I had a client ask me the other day if rice was good for her and the answer I gave her was, it depends! Our bodies are all unique and our diets need to be a reflection of that individuality. While there are certain “rules” we can all follow to feel our best, it's impossible to find a specific diet that works for everyone. It's also important to live a life of balance/sustainability and not put your mind/body through constant yo-yo dieting. Often times people will go so hardcore on a diet/detox for the allotted time they are supposed to and then will end up bingeing right after, which does more harm than good to your body. So what do we need to look at when it comes customizing a sustainable diet/lifestyle to obtain our optimal health/nutrition goals? Let's chat about it!
WATER/SLEEP/MOVEMENT: Water is essential and something we all need to survive. There are many studies that show the benefits of drinking half your weight in ounces on a daily basis. While that is the case, some people require more water, while others feel fine when drinking less. Even if you tend to drink less water than recommended and feel good, I would challenge you to up your water intake to the amount "prescribed" and see if you notice any improvements in your digestion, weight, sleep, mood, etc. Are you someone that feels constantly dehydrated? Try adding electrolytes to your water! You can do this on your own by squeezing in fresh lemon juice and sprinkling sea salt or drinking coconut water like Harmless Harvest. You can also purchase tablets like Elemental Labs and Nuun. Just like any other product, not all tablets are the same. Be weary of products like Liquid I.V. that contains about 11g of sugar per serving! While we aren't going to go into too much detail here about sleep and movement, they are both necessary for optimal heath including our brain function, mood, weight, digestion, hormones, etc. The goal would be to get 8-9 hours per night (ideally uninterrupted) and move at-least 30 minutes a day. The type of exercise you need again should be individualized to the person and for women, can also depend on what day of your cycle you are on. Need help creating a good bedtime routine to make sure you are getting enough sleep and/or finding out what workouts are best for you? Sign up for now for a free 30 minute nutrition assessment.
SOUL FOODS: Eating seasonal, organic, unrefined, and local foods is going to be beneficial to everyone. This is the most important place to start when it comes to your nutrition because it means you are swapping items processed in a factory with whole foods! If you have access to farmers markets, I would recommend heading there ASAP. In regards to the specific foods you should be purchasing/eating, again that is going to be dependent on you, but there is a lot of information out there proving the benefits of eating whole foods (mostly plants). There is more info on this in item #5.
ALCOHOL: Oh alcohol! This one is definitely tricky. So many fad diets have you cut alcohol and unfortunately, for good reason. It can cause inflammation, spike our blood sugar levels, result in estrogen dominance, cause liver damage/fatty liver, and physically age us (and our skin), just to name a few things. If you are someone who does not drink - skip to #4. If you do -- you have a few options here. Again, we are looking for balance and sustainability, which can be done with a mindful approach to alcohol consumption. If you are OK with cutting it for periods of time, it can give your body a break to reset. Just make sure you aren't bingeing when you consume it again. Another approach is to set yourself a weekly limit and stick to it. Finding out what alcohols your body handles/digests the best and sticking to those, is another option. We talk more about this tracking trial an error process in #5. One thing can all agree is best for our health...avoid the sugary cocktails!
SUGAR: Sugar is everywhere and often hidden in things that you would not even think about like milk, protein bars, salad dressings, etc. Sugar, unfortunately, is extremely addictive and detrimental to our health, especially our cardiovascular and mental health. There is conflicting information around the different types of sugar. Some say "sugar is sugar" so the end result is the same whether it's coming from sugar cane or fruit, while other claim the body processes it differently depending on the glycemic index. My rule of thumb? I try and stick with natural sugars (mainly from berries, honey, and maple syrup) and consume added sugars (coconut sugar) sparsely. It's extremely difficult to cut sugar out completely, so when it comes to everyday food items, I recommend checking ingredient labels and if sugar is listed as one of the first 3 ingredients -- avoid it. Another thing I will do is remove sugar from my about diet about 4 times a year (once every season). I don't consume anything with added sugar (even if it's honey or maple syrup) and try to limit my fruit intake to small amounts or sometimes will avoid that altogether as well. I do this for about 7-14 days, and guess what? You're body eventually stops craving it...(that is until you consume it again which will likely cause an immediate headache -- just wait!)
REMOVE/REINTRODUCE: The best way to find out what works best for your body is to eliminate it for a period of time and then add it back to your diet and notice how it makes you feel. There is a list of common foods that we tend to be sensitive too but the truth is, you can be sensitive to ANYTHING, even broccoli! Sensitivities can cause digestion issues/weight gain/brain fog/bloating/puffiness/skin irritations/anxiety -- you name it. This is why it's important to do a trial an error process. If your new to this, I would first start with eliminating the common culprits -- gluten, dairy, soy, eggs, peanuts, shellfish, and caffeine. Eliminate all for 1-2 weeks and then slowing add back items 1 at a time with 3 days in between each reintroduction. Keep track of everything you notice! If you already don't consume one of the items above, feel free to swap it with something else that you are curious about. It's important to note that sensitivities can come and go and can also develop later in life. An example of this is gluten. If your gut microbiome is the healthiest its ever been, it's possible that you are able to digest gluten with no issues. Then say, something alters your gut flora, like the flu, COVID, or a parasite, gluten is not going to be your friend. The same can also be true as our bodies age. We find we are more susceptible to sensitivities/intolerances as we get older and gluten is a very common example of that.
So this year, why not try this individualized approach instead! What is the best way to keep track of all of this? Using a food and activity journal. LUCKILY, I have one for you right here.
As always, if you have any questions or want to connect further, please e-mail me at hayley@awholistliclife.co
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
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