I know what you’re thinking: “Great. Another article that’s going to berate me for eating junk food.” Hang with me for just a minute… I’m actually not going to suggest that you should eat less of anything. On the contrary, I’m going to suggest you eat more.
But first, I’m going to offer a reason as to why you might want to consider doing any of these things (…and I’m going to try to keep it brief, as this could be an entire book on its own…).
Our mind and body are made of the foods (and substances) we ingest. I know you’re familiar with this concept, but has its meaning really, truly sunk in? (Those skin cells covering your body and protecting the inner you from the outside world? Yup – that’s last week’s pizza and beer, shapeshifted.)
You’re probably also at least vaguely familiar with the fact that our bodies produce hormones and neurochemicals like serotonin, dopamine, GABA and norepinephrine (and a plethora of other substances with diverse purposes beyond the scope of this article) that have an impact on the way we feel day to day.
As such, it’s not far-fetched to see that the foods, beverages and substances we ingest are the building blocks for not only the cellular structures of our bodies, but are also the building blocks for the hormones and neurochemicals our bodies make. These are, in turn, responsible for helping our brains create a stable physical environment out of which a balanced emotional response to life’s varied experiences is more likely to occur. If those chemicals produced by the body are “out of whack” in some way, our responses to the world around us may be disproportionate. Some of us may have a genetic predisposition toward difficulties in producing these compounds, and some of us may have difficulty absorbing nutrients in the food we eat. It takes a lot of testing to determine either of those factors for sure – but one thing is for certain – regardless of whether we have those propensities or not, eating healthy can only help the situation.
More succinctly, eating a wide variety of healthy foods sets our mind up for success. Whatever your situation -- physical, emotional, behavioral, social, or spiritual – having healthy internal physical processes (of which good nutrition is at the foundation) makes everything just a little bit easier.
“Well then: If we’re not happy with the way we’re experiencing the world, how do we know if our body is deficient in “building materials” or if it’s something else?”
There are lots of expensive tests that are available that claim to give insight into a person’s nutritional status or the status of their neurotransmitters and neurohormones, and those tests may or may not be accurate…so there’s really no way to tell for sure. The good news is, there’s generally no harm in eating healthier (i.e., providing your mind and body with more solid “building materials”), and this is one area of life in which “experimenting” on yourself is relatively safe to do.
“So now what? You said you weren’t going to tell me to stop doing things.”
That’s absolutely correct. Instead, I’m going to suggest that you begin adding more fruits and vegetables to your diet, and see how you feel. Don’t cut anything else out (just yet), and don’t trash the entire processed food contents of your fridge and pantry. Simply add one more serving of fruits or vegetables to your daily intake of food, and see if it makes a difference in the way you feel within your body and mind. Cover it in cheese if you like! Ranch? Ranch solves (almost) everything. Ketchup? Ehhh… Okay -- No problem! Just add one serving of fruits and vegetables, and see what happens. What the heck – you could even keep a journal about these things if getting all “science-y” about it is your bag.
If you notice that nothing bad has happened and/or that in some way (that may feel completely foreign to you at first), you feel incrementally better than you did before you began the experiment, try adding another serving of fruits and/or vegetables. Maybe even try a vegetable or fruit you haven’t eaten before. The fresher, and more brightly-colored, the better.
Try to gradually move yourself toward eating a rainbow of colors throughout your day (Hint: if all of your food is beige or brown, you’re doing it wrong). Shop the perimeter (outside edges) of the grocery store, and try to avoid the center aisles. If it has an ingredient list or packaging, think twice. If the expiration date indicates you could bequeath the food item to your great-grandchildren, you may want to reconsider eating it every day.
The really cool thing about eating a multi-colored variety of fruits and vegetables is that it’s nature’s way of ensuring that we’re getting a balanced diet full of the necessary nutrients for health. Each color within the foods we eat (the plant-based ones – I’m not talking about “Red Dye No. 5” and the like) contains more of certain nutrients than others. Blueberries and other blue and purple foods (fruits or vegetables) are a great example – they contain high amounts of anthocyanins, which are an antioxidant that helps protect our body's cells from free radical damage (think the cell version of rust). Orange foods have lots of Vitamin A and Beta Carotene. Green things usually have plenty of essential minerals. Yellow ones are generally high in Vitamin C… The list goes on.
Eat the rainbow, and you really can't go wrong.
“All righty: What if I’m already eating a pretty healthy diet and I still feel like crap?”
That’s a great time to make an appointment with your Primary Care Physician. As mentioned earlier, there are a number of different physical conditions that may impair a person’s ability to adequately absorb nutrients in the foods they eat. This could be anything from a genetic mutation to something acquired over time through the environment or use of required prescription medications. Regardless of how you got there, if you’re already doing what it takes to be healthy and you’re just not feeling it, it’s time to see the Doc and get some blood work done.
So – moral of the story: If you’re having a rough time in an area of life and you’re scratching for things to do to set yourself up for success, among the other things listed in this blog to-date, take a look at your diet. Are you an efficient and reliable “general contractor” and giving your body the best possible materials to help build the best possible structure for you to live in? Or is it time to go to the “home improvement store” (a.k.a., the grocery) and see what you can do to shore up your foundation?
We all have challenges. For some, taking time and effort to care for one’s physical needs can be difficult – for a number of reasons which are often rooted in our previous experiences. If this describes your situation, please don’t hesitate to reach out and set up an appointment for your free 20-minute video consultation by clicking on the “Request Appointment” button below.
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