9 Must-Eat Foods for Vibrant Health

Here is a list of my 9 favorite foods for creating vibrant health. With the best of intentions and these foods in your cupboards, you will be well on your way to creating vibrant health naturally.

Tahini is a thick paste, made from crushed sesame seeds. It is very popular in Mediterranean cooking and is an important ingredient in the ever-popular middle eastern dip; hummus. As the sesame seeds are ground up they are super easy to digest and nutritionally are loaded with anti-oxidants such as Vitamin B’s and calcium.

Tahini can be used to make all sorts of interesting dips and dressings, as well as sweet and savory sauces. As it is so thick and creamy, when it is mixed with carob powder (or cocoa/raw cacao powder) and a bit of honey/maple syrup it makes a yummy, yet satisfying and healthy treat.

Apple cider vinegar (ACV) has lots of healing benefits. It has been used for hundreds of years by traditional healers, mainly for medicinal purposes. Its alkaline property assists your body in restoring proper pH levels for a healthy alkaline state. Consuming ACV brings health and balance back to your digestive system. Rich in potassium ACV helps to prevent brittle teeth, hair loss and runny noses. The pectin (from the apples) helps to regulate blood pressure and Malic Acid gives ACV the healing properties of being anti-viral, anti-bacterial & anti-fungal.

Always buy the organic apple cider vinegar that is cloudy in colour; raw, unpasteurized and unfermented. Look for it in a glass container, (preferably dark glass), to protect it’s nutritional qualities from sunlight.  Once opened, it is important to keep your ACV ‘alive’ by storing it in the refrigerator.

Apple cider vinegar can be taken by drinking a few teaspoons diluted in a big glass of water. Just a few teaspoons, makes a yummy addition to salad dressings and fresh sauces which can be drizzled salads or steamed vegetables.

For some people, cows milk is often mucus forming and may trigger an immune-system response such as skin reactions, psoriasis, eczema, allergies or asthma. Fortunately, if you are sensitive to cows milk, it is possible to be able to find non-dairy milk in most health-food shops and supermarkets.

Non-dairy milks come in many different forms and types, each with their own unique flavors and health qualities. Typically non-dairy milks are made from fresh nuts, seeds or whole grains.

Apart from (organic) soy milk, it is worth being adventurous and trying different types of organic non-dairy milks. Some of my favorites are almond milk, rice milk, hemp milk, quinoa milk and even, oat milk.

Lemons are a staple ingredient on my grocery list for their versatility, as well as their natural ability to alkalize our bodies. Highly beneficial for restoring digestive health, lemons have detoxify the human body, as well as add a yummy zing to practically any type of food you eat!

To gain the benefits of lemons in your life, simply add a few drops of fresh lemon juice into a glass of warm water and drink it first thing in the morning. This will help your body to detoxify after a night of fasting. Squeeze a wedge of lemon over your fresh soups and salads.

Bananas are filled with micronutrients; they are great for boosting your energy as they are naturally high in potassium, calcium and easy to digest fiber.

In addition to their nutritional benefits, they are versatile. They make a great snack and come perfectly wrapped by nature. Eat them in a variety of ways – try chopping them, mashing them, freezing them, baking them, grilling them or blending them up in a smoothie.

Frozen bananas whipped up in a Vita-mix make delicious creamy ice-cream, which you can flavor with fresh vanilla seeds, raspberries or even nut butter.

Cinnamon is one of my favorite spices and I use it in most of my food preparation. It is also very economical and can be bought in bulk (200 grams).

Cinnamon is one of nature’s healers and there has been much research into how cinnamon improves blood health. Cinnamon has been proven to stabilize blood sugars, making it an ideal addition to anyone wanting to lose weight by evening out sugar spikes and restoring blood sugar levels back to normal.

Use cinnamon sprinkled generously over your cereal or add a teaspoon or so to smoothies, curries, Asian cooking, salad dressings, fruit desserts and ice-cream.

Dense in nutrients, green vegetables are often called the ‘miracle’ food for natural healing and creating vibrant health.

You may have already heard how much goodness is in green vegetables and how good they are for you and your body. But how do you eat enough of them to gain the real nutritional benefits? And, what if you don’t like vegetables, then what?

Here’s an idea. Get the nutritional goodness from green vegetables by juicing them and/or adding superfood powders to your soups, salads, smoothies and fresh juices.

Green vegetables, such as cucumbers and celery are high in water content, making them super healthy and hydrating. They make a great juice, when juiced or blended with something a little sweeter, such as pears, kiwifruit or apples.

For the more adventurous, I recommend you try eating green smoothies. In a high-powered blender, blend together spinach, avocado and a superfood powder with water. If desired you can sweeten this nutritional drink with fruit of your choice (such as bananas, kiwifruit, figs, plums, pears or peaches).

If you want to experience the benefits of vibrant health, you probably already know that you need to stop eating refined, white sugar.

Sugar addictions can be hard to break but here’s a trick that can help end sugar cravings. In my book, ‘Losing Weight is a Healing Journey’ I recommend ‘Substitution rather than Elimination’. What I mean by this is instead of focusing on what you can’t have (white sugar), find a similar but healthy alternative and use this instead. There is real power in substitution; I believe that substitution enabled me to lose over 60 pounds of excess weight and keep it off for good.

Within a very short period of time, using the power of substitution, you will most likely find that you do not even miss sugar.

Realize that there are many natural sweeteners that you can use instead of refined, white sugar. Try using raw honey, maple syrup, coconut nectar, fruit, fresh pineapple juice, stewed apple, mashed banana or Stevia. Experiment with these different types of sweeteners until you find the ones that work well for you.

Sea-salt is particularly rich in minerals that are necessary for creating vibrant health and wellbeing. When you use salt, always aim to use natural sea-salt in place of refined, white table salt.  White table salt has been heavily processed and is toxic for your body. Whilst there is much debate over how much salt our bodies really need, it is generally agreed that natural sea salt is a superior choice than iodised table salt.

Natural sea salt comes in many different varieties and colors, ranging from white flakes, pink crystals and even, grey sea salt. You can sprinkle natural sea-salt on your salads, stews, and soups for taste and health-giving properties.

Natural food has the power to positively affect your health

So, there you have it – a list of my top 9 natural foods for creating a healthy body and mind.

Eating a wide range of natural, whole foods really can help you to lose weight permanently, as well as heal your body and boost your energy levels naturally.

Eat more of these 9 natural foods and give yourself the gift of experiencing vibrant health, so you can truly glow from the inside out.

Published August 9, 2012 at 3:29 PM

Katrina Love Senn is a Hatha yoga teacher, author and founder of ‘Yoga Girl Revolution’.  She loves practicing yoga, walking on the beach, travelling and creating yummy food…But her life wasn’t always this wonderful and rosy.

12 years ago, a health crisis set Katrina on the path for deeper answers. Bedridden, she had to be spoon fed back to health by her own mother. Medical doctors offered her experimental medication but she felt intuitively guided towards healing her body naturally. At the time, she didn’t even know what this meant but she began to pursue the path of natural healing and began to create vibrant health.

Much to her surprise, while she was focused on healing her body, Katrina also lost over 60 pounds naturally; with no diets, deprivation or drugs. Katrina has written a book and today spends all her time teaching, blogging and sharing her healing insights. You can find out more about Katrina’s work at

Website: KatrinaLoveSenn.com

Facebook: KatrinaLoveSenn and Twitter: @KatrinaLoveSenn

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Photo credit: Damien Senn