This is a tricky subject, everyone seems to have their perspective of health which is typically formed around the way you were raised. Growing up, my mom was very conscious of what was healthy, from both a food and exercise standpoint. She would make sure our family ate our fruits and veggies, but most importantly that we ate a well-balanced diet free of harmful ingredients. Both of my parents would even encourage a little workout here or there to make sure I was in shape for the sports I played. I’m very thankful for this insight from a young age as some are not blessed with that. However you grew up, though, what you were taught, or if you weren’t taught anything in this area of life when you were a child, all boils down to how we view food and exercise later in life, how we formulate meals, if we workout, and what we view as good or bad from a health standpoint.
This brings me to how we digest health trends or advice. The viewpoint from how we’ve been raised is framing your thoughts at this point, and you don’t even realize it. The lack of knowledge about nutrition or exercise would be the same, because having a lack of info on why to eat something, or to exercise or not, is still the reasoning behind your decisions of whether to eat or do a workout or not. I say all of this to say, how we view new trends in the health and wellness world, often revolves around how much we understand and know. That is why we all fall into the marketing traps of this world. Everything can look appealing but understanding how and why is completely different.
So, let’s start with the bad. What is the worst piece of health advice going on around right now? I am torn between the two but I will combine them as they’re the same topic, to an extent. Gluten-free and/or dairy-free would have to be my answer.
Currently, 1% of the United States Population holds a diagnosis for celiac disease, however, a more recently recognized and possibly related condition, “non-celiac gluten sensitivity” has been suggested to affect up to 6% of the United States public.
All of the conflicting info in our world is saying that carbohydrates are bad, we should drink alternative milk, and that anything with gluten should not be eaten. Well, some people are, very much so, allergic or “intolerant” to these things. But for the majority, we are now lacking vital nutrients that are not being given to our bodies because of using different grains and/or alternative milk products. God created these staples in our food for a reason and as some cannot have them, just remember that the majority of us can! And no matter the common trends, don’t shortcut your body on nutrition that it needs by then using a more processed product with different types of milk that add gums and all sorts of different ingredients to make it similar to the dairy version. Or gluten-free bread with all sorts of “enriched”, “modified”, or “bleached” ingredients that will not provide any nutrition and only empty calories. The little details matter and oftentimes doctors are so quick to diagnose you with something so they can make an extra buck, versus working through things with you that aren’t even a problem at all. Thyroid issues are a very common trend right now and I believe this is either because of the modified foods we’ve been consuming causing our bodies to respond in this fashion or because doctors are working with the nutrition brands that are supporting these types of diagnoses to create reliance on a new medication and more expensive food. We must be aware of these types of things, don’t just take medication or completely cut something out of your diet without doing your research. PURE GOLD is here to help and would love to dive in with you to support you in that research to ensure you’re doing what your body truly needs!
This brings me to the transition, probably the best piece of health advice I have ever heard is very broad, but to simply listen to your body! Now, let me start by saying, this is not to be confused with the mind. When you’re trying to overcome and grow, the mind can play tricks on the body. So if you’re lifting heavy or running hard, don’t give up just because you think you’re tired! That’s not what I’m talking about here. Grit is by far necessary to pass your limits and get stronger or faster. This even applies from a nutrition standpoint, if you’re tempted with food, hunger, or craving that is not according to the health goals you currently have, fight that deceptive thought of your mind. What I’m talking about is if you’re experiencing pain, hunger, exhaustion, or maybe even really craving a type of food like more protein. These signs or symptoms can be indications that your body needs help or needs something to be done differently! Listen to it, do your research, and help your body. No one knows your body better than you do, no weight loss program, no doctor, no one! So if an adjustment needs to be made, work through it. I understand that change isn’t always ideal, but sometimes it is necessary and doesn’t restrain your body from doing what it needs to operate as it should.
So there we have it, worst and best…I hope you understand these are supposed to be taken with a grain of salt, and that you understand the bigger picture. I said all of these things to help you understand two truths: one, most of the time man-made modifications are not healthy or what the body needs. And then number two, pay attention to the things your body is telling you and don’t ignore them, whether big or small, they can impact your well-being. With that, here’s to living our best lives all to the glory of God, taking care of our bodies, so that we can be who we were made to be!
Resources:
Igbinedion SO, Ansari J, Vasikaran A, et al. Non-celiac gluten sensitivity: All wheat attack is not celiac. World J Gastroenterol. 2017; 23 (40): 7201-7210. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v23.i40.7201
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