1) Only paying attention to WHAT food is allowed and not including the WHEN, HOW, WHY. Yes, it is important to know what is "legal" and "illegal" to eat, but that is not the only consideration. There is a reason for the introductory part of the diet- it soothes the gut on top of eliminating foods that cannot be digested properly. Chicken soup, made from the whole chicken, skin and bones, has healing properties. Gelatin works wonders for upset tummies. Food has now become medicine for me, so I decide what to eat based on how I am feeling and performing. Whenever my stomach revolts, it is time to have chicken stock.
2) Eating too much product made from nuts- especially almond flour. Eating the same thing all the time because it is "legal" on SCDiet is a good way to attain a new food intolerance issue. Because I was trying to eat American and replace bread products with similar substances made out of almond flour, I now cannot tolerate any almond flour or almond products. Nuts are hard for any person to digest, and many people on SCDiet cannot tolerate them. I finally had to give up on trying to make replacement foods for the SAD (Standard American Diet) foods that are considered ever so important in our culture. Why on earth was I trying to mimic the diet that got me and so many other Americans sick? Duh, that's not a good idea.
3) Cheating every now and again because I "needed a treat" for being so "good" the rest of the time. Cheating is just a form of cruelty. It isn't being nice at all, not even for just a moment. That moment will produce many more moments of hurt. Limits and discipline can actually set a person free. When I feel good, there's less need for something to soothe me; so, keeping the machine in good working order with routine maintenance is better than fixing it after it breaks from neglect. Cheating just means more mess to clean up, and it departs from pursuing the goal of wellness. The times when I think that I want to cheat the most are the times when it would be the worst to do so. Those are weak moments in need of more support, not justification for self-abuse.
4) Going off the diet too early because I was "better." I started adding in "illegal" food as soon as I thought I could handle it. Because I had been so sick for so long, it didn't take a ton of improvement for me to call it success. If only I had comprehended just how far I had yet to go, and how much set back this behavior caused me, then I would not have strayed. If an injured player is put back on the field before the injury is healed, then the likelihood of that player incurring further injury that could end his/her playing career forever is high. Why risk it for one game or one season when I have my WHOLE LIFE ahead of me? Is it more important to live and live well, or to eat a particular food for 30 seconds in my mouth?
These are not the only mistakes I have made.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
10 Practices for Best Nutrition
1) Eat the widest variety of foods you can tolerate. Every food has different nutritional content, so eating the widest variety of food that you can tolerate means you will get the most nutrients. Some sources of nutrients are easier to access in some foods than in others, and some require a combination in order to maximize nutritional value.
2) Eat food in a variety of formats from raw to well done and every point in between. Food releases different nutrients based on how it is prepared. Some nutrients can only be gleaned from eating a food raw, while others are only accessible through cooking. You will get the most every food has to offer if you can eat it prepared in many different ways. This helps to keep food interesting, too!
3) Eat as many colors in the rainbow as you can daily. Every color of food has different nutrients. Mixing and matching food colors means you get the widest array of nutrients on top of having something visually enticing to eat.
4) Eat whole foods as often as possible. Whole foods are much more nutritious for the body than partial foods. For instance, eating a whole apple will not spike your blood sugar level while drinking apple juice will. Nature put everything in there for a reason. (Seeds and stems don't count.)
5) Eat organically as often as possible. Organic foods tend to have more nutritional value than industrial foods, on top of NOT having the pesticides and other nasty chemicals grown into their skin. NOT getting poisoned on top of more nutrition is good.
6) Eat seasonal food from local, sustainable farms. Food that is picked ripe and has traveled little is way more nutritious than food that has been picked unripe and travelled half way around the world. You actually create a kind of carbon footprint, or ecological debt, when you buy food from around the world because of what it really costs to ship it. Sustainable farming means that the farm will not be void of nutrients in the soil within a few years. It means that the land and animals are cared for in a way that promotes ongoing life instead of sacrificing tomorrow in the name of today. You are helping to save the planet on top of yourself with this practice!
7) Eat fat, protein, and carbohydrates at every meal. Fat, protein, and carbohydrates are all critical for body functions. Depriving your body of what it needs routinely will result in nutritional deficiency, bodily breakdowns, and disease. Find the balance that is right for you.
8) Chew thoroughly before swallowing. Digestion starts with the eyes and nose, but the mouth is very important. Chewing thoroughly means that your tummy and gut have an easier time breaking the food down further. All of the digestive juices get flowing with a good chew.
9) Eat foods in rotation. Eating a food for 24 hours then not for 96 hours keeps you in good variety and reduces any likelihood of developing an intolerance or allergy to any particular food. When you can't just eat anything that other people can and your grocery list is limited, this also becomes important for maintaining interest in the foods you can eat.
10) Eat foods that promote the health desired. Eating foods that contain the nutrients needed to address illness is the best way to support the body towards health and well-being. I continue to be amazed at the power of food, the fuel of our very lives. You are what you eat!
2) Eat food in a variety of formats from raw to well done and every point in between. Food releases different nutrients based on how it is prepared. Some nutrients can only be gleaned from eating a food raw, while others are only accessible through cooking. You will get the most every food has to offer if you can eat it prepared in many different ways. This helps to keep food interesting, too!
3) Eat as many colors in the rainbow as you can daily. Every color of food has different nutrients. Mixing and matching food colors means you get the widest array of nutrients on top of having something visually enticing to eat.
4) Eat whole foods as often as possible. Whole foods are much more nutritious for the body than partial foods. For instance, eating a whole apple will not spike your blood sugar level while drinking apple juice will. Nature put everything in there for a reason. (Seeds and stems don't count.)
5) Eat organically as often as possible. Organic foods tend to have more nutritional value than industrial foods, on top of NOT having the pesticides and other nasty chemicals grown into their skin. NOT getting poisoned on top of more nutrition is good.
6) Eat seasonal food from local, sustainable farms. Food that is picked ripe and has traveled little is way more nutritious than food that has been picked unripe and travelled half way around the world. You actually create a kind of carbon footprint, or ecological debt, when you buy food from around the world because of what it really costs to ship it. Sustainable farming means that the farm will not be void of nutrients in the soil within a few years. It means that the land and animals are cared for in a way that promotes ongoing life instead of sacrificing tomorrow in the name of today. You are helping to save the planet on top of yourself with this practice!
7) Eat fat, protein, and carbohydrates at every meal. Fat, protein, and carbohydrates are all critical for body functions. Depriving your body of what it needs routinely will result in nutritional deficiency, bodily breakdowns, and disease. Find the balance that is right for you.
8) Chew thoroughly before swallowing. Digestion starts with the eyes and nose, but the mouth is very important. Chewing thoroughly means that your tummy and gut have an easier time breaking the food down further. All of the digestive juices get flowing with a good chew.
9) Eat foods in rotation. Eating a food for 24 hours then not for 96 hours keeps you in good variety and reduces any likelihood of developing an intolerance or allergy to any particular food. When you can't just eat anything that other people can and your grocery list is limited, this also becomes important for maintaining interest in the foods you can eat.
10) Eat foods that promote the health desired. Eating foods that contain the nutrients needed to address illness is the best way to support the body towards health and well-being. I continue to be amazed at the power of food, the fuel of our very lives. You are what you eat!
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