Saturday, December 06, 2008

The Perfect Diet is...The One that Works for you!

There's no such a thing as a perfect diet. The reason is simple: we all are different and we all have different needs. Therefore the best diet is your own custom diet (I don't like that word, it sounds so negative...I should say your own custom "Nourishing Routine").

It's important to notice and know which foods:
  1. Energize you
  2. Drain you, deplete your energy and/or make you feel tired
  3. Make you feel good, comfortable, nourished and/or make you smile
  4. Make you feel sad, depressed or angry
  5. Make you sick, are hard to digest, make you feel uncomfortable and/or trigger aches in your body
  6. Prevent you from having a restful sleep

I always had what I thought to be a pretty healthy diet (by common standards): I ate whole grain foods, lots of vegetable, dairy products and was mostly vegetarian (I never really liked meat too much). In my family, we grew up with pasta and good bread (not hard to find in France). Yet since my childhood I've suffered from a mild lactose intolerance (I started to day with a hot chocolate and went to school with a stomach ache...Everybody said that I was probably a nervous child) and hypoglycemia. During my adolescence, I started showing signs of tachycardia (that I always and only treated with hawthorn tincture and tea). It took me a long time and other symptoms (apparently unlinked) to realize that I was also gluten sensitive/intolerant though I have never been officially diagnosed (your body knows what's right for you, right? As long as you're ready to listen).

Today my diet is a blend of gluten free, SCD, paleo with a touch of macrobiotic and raw foods. Besides a little yogurt and a little cheese, I don't eat dairy based products. I make my own nut milks and am starting to experiment with non-dairy yogurts. I eat lots of greens (some of which I grow) and drink nourishing herbal infusions. I'm trying to eat less GF grains though I'm not yet ready to give them up completely. I'm eating more meat which to my surprise, my body is craving and enjoying. I plan on (re)introducing sprouted seeds (just bought a sprouter) and smoothies and also plan on making my own nut butters and would love to make my own fermented foods (I forgot to mention that I cook everyday. I think it's essential when you follow a specific diet).

I feel much better eating nutritious foods: I seem to eat less and have less cravings. I also have more energy (and am starting to look forward to power walks and working out). My hypoglycemia is virtually gone: even when I'm getting hungry, I don't feel the urge to pop a piece of sugar in my mouth. I haven't had hawthorn tea or tincture for a couple months at least, even though I have a naturally fast beating heart (a nervous heart, the doctors said). I feel more positive, I have a nicer complexion and I've lost a little bit of weight too.

My experience has only been positive so far, I don't see any reason for me to stop. My little sister, who's been having different symptoms than mine but who's been suffering with various digestive problems for several years, is going to be tested for gluten intolerance next week. She's already made the first steps to a radical dietary change and knows that not only she'll have to take it seriously but that she will have to start cooking!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

The diet you are following sounds a lot like the one my husband and I are moving toward!

Meliss said...

Thanks for your comment on my blog! I'm glad that the brownies turned out for you. Did they crack on top?

Zenseer said...

Meliss,
They cracked very lightly because I only used 1/2 tsp baking powder.
But I personally think that they don't need any baking powder anyway.

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