The basis of Traditional Nutrition is not a sole entity like the array and styles of nourishment flooding the contemporary mainstream. Moving beyond merely feeding our families and ourselves, it stretches past the nuclear family and into the society and economy—focusing efforts into knowing your food, meeting the farmers, even growing and sustaining your own food means. All of this culminates with a distinct opposition to anything processed or refined—including such modern conveniences as the microwave, aluminum or non-stick cookware, and boxed foods. Instead we thrive on high enzymatic content, trace minerals, healthy whole fats, and a sense of continuity.

To focus primarily on an authentic diet invites this equilibrium—each meal evolves into something intuitively balanced between protein, complex carbohydrates, digestion-supporting side dishes and even nourishing beverages. A sense of originality is reintroduced to our food regime, and we again learn proper preparation of our everyday meals, ensuring that we are not only just living to eat, but eating to live. Proponents of Traditional Nutrition advocate such ideals so that each individual body can learn which foods and their nutrients—and consequently how much, how often, etc—one can most easily and best assimilate.

These guidelines are established in sound science and data, investigating the chemistry between body and substance. For example, such vegetables as broccoli or cauliflower should never be eaten raw; their properties actually block thyroid functions. Instead, members of the cruciferous family should always be lightly steamed and with a small amount of fat to help the body absorb the entirety of the vitamins. The same is applied to the variety of edibles—grains such as quinoa, millet, and oats should always be fermented before cooking; animal products such as meats, dairy, and eggs are of the highest quality, should be eaten in its whole, unadulterated state, and can even be eaten raw to guarantee full nutrient integration.

With this said, proper anything need not take up all of your free time—we’re all leading lives with extremely full days, seemingly ever more the reason to cut corners when it comes to something as flexible as food. Let us replace quick convenience with quick wholesomeness and fuel our bodies to do such heavy and meaningful work. Something as simple as butter-browned basmati rice takes under an hour from start to plate, and can even be considered a full protein when cooked with homemade chicken stock (this can be thrown together in less than five minutes and cooked in a crock-pot, hands-off, over night). A wonderfully easy meal lay in a local/grass-fed/organic rib eye steak cooked to your liking, with fermented beets and cabbage on one side and sprouted mung beans dressed in balsamic vinegar or mayonnaise. All of this is closer to home than we think.

Such books as Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon urge us to remember the antiquated folkways of real food and the community it feeds. Much of Traditional Nutrition debunks a multitude of food pyramid myths, including the infamous, villainous words “fat,” “calories,” and “cholesterol,” linking them instead to a vital health that much of our low-fat, high-chemical process foodways has diminished. Ingesting the product of happy and healthy agriculture through sustenance not only enlivens our basic bodily functions, but promotes vigor through economy and societal networks as well.

Tips to Keeping it Simple:

• On an initial trial, it is best to keep the grocery list concise and effortless—including items that can be supplemented to your existing diet by a heaping spoon- or cupful. After you’re comfortable, the below selections may become an instinctive part of your pantry as go-to foods—keeping costs and cooking time down.
• Organic/Cultured/Raw butter (in order of nutrient density)
• Buying a free-roaming, local chicken roaster. Have a rustic chicken dinner (copious garlic, seasoning, roasted veggies) one night and save the carcass for bone broth. The addition of chicken feet (an old yenta secret!) makes the broth extra-gelatinous. You may then add this to cooking beans, rice, sautéing vegetables, etc.
• Organic and non-irradiated grains and beans. For children fermented porridges (barley, millet, oats or buckwheat groats) served with a fat (butter, coconut, cream) and raw honey is an amazingly tasty and enzyme rich meal. Bean burgers are a simple dish and incorporate some important foods—carrots, avocado, cilantro, onion, garlic, egg.
• Coconut Oil. The best $15 spent—a versatile and indispensable item in the kitchen.
• Garlic and Onions. Touted for eons for its anti-microbial and viral properties.
• Nitrate/Nitrite Free Uncured Bacon. Cook this into any meal (greens with sautéed apples and bacon, oh my!) and then render the fat for later use. The lard can be used in anything from roasted vegetables to fried eggs to cookies. Here you’ll get a well-balanced fat profile (saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated) as well as rich vitamin D supply.