My journey towards healthier eating began more than 25 years ago, when I started growing my own herbs, vegetables and fruit using natural and sustainable methods.
The lessons I’ve learnt while growing organic food apply to my health and wellbeing too. As I became more aware of the importance of beneficial microorganisms and how destructive pesticides and chemicals are in the garden, I became more conscious of food additives and preservatives, and what I was putting into my body. I started questioning where food came from and how it was made.
I began understanding how health is inextricably linked to what we eat. In much the same way that healthy, fertile soil produces strong and nutritious plants, so eating a balanced and nourishing diet is the foundation for a healthy body and vigorous immune system. Becoming more conscious of what we eat and how it affects us is the first step towards improving our health, and changing habits that could be the cause of an ailment or illness.
One of the many things I’ve learnt from growing and cooking my own food is the importance of balance. Successful vegetable-growing relies on an equilibrium – between good and bad insects, too much or too little moisture or food, and overcrowded beds or just the right spacing for optimal development.
When it comes to healthy eating, this balance is equally vital. Just because something is touted as the latest, greatest superfood, it doesn’t mean we should eat it for every meal. The key to healthy eating is to consume a wide variety of nutritious foods in the right quantities.
Jane’s Delicious Superfoods for Super features more than 150 nutrient-rich foods – vegetables, grains, seeds, herbs, legumes and pulses, nuts, spices, mushrooms and fruit – that boost our immune system, improve our health and reduce our risk of disease.
