

HOMEOSTASIS- an important state to be in during your day.  Homeostasis is the body’s internal balance of conditions and nutrient concentrations.  When you are balanced your body is working well.  

How do you contribute to being in a state of homeostasis; by cooking more home cooked meals.   

This scenario reminds me of YiaYia or Grandma or Nana’s cooking.   

If you ever ate a meal prepared by a grandparent, you may recall that the dish has variety, the food tastes fresh and in the end, you get an emotional connection to what you are eating.  

The meal is traditionally roasted or baked or steamed or simmered and sauteed.  It’s all done with love, and most likely made with extra virgin olive oil.  

YiaYia, Grandma or Nana like to whip up a masterpiece beginning and including the whole foods growing in the garden.  Some of those whole foods in the garden are lovingly frozen to use throughout the year.  

TAKEAWAY:   

Cooking in one’s own kitchen with personally selected ingredients, using natural and organic foods, is freedom to prepare and eat a meal to nourish, satisfy and heal the mind, body and spirit.  

“Let food be thy medicine and medicine by thy food.”  Hippocrates. 

AND....    

“Eat food.  Not too much.  Mostly plants.”      Michael Pollan 

If this information has whetted your palate to get back to the basics of food, you may consider referencing a new cookbook I discovered titled The Forest We Feast. This book is wonderfully illustrated and the recipes are simply presented to allow the reader to prepare the most nutritious and edifying vegetable dishes that leave you wanting to ditch everything else.  

Additionally, I must give props to my friend Elena Paravantes Registered Dietician- who authored The Mediterranean Diet Cookbook for Beginners. Elena’s recipes are created to feed you with health and flavor in mind. 

You can hear me interview Elena on the Kefi L!fe podcast here.  

For now, friend, I leave you with a simple, basic and Ola Kala mindset for 2025! 

Στην υγεία σας- To Your Health! 

Filakia – Kisses,     

Kiki.