EATING WELL IN KANSAS CITY - December 2017 - Kansas City

4 Truths To Get Healthy For Life

By Angela Watson Robertson

 

It may seem that everyone knows the right way for you to get healthy these days. Your doctor, your friends, and every website that you read. You hear the typical, “you should get more exercise,” “you should eat healthier,” and, “you should take supplements.” Yet, what exactly does that mean for your unique body? 

 

I teach my clients a path that involves taking into account all of the advice and information that you can from external sources and then utilizing your own intuition and experience of your body to make the right decision for you. Because the truth is that there is no one “right” way of eating, exercising, or living that is perfect for everyone. So, if you’re ready to reinvent your health and your body, here are four truths you must know to get healthy on your own terms:

 

You are a bio-individual. 

Bio-individuality refers to the concept that individuality permeates each part of your body. No one way of eating is best for everyone. There are a few of the key factors that shape your bio-individuality:

• ancestry

• blood type

• metabolism

• personal tastes and preferences

 

Each of these factors influences what will or will not nourish you at any given stage of your life and it is up to you to use your body as an experiment (gently, please) to determine what works for you. So, when experts say, “red meat is unhealthy” or, “milk is good for you,” it’s too much of a generalization.  

 

You are MORE than what you eat.

You’ve probably heard the saying, “You are what you eat.” Yet, the truth is that you are MORE than what you eat—you are what you are able to digest and absorb. Digestion and gut health is a hot topic right now. Health food stores carry hundreds of products to support digestion and the topic has been written about a lot in recent years.

 

As you are a bio-individual, your specific gut health will affect what you are able to digest properly and thus, what you will be able to absorb into your body. As a Certified Health Coach and Life Reinvention Expert, I help clients determine what foods support their body and, if needed, what supplements, such as probiotics or digestive enzymes, will support their system. Personally, I have benefitted a great deal from taking both digestive enzymes and probiotics daily. 

 

Fad diets don’t work. 

Let’s just be honest, fad diets don’t work in the long run. Again it’s about bio-individuality. You may have a friend who thrives on consuming dairy and red meat, while you feel unwell after consuming even the smallest amount of cheese and feel heavy and bloated when you consume red meat. Have you ever wondered why?

 

We are too individualistic to eat the same exact food. For most of us, I suggest throwing prescribed diets out the door. Be it vegan, vegetarian, raw, dairy-free, gluten-free, carnivore, Paleo, pescatarian—the list goes on and on. 

 

Getting healthy is a lifestyle commitment for the long-run.

Though you don’t necessarily have to follow the latest fad diets or workout hours each day like your gym-rat friend to be healthy, there are a few things you may need to do. After all, getting your body in a healthy and balanced state is a lifestyle commitment for the long-run. I’m not here to tell you this will be easy, but you can do healthy your way—on your own terms. Here are a few suggestions I recommend to anyone who is looking to live a healthier life:

• Learn cooking basics and start cooking at home more often.

• Drink more water. Ideally 50 percent of your ideal body weight in ounces.

• Focus the majority of your diet to include real, whole food (not processed or refined).

• Move your body as often as possible in a way that you enjoy.

• Supplement your diet with high-quality, pharmaceutical-grade products.

 

Once you shift your mindset about what it means for you to be healthy and start focusing on your own individuality when making lifestyle choices, you’ll be on your way to a healthier and more peaceful life.