Am I What I Eat?

We are told time and time again that you are what you eat!  So if I eat a potato chip, I’m a potato chip?  If I eat a carrot, then I’m a carrot?

There are so many theories about what a healthy diet is, it can be confusing.  

Per our various sources of “expert” information, a healthy diet is:

•      Animal based with fruits and vegetables
•         Vegetarian (you can eat everything under the sun except animal meat, and fish is “sometimes” and “sometimes” not in that category)
•         Vegan (absolutely no animals, sometimes animals or animal byproducts, like butter)
•         Raw Vegetarian (Strictly and only live fruits & vegetables, that means no cooked fruits & vegetables and no pasta – for people who are vegetarians)

So confusing it’s no wonder why people have a hard time managing their weight.

In my 39 years of existence, I have been an animal eater, vegetarian, vegan and raw vegetarian at various points of my life.  My food consumption has varied based off of a health challenge (Ulcerative Colitis/Crohn’s Disease), weight loss or healthier eating habits I was managing.   Needless to say, they may have all served a purpose at some given time, but were not beneficially sustaining for me.

When I was a vegetarian and vegan, my GI doctor’s said I needed to eat meat because I was anemic.  When I was a raw vegetarian, the Chinese herbalist said I needed to eat chicken and cooked vegetables to improve anemia and get heat back into my body.  But when I eat meat all the time, I don’t digest it well and I personally don’t feel well.

There are foods that are recommended for people to eat based off of Doshas (Auryvedic Science), Chinese Herbal Medicine, Blood Type, etc.  Again, many schools of expertise to determine what’s a good food consumption plan for you.

What’s a girl like me to do?

Well through my experience, I have gained a very clear understanding regarding food and it’s connections with weight management, using it as a tool for healing, and sustaining healthy living.  My expert information this:

• Learn your body and understand what makes it tick.  Write in a food journal to see what makes you feel good/bad.  This will help you find out what foods are helpful to you.
• Listen to your bodies cravings.  And not the chocolate cravings, your body doesn’t NEED this all the time.  But become very in tuned with your body because the more aware you are, the better you can identify a real food craving which is your body is sending you signals to tell you it needs, because sometimes it is chocolate.
• Monitor your food intake.  Portion control is important.  And balancing your food choices, be a potato every now and again, but make sure you’re a carrot too.

Liv Your Truth!