Incorporating plants and herbs into our meals will boost nutrition and can support healthy skin. Some of the best foods and herbs to eat for skincare and overall health include avocado, coconut oil, fermented, probiotic-rich foods and beverages, salmon, lemon, olive oil, leafy greens, walnuts, rosemary, dandelion, turmeric, burdock root, and nettle.
Our body’s basic needs, nutritive herbs, stress and energy management, mood and sleep, digestion and elimination, and detoxification – and then through the body systems – immune, respiratory, blood (sugar), cardiovascular, brain (memory and cognition), thyroid, skin and connective tissue, and reproductive. There are also chapters on managing pain, longevity and vitality, and herbal medicine for children and pets.
Fortunately, financial struggles do not have to mean that nourishing foods are out of reach. With a lot of determination and a little bit of creativity, we can eat healthy food on a budget. As different people have different eating habits, not all of the following ideas will apply to everyone. I encourage you to make food choices that resonate with your body and spirit, knowing that a healthy and nourishing diet does not look exactly the same for each person.
Cooking my own meals from scratch has been the most significant way for me to stretch my own food budget while eating nourishing foods. It is not always easy to fit cooking into our busy days, but it can be such a big help if we are trying to save money. If you use fresh, in season ingredients it is possible to make simple, delicious meals that cost even less than prepackaged items.
Wherever you are on your nourishing food journey, remember that keeping stress levels low is so important to our health. If cooking every meal from scratch seems too daunting, just do what you can. If you eat processed food on a particularly busy day, you can eat something nourishing the next day, and move on.
Cooking and eating can be a joyful part of life, and sharing meals with friends and family encourages community and connection. So be kind to yourself, explore ingredients and new skills to figure out what fits into your life, and enjoy creating delicious meals and wonderful memories.
