Simple Wisdom

Full for Life

Simple Wisdom & Healthy Traditions By: Kalie Schwamb

We’ve all heard our elders begin a story with “When I was young...” followed by a list of ways that life has drastically changed over the years. From advancements in technology to modifying how our food is produced, life is vastly different than it was 50 years ago.

Today, everything is about wanting more with less effort. More often than not, we’ve greeted our grandparents’ tales of “picking fresh berries in the field” and “walking more than a mile to school” with a yawn. In trying to make life more convenient, the simple approach our previous generations strived to live by has fallen by the wayside.

Bring it back to the basics.

I spent years watching my grandmother impart healthy wisdom to her family. In fact, it’s what inspired the creation of FULLforLife in the first place. She believed that to be well and nourish your body, you don’t need fancy products; you need balance and the basics. dishes? Is grilled chicken on the menu for Monday? Make an extra pound for salads, wraps or as a quick dinner later in the week.

We’re now bombarded by mixed messages from companies claiming to have the biggest and best, all while trying to figure out what’s healthy and the best option for YOU. It’s overwhelming, especially when it comes to what we should eat. So, here’s my suggestion, and it’s something I feel so strongly and passionate about: Don’t overthink it! Keep it simple and go back to the basics!

If you’re spontaneously cooking rice, could you make a bigger batch and serve some with eggs tomorrow morning?

Shop for real food (or as we like

to call them, S.L.O.W. foods). For thousands of years, (healthy) people strived to eat S.L.O.W: Seasonal, Local, Organic (or sustainable), Whole foods. They’re the only foods that our grandmother’s grandmother would have eaten (and recognized). Stick to the perimeter of the store as much as possible to find the simplest forms of all your favorite foods. Make meals from scratch. If the idea of finding time to head into the kitchen and cook is overwhelming, we completely understand. However, when you make your own meals, you have control over what goes into them and how they’re prepared (hello, less salt, less butter and better health!). Keep it simple throughout the week. We’re talking 30-minute meals with limited ingredients. Making jambalaya? Create an entirely different dinner tomorrow by stuffing peppers with the leftovers. If you’re roasting veggies for dinner, could you make extra and then toss them on top of salads, in eggs or as a side in a pinch? Keep it simple and set yourself up for success by choosing foods that can be used in a variety of ways, and whenever you see an opportunity to bulk prep, take it!

Use your kitchen as a hub for

health and happiness. Mealtime was once used as an opportunity to bond, so why don’t we take advantage of that now? Over the last 50 years, mealtime has changed dramatically. The idea of preparing and eating each meal as a family has slowly morphed into eating whatever and whenever it’s most convenient. However, inviting your family into the kitchen has so many benefits: It empowers them to feel comfortable in the kitchen using whole foods. It encourages them to be more adventurous with food and try whatever is on the table. It helps ease the stress of you having to do it all on your own. It’s a time of day when the whole family can connect.

Food prep doesn’t have to be preplanned, complicated or only for

the weekends. This is probably one of the most helpful pieces of advice I’ve ever received. Create a menu for the week using foods that pair well together. Then, get your creative juices flowing and reinvent your leftovers throughout the week. Think about it in terms of ingredients, rather than just one meal. What foods can you prepare that can be used multiple times throughout the week in other But, one of the biggest benefits is that your family’s support plays a huge role in your healthy success. Bring your family into the kitchen and have a little whole food fun!

Place importance on moving

(every minute counts!). A walk, 5 minutes of fitness or a few squats in the kitchen count. Simply put, move whenever possible and then celebrate it! Make a conscious effort to not be sedentary. Movement and exercise have countless benefits, including promoting better blood flow, burning fat and calories, and stimulating proper digestion. Simply put, movement promotes full body health. The best part is, we can all keep moving in our own ways, regardless of age. My grandmother used to stay active by walking a few blocks to the post office every day, rather than driving.

If you want positivity in your life, start by showing some gratitude.

I never quite understood how my grandmother maintained such a positive outlook on life until we found her journal (after her passing), which she faithfully wrote in every day. As I began reading, I noticed a common theme - gratitude. Each entry was surrounded by one of life’s greatest lessons: To live a genuinely content, loving, compassionate and joyful life, simply express gratitude in all circumstances!

When you’re thankful for what you have, rather than sulking and wishing for something bigger and better, a cycle of endless gratitude and well-being ensues. It can take you to a whole new level of awareness and launch you toward becoming more mindful of everything you have going for you. When you look at each day with an “attitude of gratitude,” your glass won’t just be full, it’ll overflow!

It doesn’t have to be complicated.

Adopting a more “traditional” way of eating (and living) is the most simple, yet significant, way to nurture you and your family’s health and well-being, as well as that of our precious planet.

Bring it back to the basics (the way our grandmother’s grandmother

did!). Eat S.L.O.W. foods, get the people around you on board and look at food as a chance to fuel your body. You don’t need to aim for perfection, pick one thing to tweak and when that change sticks, add another. Before you know it, your new habits will become a lifestyle that transforms your mindset, health and without a doubt, your happiness.