We need to talk and keep talking about conscious eating – what it means, how it looks and why it’s important.

Our webinar last week with our own Editor in Chief, Suzanne Hall, functional medicine pioneer, Dr. Frank Lipman and Thrive Market‘s co-CEO, Gunnar Lovelace addressed everything from what to eat to why we’re eating. Check out the full webinar above and our top takeaways below, including Dr. Frank’s daily smoothie and Gunnar’s excellent immunity tip…

On Pantry Staples: Top always-in-stock pantry essentials mentioned include raw coconut oil, sprouted pumpkin seeds, almond butter, adaptogenic herbs, sea salt, extra virgin olive oil, raw nuts and seeds, dried herbs, apple cider vinegar, raw cacao powder and canned beans in a BPA-free can. Who says eating healthfully can’t be affordable? Most of these staples are as cost-effective as can be.

On the value of Fats: Not all fats are created equal, but the ones that are best for us offer benefits that range from weight maintenance to hormone balance. Processed fats such as vegetable oil, cotton-seed oil, and corn oil should be avoided, especially for high heat cooking.

On Cooking the right way: Most vegetable oils are actually industrial seed oils that release unhealthy compounds when heated. Coconut oil and genuine olive oil are the best options for cooking.

On Emotional Eating: Our motivation for eating often has nothing to do with hunger. It’s key to get to the root issues behind our emotional eating habits, both for holistic health and to balance our body’s systems. Dr. Lipman notes that gut health is key to keeping our emotional states balanced.

On Gut Health: When Dr. Lipman starts working with patients, he begins by addressing the health of their microbiome. Gut health is deeply connected to our hormonal and emotional balance, immunity and overall wellbeing. Healing the gut starts with removing sugar, avoiding GMOs, incorporating healing foods like bone broth and probiotics, and for some, cutting soy, gluten and dairy. Learn more about gut health here.

On Bone Broth: Gunnar vouches for this nutrient-dense food that helps manage inflammation and creates a healthy environment for healthy gut function. Learn more about bone broth here.

On Immunity: Gunnar mentions that when he starts feeling sick, he begins taking probiotics every hour, on the hour as immunity is directly connected to our gut health. Dr. Lipman adds that it is also important to load up on vitamin D and vitamin C. Learn more about immunity here!

On Dairy + Meat: It’s important to be aware of the source of proteins like dairy, meat and eggs. Often times, they carry antibiotics and pesticides absorbed from contaminated food sources, all of which is transported to our systems upon consumption. Responsible, sustainable farming practices are essential for a healthy environment that supports healthy food sources. The webinar participants enjoy grass-fed meats, free-range eggs, and raw, organic dairy whenever possible.

On Avoiding Sugar: Dr. Lipman is a major proponent of cutting out sugar, especially processed versions like high fructose corn syrup, including those found in non-obvious sources. Gunnar notes that most people don’t realize how simple and complex carbs shift into sugar when our bodies process it, and that causes as many issues as plain sugar.

On Label Liberation: Dr. Lipman suggest aiming to eat foods without labels. When eating food that does come with a label, look for ones that list as few ingredients as possible and read the nutrition facts to find the most nutrient-dense options.

On Condiments: Condiments are an easy way to make whole-foods as delicious as their less healthy, processed counterparts. Gunnar’s favorites are Primal Kitchen’s avocado mayo, fresh lemon juice, nutritional yeast and sprouted seeds. Dr. Lipman’s favorites include turmeric, kelp, cilantro, garlic and probiotic foods like sauerkraut and kimchi.

On Bargain Buying: Gunnar and Dr. Lipman agree that buying food that is less complex and less processed is automatically less expensive. Buying seasonally from local farmers markets is another way to save. Shop for nutrient-dense food from a local source and buy the rest from Thrive Market, whose mission is to provide access to healthy, affordable foods.