How do you feel? Do you feel fit, centered, balanced, and energetic? Is your digestive system working well, are you mentally strong, alert and positive? Do you sleep soundly, is your skin clear, do you have a healthy appetite, healthy weight? In other words: Are you well?
I truly hope your answer to these questions is a resounding yes. There is a strong possibility that it is not. Perfect health is hard to come by these days. Consider the following facts:
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Diabetes affects more then 1 billion people worldwide
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According to the World Health Organization depression is now the leading cause of disability, affecting more then 120 million people worldwide
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Rates of infertility are expected to double in the next decade
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60% of all deaths are from chronic disease and are therefore preventable
In his book “9 Steps to Perfect Health” Chris Kesser says: “Today, most people accept diseases like obesity, diabetes, infertility and Alzheimer’s as “normal”. But while these diseases may now be common they are anything but normal. Humans evolved roughly 2.5 million years ago and for roughly 84,000 generations we were naturally free of the modern diseases which kill millions of people each year and make countless others miserable.”
If you take a good look around you realize how hard it is to find someone who has perfect health. We all want it: that set of specific, ideal conditions that allow us to actively and fully participate in the evolution of this world, enjoy each and every moment and achieve all our goals. Most of us are just struggling with a number of external and internal factors that affect our ability to reach our ultimate health potential.
Of all the things that play a role, eating the right diet is one of the most important components. It might not eliminate other external influences but it helps in generating a strong immune system, healthy body and sound mind so that you are capable of dealing with what life throws at you, be it in the form of pollutants, genes or psychological stressors.
Why has it become so hard to figure out what to eat? Once upon a time, food used to be a form of nourishment. Nothing complicated. In different parts of the world people ate and prepared native foods according to time-honored traditions. We have surely lost our connection to these traditional ways of eating. Not only has food become a form of art and entertainment, it comes in boxes and plastic packages and wherever we are we have access to foods from all over the world. We have mistakenly accepted current eating patterns as normal after spending years and years shifting away from our traditional diets. No wonder everyone is confused.. and struggling to eat well and wondering how to feel better.
So what then, is a perfect diet? To be honest, I don’t think there is one. It all depends on your current state of health, your age, your level of physical activity, where you live, what time of the year it is, your bio-individuality. There are, however, a set of rules with respect to good nutrition that apply to everyone. Once you start living your life in accordance with these rules, it is just a question of fine-tuning the details to suit your specific needs.
Here are what I consider to be the cornerstones of a healthy diet:
1. Eat whole foods.
Whole foods are natural, fresh foods that are unrefined and unprocessed. They are full and complete packages of nutrients in perfect balance the way nature intended them to be.
Here is how Annemarie Colbin puts it in her book Food & Healing: “Whole foods provide not only certain amounts of basic nutrients in the natural proportion to each other; the nutrients in them are also bound together by that subtle energy that animates all living systems. Whole foods, then, give us not only nutrition, but energy – “wholesomeness,” that is.”
Any food that has had a part of it removed lacks a natural balance of nutrients and often the body starts craving that missing part. For example refined white flour lacks important nutrients and the fiber we badly need. So does carrot juice. Both these will lead to a spike in blood sugar because there is no fiber to slow down the absorption of the sugars.
So steer clear of things that are refined, processed, that come in a box or bag. Think traditional and wholesome. If your great- great- great-grandmother wouldn’t have recognized it you should not be eating it either.
2. Hydrate with good quality water.
Very often hunger is thirst in disguise. When you feel the need to eat something, drink some water first. A lot of times that will dissolve the hunger.
3. Ditch the sugar
Stop being a victim to your fluctuating blood sugar levels, mood swings, and cravings. First of all sugar is a refined food. Secondly the rate at which the world is consuming it today it has become the biggest culprit in nutrition related health problems. I have written a detailed article on this which I recommend you read for tips on how to reduce your sugar intake: “Sugar: why it is harmful to your health.”
4. Perform an oil change and stop being scared of fat.
Fat, in appropriate amounts, is an essential element in our diet. What is causing all the health problems today is the kind of fats we are consuming. Avoid trans fats as well as the heavily processed industrial vegetable oils and move back to more traditional fats such as ghee and coconut oil. Read more on this in the following articles: “Why vegetable oils are not a good choice” and “The truth about fat”
5. Emphasize eating nutrient dense foods vs. empty calories.
Leafy greens, vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds, high quality protein, good fats, whole grains are all loaded with vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants and “wholesomeness.” Chips, biscuits, cakes, etc. are not and pack a lot of empty calories. Check out my article on Nutrient Dense Foods for more information: “Nutrient Dense Foods”
6. Eat local and eat seasonal.
There is a good reason that watermelons grow in summer, and that root vegetables are best had in winter. And that a tomato grown near you is more fresh and nutritious then a tomato flown in from another part of the world. By choosing local and seasonal produce you will do your body a great favor and you will be reducing your carbon footprint at the same time.
8. Move.
Every day. You choose how. Like it or not, it is an essential ingredient in building a strong, healthy and balanced body. In my article “Move” you can find some tips on how to find the right way to exercise.
9. Enter the kitchen
If you are not already cooking for yourself, start. It is a great way to nourish yourself and your family, connect with healthy foods, try out different things and be creative.
10. Build awareness.
If you are able to tune into your body you will be able to feel and sense what is right for you. There is no perfect diet that suits everyone, all the time. Our dietary requirements change with the seasons, the place we live in, our level of activity and so on. Begin your health journey with building an awareness practice. Yoga and meditation, tai chi, qi gong or just simple breathing practices are all good. Learn to listen to your body. As a bonus, if practiced daily, an awareness practice will help you reduce stress levels.
11. Relax.
Eating is a form of sustenance, yes, but there is so much more to it. It also is a social activity. It should satisfy all our senses and it should be without stress. It should be healthy but also delicious. Do your best to eat right most of the time and on those occasions that you can’t, relax and enjoy it anyway. Guilt interferes with your digestive system..
If you commit to following the above principles while living your life and deciding what to put into your mouth you are well on your way to better health. Guaranteed. So start with this. It will become easier and more natural over time and you will be able to fine tune more and more until you are truly able to eat well and be well all at the same time.
