No, seriously. One of the biggest trends I see going into 2022 is helping people learn to trust their animal instincts around what is best for them. We are the only animal on the planet with a multi-billion industry telling us what we should eat. Why don’t we KNOW like every other animal on the earth? Well, in short, because that doesn’t make anyone, or at least a lot fewer people, any money.
It is a process of peeling back the layers of nonsense we have been told to put into our bodies, take a step back, and tune into our gut instinct around what we are craving if we ask our body what it needs to feel NOURISHED. What do I need to feel more energy to accomplish my goals today?
The bottom line is the only real expert on what works for you and your body at each stage and phase of your life is YOU.
It is a process of trial and error, but it starts with you listening to your inner instincts more than some external set of rules or guidelines.
Once we strip back the layers of crap we tend to consume in highly processed and fast food, and consider what is on the outside of the supermarket, or better yet available at your local farmer’s market, we come to realize we can TRUST that our body knows what it needs.
Am I craving meat? Might I be low on iron then?
Cool, where can I get high quality, low hormone fed, naturally and consciously raised animal protein to satisfy my craving?
Am I craving sugar?
Might I be low on hydration, vitamin C or antioxidants?
Where can I get some berries, an apple or a grapefruit to squeeze me a delicious bit of fresh juice?
Am I tired?
Did I eat enough quality carbs today, or might I be low on what my cells and brain function on?
Sweet potato toast with guacamole?
Steel cut oatmeal?
Whole wheat, fresh-baked, local bread?
What will give me my basis for fuel today?
Once we dial down the chemicals, hormones, refined sugars, salts and flour, artificial flavors, highly processed animal products, animal fat, highly processed dairy, they’re by-products; we start to feel better and realize we can trust our system to tell us what it needs on a nutritional level not to survive but thrive.
Think like an animal and ask yourself what you feel like eating today to feel good on a cellular level. Then remove that layer of guilt and self-judgment and just go with the flow. Sometimes we eat just for pleasure, and that is ok too. Let me know what you notice when you start to feel like you are eating intuitively. I bet you will see how much mental energy you spent before worrying about what you should eat and judging yourself for wanting to eat something that some expert once told you that you shouldn’t eat.
Food freedom through whole-food plant-based eating is so liberating. Let go of the inner critic and enjoy eating again.
Resources Are Available
If you or someone you know is experiencing difficulties surrounding alcoholism, addiction, or mental illness, please reach out and ask for help. People everywhere can and want to help; you just have to know where to look. And continue to look until you find what works for you. Click here for a list of regional and national resources.
