I am a self-proclaimed routine person and although I love being spontaneous, I typically do the same thing each day.  Yes, I thrive on routines!  When it comes to eating, due to having Type 1 Diabetes, I try to eat similar foods at different times throughout the day.  This helps my blood sugar regulate but also queues my brain to know what is next.  

Everyone’s body type and nutrient need is different and it is amazing to see how specific foods leave us feeling either our best or worst!  Personally I do really well eating a diet high in animal fats—some of you reading may do better eating more plants, and that is ok!  

When I am at home, I try to always consume these foods daily as they leave me feeling my best!

4 Foods I Eat Daily

Butter

Anyone who knows me, knows that I often joke that butter is a food group, but in all honestly, in my mind it is!!  Sometimes I will have a bit of bread just so I can eat butter!  Quality healthy fats, like butter or ghee, help provide blood sugar stability, improve immune function and provide the brain with the best source of fuel! And yes, grass-fed butter contains more nutrients and is higher in CLA or conjugated linoleic acid which can help promote weight loss, have anticancer effects, reduce food allergies and support development.

I try to add butter to anything and everything, but my favorite way is adding a scoop of vanilla ghee (clarified butter that is free of lactose) to my morning coffee, a big smear atop my Grain-Free Morning Butter Biscuits, to cook veggies and always a pad of butter with steak!

Fun Fact:  Quality fats like butter are a key component in building happy hormones and hormone precursors, so if you are having hormone struggles, adrenal fatigue or are pregnant or breastfeeding, make sure to increase your intake!!  Women typically need to consume more dietary fat than men.

Eggs

Eggs are one of my favorite foods and one of the most nutritious foods on the planet—they also are a “complete” protein, meaning they contain all of the essential amino acids making eggs a food you should consume daily.  Personally, I notice a big difference in my day—my energy levels, concentration, blood sugar—when I start my morning with eggs!

My favorite way to eat eggs is scrambled with spinach and feta cheese or as a omelette stuffed with cheddar cheese and topped with avocado slices.

Fun Fact:  Many people today are developing egg allergies or sensitivities—if you are sensitive you might want to investigate what the chicken is being fed (soy, grains or corn) as you might be having a reaction to that rather than the egg itself.  Some people also have bad reactions to the proteins in the egg whites but can tolerate the nutrient dense egg yolk just fine.

Grass-fed Beef

My favorite meal is hands down my husband’s perfectly grilled filet mignon—and not just because it tastes like magic, but it also leaves my body feeling so satisfied.  As women in child bearing years, we need to be cautious that we are consuming enough iron rich foods from animal sources.  Iron from plants is non-heme iron which is very difficult for the body to absorb and is greatly altered by meal composition as opposed to heme iron from animal meat which is more bio-available and absorbed in the body.

Fun Fact:  Grass-fed beef typically contains double the amount of the beneficial Omega 3 fatty acids (the ones found in fish that we all need more of) than conventionally raised beef.  So, grass-fed beef should never replace your consumption of fish, but consuming grass-fed beef will help balance the ratio of omega 3 to omega 6 intake which is so important to help fight inflammation, balance weight, etc.

Spinach

As a child, I used to cringe when my mom served us sautéed spinach, but now I love (and weirdly crave it too).  Spinach is a leafy green powerhouse, but much easier to digest than some of the others like kale.  Spinach is rich in Vitamins K & A and chlorophyll, the plant based pigment that gives spinach its beautiful color but also helps naturally detoxify and clean your body.  

I typically always cook my spinach as it decreases the risk of food borne illness, makes it easier to digest and could possibly mitigate a negative reaction with the thyroid hormones.  I will add sautéed spinach to anything, serve it with eggs, stir it into my chickpea pasta mac and cheese or top it with flaky sea salt and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.

Fun Fact:  If you love eggs Benedict as much as I do but want to skip the muffin, simply ask for it served over sautéed spinach.  It may cost you a few dollars, but most restaurants will happily do this!