Surprising Things That Make Us Unhealthy
You may think- if being healthy is natural and good for us, then why is it so hard? It can be hard in today’s world… your feelings are valid. With the agricultural revolution and industrial revolution, we moved away from nature and the natural ways of living. Big food and pharma make big money. There are people that have the actual career of figuring out how to design their foods to be addictive to consumers, just like big tobacco. If the fake food makes us sick, we need medicine. Big food and big pharma get richer while we get sicker. Thankfully, truth has been spread through the internet. It doesn’t take too much critical thinking to see that there are politics behind the food and medicine that we are sold. Times have changed and truth is spreading. We can take back the control of our health. I believe the next revolution will be the natural health revolution. :)
In our society, there are some really dangerous habits that are viewed as harmless and common. Things we are told won’t cause harm are wreaking havoc in our bodies, creating the very health issues that we can’t seem to put our fingers on. We’re surrounded by information that is influenced by people who often just want our money. It was more difficult to see the truth years ago. It’s important to acknowledge that every person and every parent does the best they can with the information they have. Neither I or my parents realized that these things could hurt us, just like most others in the world. My story is not uncommon, which is why I want to share these things and express the fact that we can indeed heal from them.
Things That Influence Our Health:
Food (Obviously)
Humans are part of nature. The foods we find in nature are real, whole foods, like vegetables, fruit, nuts/seeds, whole grains, meat, fish, eggs, healthy oils/fats, etc. Many of us grow up on processed, chemical based, fake foods. They look safe. They taste safe. They are not safe. When it comes to food, it's all about the quality. Our metabolic rate, storage of fat, and hunger depend on the quality of our protein, fat, and carbohydrates!
Lack of Willpower Doesn’t Matter - A common message is that we need to eat less calories and exercise more. Who has that ever worked for? It can work in the short term, but has been proven to simply not work long term. When we begin to eat whole food rather than fake food, we don’t need to worry about counting calories, avoiding fat, or using a ton of brain power and willpower every time we eat. Movement is important, but we do not need to punish ourselves with intense exercise. We can not exercise our way out of unhealthy eating.
Eat Fat - The research has shown us that we need healthy fats for proper organ function and absorption of nutrients. Eating healthy fat (think avocado, olive oil, coconut oil, etc.) will not make you fat, but may help you lose weight.
Avoid Refined Sugar and Carbs - 2 of the greatest culprits for obesity and disease are refined sugar and refined carbohydrates. Eating sugar and refined carbs, like flour, make us hungry, leads us to overeat, and slows our metabolism. These poor quality foods create fat cells that constantly signal hunger.
Sugar is more addictive than hard drugs. Big food uses this to their advantage and often labels their products as healthy. Yoplait light fat free yogurt has more sugar than a can of Pepsi. Prego Tomato Sauce has more sugar than oreos. A glass of orange juice has the sugar of a can of Coke.
HOW We Eat Matters
It matters when we eat. We should eat during the day with our biggest meal being in the middle of the day. We should stop eating at least 3 hours before we go to sleep. It matters how quickly we eat. It’s important to chew our food as digestion starts in the mouth. We should be eating slowly, as eating quickly can put a burden on the systems of the body. It matters how we eat. We shouldn’t eat when stressed or multi-tasking. We should take a few deep breaths, focus on the food, and truly be in the moment. It’s great to stop before eating and just acknowledge what is on your plate and why. Be real with yourself- why are you eating? Did you take too much? Did you take too little? Just notice without judgement and be mindful as you eat. (I can personally say that this whole bullet is difficult for me! After years of midnight snacks, fast eating, and stress eating, I have to remind myself to stop and take notice of what I am eating.)
