Navigating Health And Nutrition In These Changing Times
The landscape of the world is changing, our environment is changing, and it is being reflected in the way our bodies and our overall health is responding to those changes.
In general, we are seeing larger disturbances in the bodies ability to protect itself. The immune systems functions are either underactive or overactive (in some cases both are happening simultaneously in different biological systems). On the extreme end of the scale this leads to faster mobilisation of lifestyle diseases, i.e. cancer, diabetes, digestive system diseases or hormonal diseases. On a lesser level, people are often experiencing longer-term low-grade fatigue, headaches, frequent flus/ viruses, gut issues and hormonal fluctuations.
Often there is a complex cocktail of issues happening all at once and to find the main source can be hard. This can make the generic healthy eating principles harder for people to follow because they find what works for the average healthy immune system, doesn’t work for them. Making nutrition choices, what already seemed hard and frustrating, even more difficult and confusing.
This is not to say we should chuck in the towel and not care about what we eat. This is more to say, “hey I know it’s frustrating and it’s hard – but this gives us an opportunity to get curious, to experiment and explore. To learn to be adaptive and flexible”.
If we work towards this mindset more then we allow space to open for us to discover what will work for us, individually, in a time when our bodies are calling out for us to see our individuality, to reconnect to ourselves amongst the external noise of things that continue to try to lump us all together.
So, where to go from here? Peel back to some key foundational cornerstones and rebuild from there.
· Begin to look at your body and what it needs from a nourishment and flexible mindset. Be your own curious scientist, slowly try different things and then observe. Remembering that if you find something that does work, keep the flexibility mindset. This is the mindset of working with the flow of your own body so you can observe how to support it, if it is faced with environmental changes (internally and externally).
· Drink water at least 2-3L of water a day.
· Focus on nutrient density:
o Focus on protein, for the average female 30-40g per meal, for the average male 50-70g per meal.
o Focus on colour; variety of colours in vegetables and fruits cover different antioxidant groups and phytonutrients. This also provides with a range of vitamins, and minerals. (Note, some people find some healthy foods reactive to their gut and immune system- finding alternative foods to match those nutrients is a good idea).
o Be mindful of healthy fat and healthy carbohydrate consumption and timing to optimise metabolism of energy giving nutrients i.e. healthy carbohydrates eaten after protein at breakfast and lunch (insulin is more sensitive earlier in the day) and healthy fats with protein and vegetables at dinner time (as insulin sensitivity is lower end of day, this help to keep blood sugar lower in the evening).
· Mindful Eating – Make space to eat and enjoy your food, be grateful and appreciate every mouthful, chew your food properly and allow it time to digest. Notice when you feel satisfied and when you should stop eating.
· Correct cortisol imbalances by slowly readjusting your sleep wake cycles i.e. wake with the sun, sleep before 11pm, take up practices that help you to de-stress (art, walking, meditation, a hobby you love), reduce your eating window to 8-10 hours, have a healthy first meal.
· Start to understand your body is listening in. Your DNA listens to the signals it is given by certain nutrients, as well as listening to your emotions and thoughts. What you believe and say it will start to follow. Speak to your body like it’s your best friend, because it is.
If you are reading this and you feel like you are in a confused place with your nutrition and health, then reach out for a chat with me and let’s discover how we can start to make the pathway to greater health and vitality clearer for you.
To anyone who reads this and reaches out to me in either via DM or email (danielle@activatedwellbeing.com), I’m offering limited 20minute video call sessions, for free, to discuss any pressing health concerns you have right now and what starting pointers I can give you to set you in the right direction.
