No matter what issue a coaching client is dealing with, somewhere in the conversation “diet” comes up. Always. Whether it is “what should I be eating?” or “how do I stick to my diet?” I am amazed at how frequently this topic is woven into seemingly unrelated other concerns. It got me thinking.
An Ayurvedic perspective on health would tell me that all things are centered on digestion and the gut, so maybe we are all inherently on to something when we ask about food?
I’ve always liked Michael Pollan’s approach to food. In his book, The Defense of Food, he sums it all up like this: “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.”
It’s a good start.
But then why are there so many different diet plans? Why is the search for optimal wellness so elusive to so many people? Ah, well, some of that is finding the right eating plan for you and the one you can stick to. That is the hardest part. But wait, there’s more.
Eating has become complicated. Eating in America seems to be even more so. Why is this? There just seems to be more access to and acceptance of processed food. I’ll go back to Mr. Pollan’s first bit of guidance: “eat food”. If what you are putting in your mouth is filled with chemicals, preservatives, colorings, flavorings, etc., it’s not “food” as he would define it. Can you picture all the ingredients growing in nature? If not, it came from a chemist’s lab. If you lean towards whole, unprocessed foods, and remove anything processed or heavily refined from your diet, your digestive system will have a much easier time digesting, and your health will improve. Now, I’m not a doctor, and I would always advise that you talk to your healthcare practitioner before starting a new eating plan of any sort, but I would say that if there are ingredients in your foods that you wouldn’t put there if you were cooking it yourself from scratch, then why do you need it? These additives are there to extend shelf life or make something look or taste “better” so you will eat more of it. They are not there for your benefit.
OK, I’ll get off my soap box about additives.
Here are my 10 tips for how to improve wellness, no matter who you are, or what your health concerns may be:
- Avoid additives, and highly processed “foods”. This includes “healthier” versions of food. If something claims to be “low fat” or “light” it likely means that more of something else has been added to maintain the texture or flavor while lowering the fat or calorie levels. Stick with the original version and just eat a bit less. The same goes for imitation products. American “sliced cheese product” is not cheese. Some of these sandwich staples have no dairy in them at all, and instead are just a chemist’s creation. If you skip most things that are pre-packaged in a box, can or container, you will already be avoiding many additives you don’t need. Some suggest shopping the outer aisles of a grocery market as most are set up with produce, meats, dairy and other fresh or refrigerated items along these aisles. The exception to this is frozen veggies and fruits, and pickled or fermented items—many of which help reduce inflammation and are filled with gut-healthy probiotics.
- Shop for food daily, or ass frequently during the week as your schedule will allow. This allows you to purchase more fresh produce and meats, and eat it before it spoils. If you need an easy cheat for how to select foods, this may sound funny, but if it will rot, you can eat it (just eat it before it actually rots J ). If you can shop outside of a grocery store, such as a locally-sourced farm market, your food will be even fresher and naturally more flavorful.
- Fill your plate with color and your diet with diversity. So many home décor guides are focused on neutral beiges and grays for your living spaces—but when it comes to your plate, it should be alive with color. Fresh greens, bright reds, bold oranges…go wild. I love the diversity of ingredients and techniques I find when I travel as I love adding them to my menu at home. The colors and variety of what is on my plate not only reflects nutrient variety but makes eating more interesting. And that bit about “go wild”, that is important too. Wild fish and plants are often higher in nutrients and lower in fats than their “farm raised” versions.
- If/when you eat meats, opt for organic. So many chemicals and fillers are added to the feed given to many of the animals we eat, or they are given high grain diets to make them grow faster, rather than the grass-based diet they were designed to consume. A healthier animal on the farm is a healthier animal on your plate. I’ll add here also to avoid nitrates. These are often added to meats to prolong shelf life. If bacteria are having a hard time on the shelf digesting the meat, the bacteria in your gut will have an equally hard time of it. Challenging your digestive system in this way does not lead to wellness.
- Aim for whole grains when consuming breads and wheat-based products. You’ll enjoy more nutrients, more fiber, and more flavor, with less processing and chemicals.
- Avoid added white stuff like sugar and salt. This is pretty self-explanatory, especially as we watch the cases of type 2 diabetes increasing year after year and being seen in younger and younger people, but it may be more difficult that it seems. Added sugar is often one of the top three ingredients in many products you may not even consider sweet. Read labels. Salt is another one of those things that seems to be in everything these days, and in high amounts salt can lead to high blood pressure, as well as heart, kidney and other health issues. Buy and eat foods where you can add the sugar or salt you may desire yourself.
- Skip snacks. This is a controversial one, I know. There are many different perspectives on how many times per day one should eat, and many have significant followings and serve those who follow them well. When I look at history and what has led to wellness over time, fewer meals per day come out on top. So what if you’re one of those people who gets incredibly uncomfortable if you don’t eat every few hours, or in times of stress, or who need an “afternoon boost”? OK, have a small snack, but snack on real food, like fruit, nuts or a bit of leftovers from another meal. A candy bar or bag of chips is not going to get you on a path to wellness.
- Make water your friend. Some say that the body needs eight to ten glasses of water a day to properly flush toxins, lubricate systems and keep you healthy. I would say this is a good starting point and you can adjust based on what feels good to you.
- Cheers…yes, you can drink wine. Over the ages, cultural research shows that those who drink moderately and regularly suffer from less heart disease and live longer than those who do not. A little wine each day (1 glass), with food, seems to be the sweet spot for wellness.
- Eat Less. Michael Pollan mentioned this as one of his three points of guidance for a healthy diet. However, he was not the first, or last, to do so. Food consumption or calorie restriction comes in many forms. Fasting has been a part of many world cultures and religions for centuries. Recent studies show that if humans eat more than what our bodies need, we risk increased levels of heart disease and cancer, even if we are at a healthy weight. I will post a second article just on the topic of eating less, while still enjoying your food.
If you have been asking yourself “what should I eat to be healthier?” I hope the ten tips above give you a good place to begin your journey towards wellness through diet. I’d love to hear your feedback!
For personal coaching on how to make distinctive positive changes to your life, or to talk with an Ayurvedic expert to advise you on an optimal plan based on your personal body type and lifestyle to aid in your digestion and wellness, please get in touch through the contact form by clicking contact us above. I look forward to hearing from you!