Antibiotics Harm Our Microbiome
Each of us have a microbiome where there is a balance of good and bad bacteria. Yes- you are made of bacteria. Our microbiomes are VERY important to all aspects of our health. They can be thrown out of balance by antibiotic use. The goal of antibiotics are to kill bad bacteria, however, they actually kill all bacteria- good or bad. This creates an opportunity for more bad bacteria to invade without as much good bacteria to fight it off. It’s important to take care of our microbiomes so that it's not an opportune environment for bad bacteria to thrive. Sometimes, antibiotics are necessary, but they should not be taken as a first result. When taking antibiotics, take probiotics (good bacteria) and eat probiotic foods, such as fermented vegetables and yogurt. Focus on increasing good bacteria. Look into herbal remedies and alternatives to remove bad bacteria.
NSAIDs (aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, celecoxib) Destroy Our Gut
Using these pills increases the permeability in the lining of our gut, which is referred to as “leaky gut.” By essentially creating holes in the lining of the digestive tract, all kinds of issues can happen because particles can move through that lining that shouldn’t be able to. This is where autoimmune disease and food sensitivities can come in, as our immune systems are triggered when foreign particles enter the bloodstream through the permeable lining of the gut! This can also lead to decreased absorption of nutrients. (I used Advil like crazy in high school and college, and I have absolutely paid a price. I have food sensitivities and trouble absorbing nutrients.) Often, the focus should be on the root of the pain. I used to take Advil for headaches, but have learned that drinking more water or sleeping if tired always alleviate headaches for me. An anti-inflammatory herb is turmeric. There are many natural ways to address pain and NSAIDs shouldn’t be used as a first resort.
Poor Stomach Acid (This Is A Thing)
Generally, people believe that acid reflux means that their stomach acid is too strong and that they should take an antacid. In reality, acid reflux happens as a result of stomach acid not being strong enough, which allows it to pass up from your stomach. Stomach acid should be so strong that it could burn through our skin with a pH level of 1-3. That is natural and needed to digest our food, absorb our nutrients, and protect us from bad bacteria and infections. Some signs of low stomach acid are acid reflux, bloating/burping/gas after meals, nausea from meals or supplements, food allergies, undigested food in stool, dry skin, cracked fingernails, etc. Poor stomach acid is a result of overuse of antacids and proton pump inhibitors, stress, overuse of alcohol, antibiotic use, and poor diet. We can improve this by using a form of digestive bitters or enzymes as well as simply eating healthy, following a natural sleep cycle, and de-stressing.
Over-Exercising Can Hurt Us
Many of the above factors are influenced by stress. Our bodies are often over burdened and working hard to support us. Depending on bio individuality and the state of the body, overly rigorous exercise can just be another form of stress. This is something to examine with intuition and honesty. Exercise should always feel supportive.
Lifestyle Is As Important As Food
The aspects of life that nourish us- relationships, career, finances, spirituality, physical activity, social life, creativity, etc. all influence our physical health greatly! When I spent years following a disciplined diet and doing everything “right,” I was still experiencing the same health issues. There were many areas of imbalance in my LIFE. I was not on a path that was aligned with my soul, and that was reflected in my body.
F Perfection
You don’t need to be perfect, as nothing in nature is perfect, yet it's all beautiful. I read in a book that a rose is beautiful in every stage, even when it is dying. We are beautiful in every stage. We don’t need to be perfect ever. But we do need to be conscious about the things we put in and on our bodies. Rome wasn’t built in a day and no person will change their entire life overnight, but it’s all about small changes in the direction that feels healthy to you. This is how we live the life we were meant to live. Food can be the problem and it can be the solution. Be intentional with how you nourish yourself and truly enjoy delicious foods and parts of life.
Health is NOT about rules and restrictions, but being our healthiest selves may take learning. We have a lot of misinformation, but our ability to detect truth is amazing. Deep down, we know what is best for us. The human body is the most intelligent machine in the world. Our bodies maintain the same temperature at all times, sweat when hot, repair when wounded, turn food into nutrients and energy, our hearts NEVER skip a beat and our lungs don’t miss a breath. The human body is * m a g i c a l * and it is constantly trying to stay in balance. When we give it half a chance with whole foods and plenty of joy and relaxation, we can heal anything. It’s really true. All of the information that I share is meant to shed light on truth and empower others to do what they need to do to feel their best. With love, Kristen :)