Optimal Eating
Eating optimally for each body differs from person to person, but there is one basic rule by which everyone can benefit. This is simple, but not easy: remove or very much limit refined sugars and processed carbohydrates. Why? Because these “foods” burden the body’s chemistry, immune system, emotions and structural integrity, making it unnecessarily difficult to feel good in the body.
A whole food diet is ideal. This consists of:
1. Dense protein 2-3x day, generally limited to less than the size of your fist. These may include but are not limited to eggs, fish, chicken, turkey, pork, and beef.
2. Vegetables! Most people not on certain pharmaceutical drugs can eat fresh veggies as much as they want. Everything you’d find in the vegetable produce aisle or at the farmer’s market (except for potatoes and beans) is fair game.
3. Good Fats like butter and olive, sunflower, and coconut oils for hot or cold uses, and avocado, nuts and seed oils for cold uses only.
4. Drink Water! Our bodies are 60-70% water, and our system needs to be refilled and flushed regularly. A 150 pound body consists of around 11.5 GALLONS of water! Drink 1 liter/50 pounds of body weight of distilled or filtered water/day. It makes a significant impact on your heath to hydrate with the correct type and amount of fluids.
5. Fruit can be a tricky one. While fruit is a better option than refined sugar, it still has a lot of sugar that puts stress on your body. Limit fruit to a couple times a week, and eat whole fruit, not juiced or dried.
6. Snack on veggies or protein every couple of hours between larger meals. Just a couple small pieces of jerky with a carrot or cucumber can keep the body out of starvation mode. This takes the stress off the adrenal glands (the fight or flight masters) and allows the metabolism to steady. Controlling weight gain or loss then becomes easier.
7. Avoid food additives like preservatives, stabilizing agents, artificial colorings, taste enhancers like MSG, and hydrolyzed proteins. These are not foods and they put a collective burden on the body. Eating whole foods also means eating full fat foods, so in general, avoid “fat free” or “low fat” versions.
8. The most common food sensitivities are corn, American dairy, soy, wheat, and potatoes. Removing these, along with breads, pasta, desserts, sodas (both diet and regular), sweets and alcohol for 1-3 months and then adding them in sparingly works wonders for most bodies. Clearing the body’s inflammation from diet enables the body to reset, down-regulate its inflammatory response and allow for a less regimented diet in the future. I’m a believer of most anything in moderation, but only once the system is “inflammation neutral.”
9. Be grateful for the food and drink you consume. Take even just one moment to pause and recognize the gift of clean water and healthy food before eating and drinking. This doesn’t have to be a big fanfare. It’s for you.