Are you always looking for the latest diet or food craze?
Are you confused about what you should eat and what you should not eat?
It definitely is challenging these days keeping up with “the latest” information around diets and nutritional facts. It seems like every week there is a new diet book or pill promising the answer to achieving our perfect body. On social media these days there are always articles and videos coming out about what the latest discoveries or trends are.
At the same time, science is discovering so much more about the human body and how it works. The latest being the buzz around the microbiome and finally proof that fat in food does not equal fat on your body!
So what are we to do when faced with all this information in today’s world? What do we believe as valid for our body and what do we ignore?
We Are All Unique
Well, for a start we need to begin to recognize that we are all unique individuals and therefore, there really is not one perfect diet that will work for everyone.
It has become obvious to many that diets do not work. It is now said that 97 to 99% of people who diet put on all the weight they lost within a year and more. For those who have dieted they know that for every 10 lbs they lose somehow they seem to put back on 15 lbs leading to what is called yo-yo dieting.
Some clients have been dieting for years and years and still not achieving the results they want. Some women are still dieting into their 70’s! People are getting frustrated and yet seem to be caught in this trap of finding the perfect diet or pill that is going to save them and transform their body into the one they yearn for.
Add to this fact that 9 out of 10 women dislike or even hate their own bodies. 40% of 9 year old girls claim they are dieting or have dieted. And what is really sad is that even younger girls aged 4 to 6 are already afraid of becoming fat and would like to change some part of their body.
We need something different
The field of nutrition seems stuck right now; it’s time for something different because diets obviously do not work long term.
While there are many “experts” out there in the field of nutrition, we need to be careful who we decide to follow and what we believe. Most often these experts are very knowledgeable in what has worked in their body but that does not mean that it will have the same results in your body.
There is not a one-size-fits-all approach to nutrition.
Even our friends try to tell us what to eat
Has this happened to you? A dear friend found a great nutrition program that did wonders for them and they then do their best to encourage you to do the same.
And while what they did might work for you, it is time to begin to listen to your own body and its desires and cravings. Your body has its own wisdom; it will provide you with the correct feedback if you take the time to listen carefully.
We need to start to observe how particular foods affect us. How do we feel after eating certain foods. It may be helpful to start a journal and record not only what you eat in a day, but how you felt in your body and even in your mind that day and even the next day. How was your sleep? Did the food you ate affect your bowel movements, give you digestive upset, or perhaps a headache?
It’s time to begin to make connections between our body symptoms and the food we recently ate.
There Are Nuggets in Every Diet
Since there is no one-size-fits-all diet we need to look at what we feel drawn to and extract the parts of that protocol or diet that works for us.
We often rely too much even on diets from ancient traditions like the Paleo Diet or Ayurveda. And while there may well be nuggets for each of us from these diets we have to remember that our culture has changed significantly since these original diets were formed. What was applicable back then will be different now.
What is Real Health?
We often limit the idea of health to diet and exercise programs. But we also need to be reminded that we are multi level human beings and health is achieved on so many levels within our bodies and our minds.
We need to look at the following aspects of our life:
- who we are as a person
- what our beliefs are
- what we feel
- how we behave
- how spiritually connected we are
- how much love we have in our life
- how much time we take for relaxation
- how much time we take for pleasure
- how much sleep we get nightly
Our health is not just about what we do, as in diet and exercise, but about who we are at the deepest level of our being. It’s about going inside and discovering our true selves and what we require to reach optimum health.
Look at Your Symptoms as Solutions
Whenever our body displays a disease or a symptom, it is the body’s way of trying to get our attention. Something is not right inside our body or our mind and it begins to call out to us through these symptoms.
We need to think of these symptoms as doorways to go deeper inside to discover what the hidden message might be. There is a deep lesson to be learned by listening to our symptoms.
Oftentimes our symptoms will simply mean that we need to slow down, be less stressed and begin to pay attention to our lives. That will include what we eat and how we think. Because if we ignore our symptoms or just take pills to mask them, they will just get louder and louder until we are forced to listen to them.
Once we begin to listen to the messages our symptoms are delivering we will have a better chance of understanding them and allowing them to let go.
Think of your symptoms as an opportunity for you to grow and evolve.
It’s Not Just About What we Eat, But Who we Are as Eaters
What we eat is only half the food story, we need to pay attention to who we are as eaters. This applies to:
- what we think
- how we feel
- our level of stress
- our level of relaxation
- how much pleasure we get from a meal
- how much awareness we have while eating
- our speed of eating
Each and every one of these and more affect our metabolism. Our mind and our body are not separate but connected in a very distinct and real way. There is a very powerful energetic force connecting the two.
For example; have you noticed that whenever you eat in a stressed state how that will diminish your digestive power? Or that if you do not allow yourself to be present and receive pleasure from your meal that you continue to be hungry throughout the day?
We Need a Reason For Being Here
There is so much more to just eating the “right food”.
How are you living your life?
Are you feeling fulfilled with your life?
Are you living your purpose for being here and are you offering your gift to the world?
We all have a reason why we are here, it is different for each and every one of us but most often it will be to serve others in some way. You see when we can serve others, we actually are serving ourselves. We are feeding our own soul.
More than food as nutrition, we need to feed ourselves on many other levels to be truly nourished. What good is losing that 20 lbs if we are still not happy? What good is eating the healthiest foods on the planet if we are a miserable, uncaring person?
Your body is here to serve a deeper and more meaningful purpose in the world; much more than just being skinny, or pretty or healthy.
It’s About Self-Evolution
It is a powerful act of self-evolution to question our own nutritional assumptions, to examine our health strategies, and to put our cherished beliefs under the microscope to see what truly works for us and what doesn’t.
There is a complexity in the field of nutrition and Eating Psychology makes it both frustrating and fascinating. We need to be open to learning about the subject of food and nutrition on our own personal journey towards discovering what works for our bodies and what does not serve us well.
As you reflect on how your own personal exposure to nutritional information has affected your relationship with food and body, start giving yourself permission to enjoy food and more importantly to enjoy your life!
image credit Anne Summer http://usmediahouse.com/
I would love to help you transform your relationship with food, body and health and empower you to achieve a balanced life of health, purpose and vitality!
Your Nourishing Nutritionist,
Lynne Bowsher
Nourishment for body, mind and spirit
Hello! I’m Lynne Bowsher, a Certified Mind Body Nutrition Coach and graduate of Functional Nutrition.
I work with women who are struggling with stress, fatigue and who are looking for more purpose in their life.
My wish is to help as many women as I can become embodied and to embrace and love who they truly are. 