Our Food has Dramatically Changed over the Last Few Decades
The food that we consume today is not what it used to be. From the degradation of healthy soil, to the pesticides being sprayed on food, and the introduction of genetically modified foods it is no wonder that our nation is having an alarming increase in obesity and disease. Good nutrition is the foundation for a healthy functioning body. There is no greater contributor to health than what is on the end of your fork. Yet, many people have no idea the slow damage that they are doing to their bodies by consuming highly inflammatory, nutrient deficient, and obesogenic foods. Many of the popular, name brand foods are loaded with ingredients that are detrimental to our bodies and our mind. There was a study that was published in JAMA that showed that the consumption of ultra processed foods is linked to cognitive decline in adults. This is the first study to show a direct relationship between the two. I just don’t think that people realize how good they can feel by switching to a whole food animal based diet. I tried a primarily plant based diet and started losing my hair, had constant fatigue, ost a lot of my muscle mass, and was constantly battling blood sugar swings. My husband also tried a plant based diet when he was transitioning off of a diet that consisted of fast food and ultra processed food. His results were the same. At first he felt great but after a while he started to become nutrient deficient and started having the same issues I was. He lost a ton of muscle and was having frequent migraines. He started looking malnourished. We both switched to eating an animal based diet and our health and our bodies have never been better. All of our health problems have disappeared. I ended up losing 45 pounds and have been able to sustain that weight loss easily and without dieting for the last three years. I don’t count calories or restrict the amount of food I eat. I get full easily because of how nutrient dense and satiating the foods I am consuming are. My body is getting everything that it needs and therefore I am not constantly hungry. I feel the best when I eat a lower carbohydrate diet. I am not very low but within 100-150 carbs per day. This is my sweet spot for feeling my best both mentally and physically. If you are very active physically you may need more than that. Once you make that connection that how you feel and function in this world is directly linked to what you eat it makes it so much easier to lose weight and keep it off. Once you stop eating the highly processed sugary foods your body stops craving them. The bad bacteria in your gut start to die off and the healthy bacteria begin to flourish. This is a relatively new discovery within the last decade or so. This new discovery is the gut microbiome and it dictates the foods that you crave and also influences your health and your immune function. So, if your weight won’t budge and you have tried everything, start by cutting out any processed foods and start by consuming healthy pastured meat, eggs, or wild caught salmon. Also some people have a difficult time digesting certain vegetables so finding veggies that you tolerate well are important too. Lastly, try adding in fruits such as berries or apples. It is important to incorporate a wide variety of foods to make sure you don’t have any nutrient deficiencies. It is also important to slowly taper back on carbohydrates. If you cut them too soon and are not metabolically healthy you can have some serious issues. Slowly cutting back a little bit each day will be the safest. I had tried to cut back too quickly in the beginning and ended up feeling like I was about the faint. But if you start to taper back a little each day your body won’t go into a state of shock. Weight loss does not have to be complicated or difficult. Learning a few simple rules will help you to change your body and change your life. Your health is your greatest asset and oftentimes we take it for granted until we have a life changing illness or chronic disease.