Break Up With Bad Food

We have a lot of relationships in our lives. Some are loving, supportive, healthy, encouraging. Some, not so much.Some of them we just have to make the best of because there are other people involved. We also have relationships that we are completely in control of because they aren’t about people.

One of the biggest relationships we have is with our food, which in turn affects our overall health. We usually don’t give it much notice, until… our bodies start rebelling!

I used to just eat whatever sounded and tasted good. I never gave a thought to what it was doing to my body, how it was nourishing me, or anything else other than the fact that I was hungry, I ate, then I wasn’t hungry anymore. I gave in to unhealthy cravings, not knowing that my body was craving more sugar because I was feeding bad bacteria! I started having a lot of health issues, again, not realizing it was related to what I was eating. How many of you have been, or are there? Wonder why you’re always tired, bloated, suffering from inflammation, headaches, gut issues, bowel problems? Take a look at what you are eating.

For me, it took a few years of getting sicker and sicker before I started seeing a correlation to what I was eating. I had depression, anxiety, adrenal depletion, inflammation, kidney stones, gallstones (actually ended up having the gallbladder removed),  high cholesterol, and a severe case of leaky gut (diagnosed as IBS). I had no energy, couldn’t control my bowels, was bloated and miserable, slept poorly, I could go on and on but you get the idea. I thought that’s just the way I would live the rest of my life. I’m not one to give up though, so I decided to start researching my symptoms and get some testing done.

I found out I had allergies to the proteins in gluten and dairy. I had autoimmune thyroid Hashimoto’s, and all the other symptoms were because of those! As I learned to eat clean, whole foods, mostly plant based, I began to heal. It’s taken a couple of years, but I am now medication free, mostly symptom free, and living an adventurous, fun filled life.

It is very obvious when I eat things that aren’t healthy for me, so I have learned to stay away from those. At first, I felt like I couldn’t eat anything! I learned to change my mindset to “I chose to not eat these” over “I can’t eat these”. My relationship with food has become one of great love. It’s challenging to find new “legal” foods that are healthy and delicious, but I love a good challenge. It is so rewarding to find how delicious healthy food can be. The more I eat healthy, the more I crave healthy. Oh, I still love the occasional dark chocolate treat (no dairy) and a yummy coconut or oat milk decaf latte. A glass of wine every now and then is good for my digestion, too!

If you are struggling with health issues, try journaling what you are eating. Note how you feel after you eat. What makes you feel light and energetic? What makes you feel heavy and sluggish? Consider seeing a functional medicine doctor or nutritionist/dietitian to have some testing done. It can completely change your relationship with food if you feel better after you eat. Think of it like spending time with someone you love and enjoy versus someone you dread and who drags you down emotionally. Good nutrition feeds your body, your soul, and your emotions. 

I have several years experience of working through the tough changes and I’m here to say it isn’t easy but it is very well worth it!

*To know more about how to change your relationship with food, feel free to reach out. I love helping others learn how to heal and fall in love with their food!*