So, what is the perfect diet?
There are so many different diets that range from healthy to unhealthy. Clearly, the dis-ease supporting Standard American Diet (SAD) is unhealthy for everyone! However, the problem is in choosing from the variation of the healthy diets - keto, vegan, plant-based, paleo, starch solution, whole-30, blood-type, ayurvedic, anti-inflammatory, Chinese medicine, nutritarian, raw vegan, vegetarian, high carb low fat, high protein, medical medium, Dr. Sebi, and etc. These healthy diets work for many, but not consistently for everyone. Then there is a diet based on the blue zones, which are seven zones around the world where more people live over 100 years old, in full health. But, how do you know which healthy diet is the right one for YOUR long term wellbeing?
The answer is pretty simple. Start with eliminating processed, junk, fast food, MSG, overcooked, charred, artificially flavored, dyed, highly sweetened foods out of your meals and snacks. You then become mindful of how you are feeling before, during, and after you eat certain foods (whole). Your feelings of ease will be your indicator of the right diet, while the feelings of constriction, dislike, hate will indicate the wrong foods (even if they are supposed to be healthy) for you. Check out my course on Six Pillars To A Healing Lifestyle for in-depth guidance on creating a strong foundation for healthy aging and building health. Additionally, if you are having a hard time getting in touch with your emotions, then I recommend holistic counseling, mind-body medicine, talk therapy, or psychotherapy to help you get in touch with your emotions.
There is a healing diet I recommend to all my patients.
I first have my patients complete a diet diary so I can understand what they are normally eating and then talk about their food choices during the consultation. Currently, I recommend personalized diet (food) as medicine, based on ayurvedic constitution (Vata, Pitta, Kapha, seasonal) superimposed with an anti-inflammatory (evidence-based) diet.
Here are some questions I have inquired about in my healing journey and as a doctor:
Why are some diets healing while others create more dis-ease in the body?
- I don't have a perfect answer right now, but I believe that it has to do with the mental-emotional connection with food. For example, many people all over the world are becoming sensitive to staple foods such as wheat and dairy. From the way these staple foods are produced and manufactured to the emotional eating behaviors around it have some correlation with the formation of dis-ease over time (sometimes over generations).
Does a perfect diet exist?
- No
What is the perfect diet?
- Maybe, it is whole-foods, consciously, and naturally grown foods that are economically and environmentally sustainable.
Why is our relationship with food so messed up?
- This feels like a trillion-dollar question to me.
Why do we eat?
Hunger for energy
Hunger for emotional soothing
Out of boredom
Out of habit
I still have many questions about food and health. But for now, I will leave you with this question - What does mindful eating look like for you?