By Kristen Stoll

The health of your bodies depends on the health of your kitchen. The food that is found in your pantry, cupboards and refrigerator will soon make its way into your body and ultimately affect the health of your cells. Your kitchen is one of the frontlines in the battle against disease. So how can you begin to create a healthy kitchen that will ultimately build a healthy body?

Take some time pray asking for wisdom guidance and the courage to make changes. Remember Philippians 4:13 that you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you. Then plan your steps and decisively and courageously move forward.

and the refrigerator, freezer, secret drawer, and hidden stashes. Remove all of the nutrient poor and disease promoting foods such as bags of chips and snacks, crackers, anything containing white sugar, white flour, cheese, candy, desserts, and ice cream. These are powerful foods that will draw you to the pantry or freezer if they are in your house. As long as they are in your home, your health and dietary change are at risk. Ideally these need to be removed and consider making it a “fast” from unhealthy foods for 2-3 months. You will be surprised to find that at the end of the “fast” these foods will have lost their power over you and that your taste preferences will have changed- believe it or not, you may even find yourself desiring healthy foods such as a salad or broccoli!

Restock you kitchen with foods high in nutrients per calorie (vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants and phytochemicals). As a general rule of thumb, these are naturally occurring foods and not man-made or manufactured. In fact, the nutrient density decreases the more times the food is handled and processed. Green leafy vegetables such as kale, collards, and romaine lettuce contain the highest levels of nutrients per calorie and also contain many anti-cancer chemicals. High nutrient density food groups include vegetables, fruits, beans, lentils, whole, unprocessed grains, and nuts/seeds. Your kitchen should begin to look like a beautiful garden. Healthy foods can be found at your local supermarkets, international food stores, and local health food stores.

Money saving ideas including growing a garden (a great family activity with lots of learning opportunities), purchasing in bulk and if necessary splitting up orders with friends or family, and purchasing from local growers at farmers markets.

Here is an example of a healthy shopping list:

• Vegetables — spinach, romaine lettuce, green lettuce, cucumbers, kale, beats, collards, avocados, broccoli, cauliflower, red cabbage, mini carrots, asparagus, brussel sprouts, tomatoes, artichokes, stringed beans, red/yellow/orange peppers, sugar snap peas, zucchini, mushrooms, fresh herbs, an assortment of frozen veggies – all types of vegetables
• Oranges, grapes, all types of berries, pineapples, mangos, apples, pears, lemons, limes, bananas, plums, peaches, nectarines – all types of fruit
• An assortment of raw nuts
• Whole grain flat bread crackers
• Occasionally – organic blue chips and organic popping corn
• Organic nut butters
• Dried herbs
• Healthier substitutes – in my cookbook
• Sprouted grain breads/English muffins
• Fruit spreads
• Earth balance butter
• Fresh Salsa
• Tahini
• Nutritional yeast
• Sprouted grain cereal
• Blue chip organic Taco shells
• Whole wheat pasta
• Sprouted grain pasta
• Raisins
• Goji berries
• Dates
• Garlic
• Onions
• Potatoes, sweet potatoes or yams
• Kashi – grain
• Low sodium vegetable broth
• An assortment of no sodium canned beans
• An assortment of dry beans

Examples of an non-healthy and a healthy shoppong cart.

Unhealthy cart, $201.00 nutrient poor food disease promoting food

Healthy shopping cart, $125.00 nutrient dense health promoting food

Breakfast- There is no better way to start your day than with a smoothie (see recipe section for the directions) Breakfast cereals are nutrient poor fillers that do not improve your health and in fact waste a valuable opportunity to fill up your body with vital nutrients at the beginning of the day. Other ideas include fresh vegetable juice, and whole, slow cooked oatmeal with fresh berries.

The largest section is the light green section that includes leafy greens, salads and raw vegetables because they contain the highest levels of nutrients per calorie and promote a healthy body. This is the most important component of each meal. Remember each meal plan should not be centered around pleasurable or convenient foods, the goal is to give your body as many health promoting foods and nutrients packaged in a delicious meal. Please visit the recipe section for more meal ideas.