When it comes to intuitive eating, figuring out which foods work best for your body, try and try again is my motto.
It is pretty much like anything else in life…
You don’t know unless you try.
We pump our bodies full of food all day long and putting in the foods that aren’t right for you can cause a host of symptoms. You know that afternoon slump? The one that makes you feel like you have to have some caffeine or sugar just to make it through the rest of the day? There is a really good chance that those are signals from your body telling you that the food you are eating isn’t working for you.
And what about the fact that you have…umm…trouble in the bathroom?
Food.
Lethargic?
Food.
Grumpy?
Food.
Headache?
Food.
Even things like joint and muscle pain can be caused by the foods you are eating.
Diseases and illness aside, when you eat what your body needs, you will feel light, energetic and clear headed.
The right foods don’t make you feel like crap.
By the time I was 28 years old, I was on eight prescriptions per day for all that ailed me and I still didn’t feel well. I had high cholesterol, a candida overgrowth, chronic acid reflux and a host of other symptoms. Once I was in a place where I actually respected myself and felt like I deserved to feel well, I started researching how I felt and the possible food remedies. It took me about a year to hammer out which foods made me feel best but all of that trial and error was worth it. Once I discovered which foods worked and which foods didn’t, a whole new world of health and intuitive eating opened up for me. I feel my best when I eat a gluten free, dairy free, low to no sugar, low grain, high fat and mainly plant based diet. Sounds complex but the truth of that matter is that when I eat this way, I feel amazing.
And I no longer have to take any medication.
Pretty remarkable if you ask me.
No one diet works for everyone and the only way to figure out what works best for you is to do your research, listen to your body and be open to the possibility of feeling better than you ever have. This may mean giving up foods you once thought you couldn’t live without, in my case bread and yogurt. And honestly, I still struggle with wanting to eat yogurt. Sometimes, I still do and when that happens, my body reminds we why I gave it up.
But here’s the thing that I want you to take away from this.
I didn’t know being vegan didn’t work for my body until I tried being a vegan. I didn’t know that gluten was the cause of my acid reflux or that dairy was the culprit for getting an average of eight sinus infections per year. I didn’t know that sugar was the cause of most of my cravings until I stopped eating it.
You might say that I didn’t know how sick I was until I wasn’t sick anymore.
So I encourage you to really explore food.
Do your research.
Tr it.
What does your body tell you when you try eating this way or that way?
Do you feel better? Worse? No difference at all?
Listen.
It will tell you.
It is so true that our diets can have a major impact on how we feel – both physically and emotionally. That’s why it’s so important to figure out what works for you, even though it may seem scary or intimidating or just plain frustrating. Once you finally figure out what works, you naturally feel so much better!
i think that’s an incredibly remarkable story about you going off of all those medications! really, truly incredible :)
I’m living proof right now that eating wrong is going to make you feel horrible. I had a high carb, high fat, diary, weekend and I have felt ljust down right awful since. I was slowly discovering what works for me (back in May) and the last 4 weeks, it’s like I forgot that. I’ve been eating poorly and I am living the results.
Today I’m wiping the slate clean and getting back on track eating the right foods. I’m journaling how I feel again as it has worked in the past in discovering what my body likes and doesn’t.
Eating bad is not worth it!!
Sandra´s last blog ..I cant
Food certainly has a huge impact on how we feel. I spent lots of time figuring out what leaves me feeling the best both mentally and physically and it is still a work in progress. But it certainly is worth the work. Great info!
I agree it does……what a great article!
tanyadaily´s last blog ..Shaping those Arches
I am so glad I started reading your blog again. I believe I am finally on the path to Intuitive Eating and reading your blog affirms that.
it’s amazing what you’re body will tell you when you listen.
i need some h20.
such a true post. we all need to listen to our bodies more.. they’re trying to tell us something! ;)
sui´s last blog ..you answered- & I listened!
So true. Fried foods and I simply do not get along, and once I realized that the brief pleasure wasn’t worth the upset later, I’ve felt so much better.
I’m currently reading The Butcher and the Vegetarian and was pleasantly surprised to see the author suggesting something very similar.
Stacy (Little Blue Hen)´s last blog ..fluffy lemon custard cups
hey i just want to know,how can people {me} with problems with wanting to eat ‘perfectly healthy’ eat healthy and eat intuitively without going to extremes and not restrict too much.