Food is delicious. Food is fun. Food is love. Food is nourishment. Food is medicine. Food is complicated. But it doesn’t have to be. I know from my own experience that food can be all of the above and it can be tricky to navigate your own relationship with food. It has become so much more than just the simple need to eat food to survive in our Western world that eating has become very confusing. There are body ideals, food and diet trends, health studies and theories that we all get bombarded with non-stop. Then there is the food industry and lobbies who follow their own interests at the expense of the health and money of millions of people. Food is a huge industry with a billion-dollar marketing budget which we are all exposed to. No wonder we don’t know anymore what’s good for us.
I myself have struggled with body image and food relationship in the past and I know how difficult it can be to overcome those issues. I have learned that food issues are never about the food. They are about something else and controlling and obsessing over food is just a way to cope with those problems which are rooted somewhere else. It isn’t until you put the work in and work on yourself to find out what you are really struggling with that it can get better. This has been years ago and I even though I am in a very happy and balanced place right now, I know how hard this journey can be. What helped me most, was listening to my body and eating in a way that felt good to me. I understood that food is just another piece in the puzzle to support my main goal: to be my healthiest and happiest self. I love cooking, I love eating and I love being creative in the kitchen and trying new things. I want to be healthy, live a long life and eat to feel and look my best. I want to enjoy life, have fun and be free. There is room for all of those things in a healthy lifestyle. But we have to keep in mind that there are other factors that are just as important as food to support a healthy and happy self: relationships, having a purpose in life, a fulfilling work life, spirituality, creativity and physical activity to just name a few.
This is my approach to nutrition to support my happiest and healthiest self:
- A mostly plant-based whole food diet
- Eat intuitively
- Combine foods correctly
- Let go of the idea of perfection
In my opinion, Michael Pollan’s approach of “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.” is a good place to start for a healthy lifestyle. Most nutrition experts agree that an organic, whole-food and mostly plant-based diet is the way to go regarding long-term health and longevity. The simplest foods are the healthiest. If you stick to natural, minimally processed foods, you are already doing the best for your health. Whether, how much and what kind of animal products should be included is individual for everyone. What is right for me might not be right for you. That is where mindfulness and intuition come in. When you eat something, ask yourself how it makes you feel. Feel your body. Does it leave you bloated and tired? Or light and energized? Based on these insights you can determine whether something serves you and makes you feel good. I had stomach problems for years and not eating meat left me feeling so much better. Intuitive eating also includes listening to what your body needs. Our bodies are so intelligent and they know exactly what we need. We have to learn to tune in and listen to ourselves again because we know best what’s right for us. A mindfulness practice can help to strengthen the connection to the inner self and to learn to listen to that voice that we so often dismiss. Trust yourself to be the best expert on you!
The concept of food combining has been life-changing for me. It has helped me so much with bloating, digestion and energy levels. It is also what helped me to get back to my body after pregnancy. Food combining is based on the theory that different foods digest at different speeds. Fruit digests the fastest, followed by non-starchy vegetables, starches, fats and protein. For that reason, fruit should always be eaten alone and on empty stomach. Starches and protein should not be combined because the combination is too heavy for the digestive system. Non-starchy vegetables are considered neutral and combine with starches as well as proteins. It can seem complicated at first, but it’s actually pretty simple and the effects are major. Food combining is also what has led me to eat mostly plant-based naturally. I prefer starches to animal protein a lot and if I have the choice, I’d rather eat all the potatoes with salad than a steak with salad.
Lastly, let go of the idea of perfection! This was always very hard for me as a perfectionist because if I am committed to something, I want to do it right. But there is no such thing as perfection in any area of life and especially when it comes to nutrition, it is so important to keep the balance to not let it become an obsession. Living the healthiest and happiest life means eating all the veggies and drinking all the juice but it also means to let go and indulge from time to time. A healthy lifestyle has room for indulgence because it brings balance. This is also why I don’t like labels like vegan or vegetarian as they are too rigid and create a lot of pressure to eat a certain way, even though it might not be the best for you as an individual. Everyone is different and we should honor this individuality by eating exactly how it feels right for us without letting ourselves be limited by labels. I gravitate towards a mostly plant-based diet because it just makes me feel my best and I love to eat that way, but if I feel like I really want something, I don’t deprive myself. I love gelato and if we are on vacation in Italy you better be sure I have one every day! Just because it makes me happy and I don’t feel an ounce of guilt because it doesn’t fit into a particular style of eating.
In the end, it’s all about balance and trusting your body. Eat mostly plants and whole foods, combine them well and don’t aspire to be perfect. Mindfulness empowers you to create a way of eating that is right for YOU and no one else.
