Anchor in Tradition

“Our ancestors didn't measure or calculate their specific nutrients and they didn't use any supplements, but, they still had healthy children! And that's because real, nutrient dense foods that are prepared properly are the most powerful way to nourish our bodies, and that's what they ate” – Rach Condon

 
Bring the wisdom of Traditional Cultures into your own diet:

** NOSE TO TAIL EATING - All traditional cultures included some sort of animal foods in their diet. In fact, organs were prized and often fed to both women and men during their preconception phase and then remained a priority for the pregnant and breastfeeding woman within the community.

1. See the MAMA Diet Recipe Index for 'Organ meat' recipes
2. Download the Nose to tail for beginners guide if you need additional support to make incorporating organs into your diet as simple as possible.

** EAT PROBIOTIC & ENZYME-RICH FOODS - Before refridgeration there was fermentation! Today, our supermarkets are lined with pasteurised and 'dead' foods so we need to make a conscious effort to increase our probiotics and natural enzymes.

1. See the MAMA Diet Recipe Index and start incorporating any of the fermented recipes into your diet (anything with 'fermented' or 'cultured' in the title as well as the kefirs, yoghurts, creme fraiche, sauerkraut, probiotic fruit leathers etc). You can also purchase these if you don't want to make them.
2. Incorporate raw animals products such as egg yolks, raw milk and raw honey as well as raw tropical fruits like pineapple, papaya, mango, kiwi, grapes, banana's and avocado. 

** PREPARE YOUR GRAINS, LEGUMES, NUTS AND SEEDS PROPERLY - Every single traditional culture spent time preparing their grains before they consumed them (to unlock the nutrients and to minimise the natural plant defence chemicals). This is especially important if you have gut issues or don't tolerate them well.

1. See the MAMA Diet Recipe Index for a bunch of sourdough recipes and the fermented oat bake (under the egg section)
2. Use the 'Grains and tradition' guide in the download section to prepare your own grains properly or for a list of products you can purchase that will save you time

**VERY LOW POLYUNSATURATED FAT INTAKE AND BALANCED OMEGA 3 TO 6 RATIO - Traditional cultures didn't consume seed oils and while fat made up between 30-80% of their total calories, only 4% came from polyunsaturated fats!

1. Review the 'Macronutrients' in 'Maximise Nutrients' to learn about fats
2. Consume traditional fats such as butter, ghee, lard, tallow, coconut oil and olive oil
3. Ditch all seed oils in your home & start reading labels to help you avoid/reduce your seed oil intake
4. Make a conscious effort to increase your omega 3 intake by eating seafood such as salmon, sardines, mackerel and oysters as well as pastured egg yolks and grass fed beef. Review the 'Other' download in Maximise Nutrients to refresh yourself about omega 3's.