Why bother considering what you eat, how much you sleep or making time for exercise. The answer to these questions will determine your motivation to make and sustain changes in these areas of your life.
For you it could be the self-discipline of being in bed with the lights out by 1030pm (having the lights out and looking at your phone does not count people) – this is what sets you up to start the next day with more energy. Maybe it’s giving up those foods that you KNOW do not agree with you. Sometimes just one change is the gateway to the improvement in other areas – this can also work in reverse. There are just some foods that you may need to permanently part ways with as they lead to overindulgence which then opens the door to other foods or bad habits.
FOOD – which diet is the best one? The right one for you. The one that you can maintain and that makes you feel well. There are some basic principles to a healthy diet which is covered further on. Each person is totally unique and what works for one person may not work for the next due to the diversity in your genes, the way those genes are being expressed, your gut microbes and any other health issues you may be having.
Science has been researching how food affects our genes and ultimately our health. This is called epigenetics. Genes are found inside our cells (about 100 trillion) and we have about 10x that many microbes just in our large bowel. Genes provide the information to make molecules called proteins. Each protein will have a job to do (like hormones or enzymes involved in metabolism) and if there is any alteration in the information the gene is providing it can cause a problem in the production or function of those proteins.
A predisposition to particular gene expressions or diseases doesn’t automatically mean that you will express that gene eg diabetes, heart disease, autoimmune conditions.
The good news is that maximising your potential is up to you. Food is medicine. Every time you eat you have the opportunity to fuel your body or poison it. I want to encourage you back to the basics, the foundations of good health – quality food.
Remember that food companies are in business to make a profit – not to make you healthy. Often the same companies selling you food products will also be invested in the companies that treat the disease that will be the result of those food choices. They create products that are appetising and addictive. They invest huge sums of money to entice your brain into desiring their product and they make ingredient labels impossible to understand. They often change their recipe too and don’t advertise the change on their products. They bamboozle overloaded consumers with claims like “gluten free”, sugar free, fat free on boxes of nutrient depleted food. These food-like substances are not neutral either – it’s not just that they are lacking in nutrients but they are harmful: bombarding your gut and your liver with colours, preservatives, filler, additives and pesticides.
Take home message: Don’t be overwhelmed. I am still on a journey of optimising my health and the health of my family. Any change that you make will be beneficial. You have the rest of your life to continue to improve and the chance to influence those around you.
Top 10 Tips to PIMP YOUR HEALTH
1. Eat real food and keep it simple: Food as close to its original form as possible. Look at what you’re eating. How many steps from its origin has it taken? Whole foods retain more of their vitamin, mineral and fibre content and organic foods are free of pesticides and insecticides and higher in nutrient value.
2. Eat more vegetables: Most of us do not eat enough vegetables and enough variety. Try and eat vegetables at every meal. Fill half your plate with non-starchy vegetables. Here’s a good start list https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/21-best-low-carb-vegetables
3. Chew like a cow – slowly. This will improve digestion. Put your fork down sometimes.
4. Don’t drink with your meal: – the fluid washes away or dilutes the digestive enzymes in the mouth and dilutes the stomach acid. Stop large intakes of fluid 15-30 mins before you eat. Sipping wine or sipping water is likely ok but half a glass during the meal may
5. Reduce your chemical load: consume food with the least possible exposure to chemicals: The dirty dozen and the clean 15 (ewg.com) outlines which fruit/vegetables are recommended to only be consumed if organic and which ones can be eaten from regular sources. Wash regular fruit and veg thoroughly with apple cider vinegar or a fruit and veg wash like enviroclean. Skin, hair and body products can be absorbed by the skin and increase the chemical load on your body. https://draxe.com/dirty-dozen/
6. Eat seasonally: buy seasonal and local. Less food miles and higher in nutrient content as it hasn’t travelled as far. Local market farmers are not likely storing their produce
7. Get some sun. Vitamin D deficiency is common and contributes to many health conditions. Guidelines are here: https://www.cancer.org.au/preventing-cancer/sun-protection/vitamin-d/ Sardines, salmon and cod liver oil are good sources.
8. Drink water. Men: 3.4L, Women: 2.8L. Additional water should be consumed on very hot days, if pregnant or breastfeeding or if you are undertaking exercise.
9. Sleep: Integral in every way. Ideally, be in bed by 10 pm to maximise restorative sleep. A great article on how much sleep, things that influence the quality of sleep and how to detoxify your sleep space http://www.sparklewell.com.au/2012/02/sleeping-detox/
10. Rest/Recovery: A life of continuous stress leads to physical burnout. Your body can be under stress even if you are unaware of it. Factor in rest and recovery time and be honest about how you are managing your stress. Get into nature, take off your shoes and connect with the earth.
Further reading
Dr Michael Ruscio: Healthy Gut, Healthy You
Food: WTF should we eat? Dr Mark Hyman uses the latest science to debunk many myths about nutritional recommendations and what food is actually healthy.
The Body Ecology Diet: Donna Gates
Max Lugavere: Genius Foods
Emeran Mayer: The Mind-Gut Connection
Changing habits, changing lives – Cindy O’Meara
Brain Wash and Brain Maker – Dr David Perlmutter
Cookbooks (these are a few of my favs)
Lee Holmes: Supercharged life, Heal your gut, Fast your way to wellness, Eat clean green and vegetarian and Eat yourself beautiful.
Sarah Wilson (I quit sugar) – Fast Family meals, slow cooker cookbook and Simplicious
Donna Hay – Life in balance
Pamela Ellgen: Microbiome Cookbook
Helpful websites
DrAxe.com – a great resource for any health or food questions you might have
Thehealthychef.com – lots of great healthy recipes
Websites for organic and low tox products
Brooklantree.com.au (Adelaide based)
www.OmMadeOrganicSkincare.com (Adelaide based)