Did you know there is no one diet* that can fit us all? It may come as a shock, but it’s true. Even though we can speculate what may be the best diet for all, there is no rule as to one true diet that is good for all of us. This is because we have Biochemical Individuality. We all have differences in our how well we respond to different food and the affect food has on our bodies due to age, activity, gender, life stage, metabolism, genetics and more.
It is safe to say that a diet rich in whole, unprocessed and real food that are as close to nature as possible, is generally is a good idea for all of us. And too much of anything likely isn’t going to be a good idea, especially of certain foods which include refined sugar, refined grains, trans-fatty acids, poor quality and rancid oils and processed meats.
How can we find out what is the best diet for us, as individuals? In order to do this, we need to experiment with our diets and see how we feel with and without certain foods and listen to our bodies! Finding out how we react to certain foods (or how we are without them) can be a real eye opener and can be a key to finding and maintaining good health. But what if you’re not sure what a healthy diet is? You can get help & guidance with finding out which diet suits you best, from a qualified Nutritionist or Naturopath. They can also analyse your current diet to see if there are any nutritional deficiencies that you may have/work with ones you may already have and they can work with any health conditions you have and improve them with lifestyle and dietary changes. Though ultimately you will be the one putting the food in your body and getting the outcome of your diet. So note how you feel and experiment with your diet.
Here are some articles to get you started:
The Importance of Whole Foods (or Why You Should Avoid Refined Foods)
Eat Real Food (It’s What Our Ancestors did)
The Benefits of Animal Products (there are many nutrients in animal products which are so very important to our health that are just not found in non-animal product containing foods i.e. fruits & veggies , so vegetarian or vegan diets need to be planned well to help avoid nutritional deficiencies & may need to be supplemented.)
Whether you a follow a diet that is based around plants, includes animal products or not, aim to make your diet as nutrient-rich (including as much variety as you can (variety in: colours (e.g. try to include many colourful fruits & veggies as you can), fermented foods, types of meats (include a range of fauna & use more than just muscle meats), soaked & cooked/soaked/sprouted legumes & beans, sprouted/soaked nuts & seeds, dairy & eggs (if consumed), sprouted & fermented grains/pseudograins (if tolerated)) and make your food as digestible as possible (fermenting, steaming, slow-cooking, sprouting etc.) because at the end of the day what we eat feeds us and helps us to thrive & survive.
Try this: have you ever noticed what you’re really eating? For a week or two keep a food diary that mentions not only what you’re eating but also how you’re feeling after eating certain foods. Do certain foods make you feel happier, fatigued, energetic, focused, bloated?
Remember: we are not only we eat, we are how we absorb, digest and use food.
A note on stress and our health:
As there is no one universal diet, there is also no “perfect” diet. We can waste a lot of energy trying to be “perfect” & stressing about what we eat, but really perfectionism with diet doesn’t exist. What we can do instead is just do the best we can, appreciate our bodies for how truly amazing they are and enjoy our food!
Note: *when I say diet, I mean merely just the food we eat.
Michelle
Health Food Lover is Michelle Robson-Garth. Michelle is a degree-qualified Naturopath (BHSc) and Massage Therapist. She is also a passionate writer, recipe-creator and all-round foodie from Melbourne, Australia. © Copyright: 2009-2012 Michelle Robson-Garth. Please ask permission first when using any text or images on healthfoodlover.com. Read the disclaimer here. Have a look at the recipe index for more health food lovin’ recipes. Join the Facebook page & follow Health Food Lover on twitter.
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great post! one of my friends wants to lose weight so i’m trying to help her but it’s so hard because a) she’s picky and b) nobody is the same. she wants to eat meals like me but it works for ME. who knows if it works for anyone else
Thanks Haley! Yep and even with weight loss diets there are many ways to go about it and not every way will work with everyone, as you’ve noticed. I hope your friend finds a style eating that fits in her life and helps to improve her health. Thanks so much for stopping by.
Fantastic post! It’s so simple, but complex too ;) Although there are some general guidelines, we’re all entirely different, and what works for me, may not work for you. Thanks for the great message!
Thanks so much Melissa! I’m glad you liked my post :)
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