Start with Nourishment: A Better Approach to Wellness
This time of year, it seems like everyone’s focus is on elimination.
What foods should I stop eating?
What drinks should I cut out?
How can I create a calorie deficit?
What’s the best detox plan?
While these questions aren’t inherently bad, they can be a bit misguided—or at least not the best place to start. Instead of diving into elimination, let’s shift the focus to something even more impactful: nourishment.
Why Start with Nourishment?
Before thinking about what to remove from your diet, focus on what to add. Nourishing your body with nutrient-dense, healing foods and liquids is foundational for overall wellness. When you prioritize putting in the right nutrients, you may find it naturally reduces cravings, stabilizes your mood, boosts energy levels, and supports your body’s ability to detox through its proper channels.
There’s certainly a time and place for detoxes and elimination diets, but they are far more effective when your body is already well-nourished.
The Dirty Dozen and Clean 15
As you begin making changes to improve your health, it’s essential to consider the quality of the produce you consume. Some fruits and vegetables, when grown conventionally, may contain higher levels of pesticide residues. These are highlighted in the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) annual Dirty Dozen list.
These 12 types of produce are the ones you should aim to buy organic whenever possible:
Strawberries
Spinach
Kale, Collard Greens, Mustard Greens
Grapes
Peaches
Pears
Nectarines
Apples
Bell and Hot Peppers
Cherries
Blueberries
Green Beans
On the other hand, not all produce carries the same level of pesticide risk. The EWG also publishes the Clean 15, a list of fruits and vegetables with the lowest levels of pesticide residues. These are often safer to purchase conventionally, which can help you make better choices for your budget:
Avocados
Sweet Corn
Pineapple
Onions
Papaya
Sweet Peas (frozen)
Asparagus
Honeydew Melon
Kiwi
Cabbage
Mushrooms
Mangoes
Sweet Potatoes
Watermelon
Carrots
How to Begin
Start small. Focus on choosing organic options for the Dirty Dozen while feeling confident about conventional choices from the Clean 15. By improving the quality of the food you’re putting into your body, the process of eliminating what isn’t beneficial will naturally feel more manageable—and even enjoyable.
When we prioritize nourishment first, everything else begins to fall into place. Detoxing and elimination become a natural flow instead of a struggle. So let’s begin with what truly sustains and heals us: real, nutrient-dense nourishment.