My Story (Full Version)
Nutritional Health
*Please note that this is not medical advice. Everything I write about are things I have learned and have come across in my journey in searching for answers to my own health problems. They are simply meant to be ideas to consider and to potentially look into. Please do your own research, take everything with a grain of salt, and always consult a qualified professional for help.
The Health Best Diet For You- Veganism, Paleo, Raw Foods, Gluten Free, Keto, Blood Type Diet, and More
If you're looking to change your diet and are looking into the different options, it's probably a bit overwhelming. Every diet claims to be the most effective, and more importantly, every diet claims to be what is the most natural for your body.
So of all the diets that exist, which is the best?
After trying every single diet and every single possible micro and macro nutritional change that exists, I've learned that the best diet for you really depends on your body and what it needs. Now I know this sounds like a copout, but this is the only universal truth when it comes to diets. Everything else is just noise. There's simply no perfect. There is no one size fits all, and there is no ideal diet for everyone across the board. The perfect diet is simply the one that works best for you.
Books Recommended For The Article:
A Matter Of Health may earn a small commission on purchases made from our links, which helps keep the site running. Anything that is recommended is something I've tried, thoroughly researched, or highly recommended from readers- and has been shown to have real benefit and value. Thanks for your support!
Eat Right 4 Your Type By Dr. Peter J D'Adamo
Great book on the blood type diet, which is less known than a lot of the other major diets.
Breaking the Vicious Cycle By Elaine Gottschall
Great book on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet, a lesser known diet great for healing IBS and other digestive issues.
It might seem like a simple and even obvious answer after you hear it, but most people do not realize it in their quest for nutritional wellness. They get so caught up in the marketing, the hype, and all the positive feedback from others experiences, that they become emotionally invested and even consumed by it.
So how do you go about finding the best diet for you? Here are some tips:
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Be aware- Being aware that the perfect diet doesn't exist is the most important tool you have. This allows you to approach nutritional health and diets without any attachments, and without being oversold on any one thing in particular. Is there a diet that did wonders for your best friend? Great. It may not work for you and that's okay. Pivoting is okay, and learning to adapt is invaluable.
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Try different diets- Unfortunately, there is no way to really know what will work for you except to try the different diets to see what works for you. Do your research and narrow the choices down to the best 2 or 3 choices based on what you're trying to accomplish with your diet. Then simply pick one and go. There's no need to overanalyze, and no need to overstress. There's no way to know until you start. If it doesn't work out, you can always change course.
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Know the main variables of a diet- If you're looking to change your diet for health issues (ie. IBD, fatigue, headaches, etc), keep in mind that there are usually two overarching factors that will contribute to the success any diet will have for you. The first factor is the elimination of food that is burdensome or harmful to your body (ie. gluten free diet, removing animal protein with Veganism, removing certain carbs with the specific carbohydrate diet, etc). The second variable is introducing and delivering foods in a way that your body can optimally digest and absorb the nutrients your body needs (ie. more digestible foods with a Raw Diet, plant based protein, etc). Regardless of the diet you choose, make sure that you're monitoring both these factors based on your needs and desired goals.
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There are no absolute truths- Anyone who tells you that their diet is the cure all is full of it. There are always going to be exceptions, even if the concepts and principles are generally true. For example, Alfalfa, Spinach, Watercress, Broccoli, and Zucchini are some of the healthiest foods in the world. They have many great benefits and should be part of a healthy diet- for most people. For some people however, they can be detrimental. They contain a high amount of salicylates, and can cause a number of symptoms and issues for anyone with a salicylate intolerance. Everyone is different, and there is no one size fits all.
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How do you feel? Rather than going by how you "should" feel, or even worse, how others are reportedly feeling, go by how you're actually feeling. Pay attention to the signs your body is giving you, and go by that. If something isn't making you feel better after consistent effort, move on. If you find something that makes you feel better, nothing else matters. Not other people's opinions, not what the "gurus" have to say, nothing. There may sometimes be a sense of FOMO that occurs in switching or stopping a diet, and there shouldn't be. The whole point is to improve your own wellness and health, and that's unique to you.
Nutritional Health and diets play an integral role in overall health and wellness, and I'll be writing more articles about the different ones and things to consider!
