Whole Foods Market 28 Day Challenge

During the month of January, I attended a workshop hosted by Whole Foods Market (WFM) called Health Starts Here! It was for 4 days every Tuesday, and I learned about having a healthy and nutritious diet. It involved very little talking and more about cooking and eating (which I love).

A knowledgeable Nutritionist Nahid  that taught me and my peers different ways of view food and the 4 pillars of Healthy Eating in WFM's point of view.

The four pillars include (http://wholefoodsmarket.com/healthstartshere/):

1.  Eat whole, unprocessed foods. We believe that food in its purest state — unadulterated by artificial additives, sweeteners, colorings, and preservatives — is the best tasting and most nutritious food available.
2. Eat a colorful variety of plants. No matter what type of diet you follow — including those with dairy, meat or seafood — reconfigure your plate so the majority of each meal is created from an abundance of raw and cooked vegetables, fruits, legumes and beans, nuts, seeds and whole grains.  
3. Eat healthy fats. Get healthy fats from whole plant sources, such as nuts, seeds and avocados. These foods are rich in micronutrients as well. Work to eliminate (or minimize) extracted oils and processed fats.
4. Eat nutrient dense foods. Choose foods that are rich in micronutrients when compared to their total caloric content. Micronutrients include vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytochemicals. For guidance on this, look for Aggregate Nutrient Density Index (ANDI) scoring system in our stores.

 For more info check out: http://wholefoodsmarket.com/healthstartshere/fourpillars.php#wholefoods

*I am in no way endorsing or advertising for WFM. I am simply sharing my experiences with foods and WFM.

Our chef Cris was an amazingly talented chef that whipped up delicious foods (including desserts!) that followed the four pillars. I'd say 85% of the food I loved.

And then Lisa was an extremely kind assistant that helped facilitate the workshops.

I enjoyed my Health Starts Here workshops very much and I intend to check out more perspectives of foods as I go along with my healthy eating and living transition.


With that being said, WFM has challenged me, those that attended the workshop, staff members and anyone who wants to participate in the 28 day challenge that follows the 4 pillars. 

Besides the 4 pillars, those who are participating in the challenge also:

• avoid caffeine - should not be a problem for me since I do not rely on caffeine to wake me up, but I will still drink tea occasionally
• avoid artificial sweeteners - so white sugar, which is already something I usually avoid)
• substitute for brown/raw/cane sugar, honey, agave syrup (which is something I don't usually use... but check it out if you want), and fruits or dried fruits 
• avoid salt - I will always encounter salt and have salt in foods, but I always check the label of my foods and think about possible salt content with my foods as well. It is all about moderation
• avoid oil - now this one is a tricky one, because how can you cook without oil?! Cris says just use water or vegetable broth which works well for her, so I will try that as well.

Wow that's a lot of things to think about while eating, and so many food options are opted out! But a tip Nahid gave us was to not think about what we are eliminating. Rather, think about what you are adding into your diet.

So why am I doing this? I am doing this because I have become more aware of the issues with our current food system and I want to invest in my health long-term. I also have more reasons, so I'd recommend reading my blog on Flexitarianism here.

PERSONAL STATEMENT: I will do my best to stick to the 28 day Challenge, but due to many difficulties with my culture as well as minimal food options when I eat out, I will still be honest if I happen to step out of the challenge. My goal is to stick to the challenge 80% of the time. I will also being sharing my personal tips on eating healthy as well as my personal knowledge on healthy eating as well as recipes!

Think you might be interested? Why not try to challenge as well? If 28 days might be stretching it for you, try a week! If you have any questions or concern, I will be happy to help you and answer any questions to the best of my abilities! 

Thank you for reading such a personal post of mine. I hope my blog for the month will inspire my readers to make a transition into incorporating more healthy foods as well!

Salmon Head Tomato and Tofu Soup made by my mom.