As I continue to read and learn, my thoughts surrounding nutrition are continually evolving. I believe that it’s important to keep up with the latest research instead of buying into one static doctrine regarding nutrition.
With that being said, there are some fundamental principles surrounding nutrition that I will not change. These are:
1. Eat real food!
- This is how I define “real” food: It comes from plants, an animal, or the sea…not a factory or a lab.
- If buying pre-packaged foods, look for the fewest ingredients possible, such as “Peanuts, salt” in peanut butter or “dried apples” in apple chips or “sweet potatoes, coconut oil, sea salt” in sweet potato chips.
2. Eat the best quality of food that you can afford.
- Buy from local farmers when possible.
- Buy organic when affordable.
- Prioritize your nutrition. Food should be right up there with medical expenses and housing. The way you eat has a huge impact on every aspect of your health, including susceptibility to disease and genetic expression. This means that many times, the food that you put in your body impacts health outcomes more than whether or not something runs in your family. That is huge!
3. Feed your microbiome.
- I’m referring mainly to the gut microbiome, which houses a huge community of microbes.
- These microbes, specifically the bacteria, affect many functions and aspects of the body, including: metabolism, the immune system, propensity towards obesity, sleep and even neurological activity.
- So it is really important that we nourish it properly by eating nutrient-dense foods and fermented foods and beverages, as well as keeping our stress levels as low as possible.
4. Eat intuitively.
- Just as no two snowflakes are the same, every person is biochemically unique. This means that the foods that one person thrives on may make another person sick. Additionally, counting calories to maintain or lose weight is not effective in the long-term.
- Our bodies are not calculators, and the calorie counting philosophy leads many to believe that weight loss is as simple as “calories in and calories out.” This mentality often leads people to under eat and does not encourage them to focus on eating nutrient-dense foods.
- When we are counting calories to lose weight, it is much easier to choose the 100 calorie snack pack, which is processed and full of chemicals and additives, over some homemade guacamole. Yet, the homemade guacamole is packed with healthy fats and nutrients.
- Furthermore, calorie restriction can lead to obsessive behaviors around eating and metabolic damage. It is not a good game plan for long-term success!
- So what about something really low-tech, like listening to your body? I encourage all of my clients to focus on their body’s natural signals. Are you hungry? Are you full? Did the bread you just ate make you feel bloated and lethargic? In today’s fast-paced world, we do not pay enough attention to what our bodies are telling us.
5. Give yourself a break!
- How many times have you or someone you know uttered the phrase “I’ve been so bad”, or “I need to get back on track!” or “I’ve ruined my diet.”? I hear it all of the time, and I used to talk like that too.
- Your life should not revolve around how many calories you ate in a day, or the guilt you felt after enjoying a few cookies.
- You deserve to enjoy every day of your life. If you overindulge, use it as a learning opportunity and move on. If you want a dessert, or some potato chips and cannot have some and move on. Or, find a healthier version!
- Life does not have to be a continual circle of diet-fall off bandwagon-guilt-new diet!