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What type of diet is a “balanced” diet?
Why are natural foods better for your biology?
Why are processed foods harmful for your body?
How is the modern world taxing your body — and what are simple, easy ways to support and enhance your physical wellbeing?
Welcome back Deanna Appleton! She’s officially gone above and beyond as my functional medicine practitioner by sharing her secrets with all of us. Deanna’s back for the final part of our Optimal Wellness series. In this episode, we’re focusing on:
- How food fuels the body
- What your body needs to sustain its everyday processes
- What you can do to jumpstart your body on the road to the next level of physical wellness
Visiting the grocery store can set you up for making healthy choices all week long! What you buy — and more importantly, what you don’t buy — determines your energy levels, your hydration, and the nutrients your body has to work with.
On the other hand, your grocery store finds may add a toxic load to what your body needs to detox. Poor nutrition can literally and figuratively give you a headache—and autoimmune disorders, gastrointestinal stress, and present other issues.
When it comes to grocery shopping, do you know what to look for?
ORGANIC EGGS: Do you look for organic eggs, so that you aren’t getting extra soy in your eggs? The excess soy brings your estrogen levels down and messes with your hormones.
“NATURAL” FLAVORS: Did you know that manufacturers hide harmful ingredients behind the title “natural flavors?” Natural flavors are used to enhance the flavors of foods and can contain chemicals and preservatives we don’t want in our bodies. Natural flavors may contain genetically engineered foods that your body can’t even process, so they get stuck in your system.
SUGAR: Did you know that sugar is a major source of inflammation for your cells? Where our ancestors used to eat 20 teaspoons a year—we are sometimes consuming 20 teaspoons a day. Our body isn’t meant to process this high level of sugar— natural or fake (think aspartame or high fructose corn syrup, HFCS). HFCS actually bypasses the cell’s sugar regulation, gets inside cells and starts generating harmful cholesterol. Sugar seems so benign. It’s so delicious! And it’s one of the biggest health sabotagers there is!
FOOD LABELS: When you’re reading a food label, there’s some key items to look for: serving size, sugar and fiber content (you want more fiber than sugar), and how carb heavy it is. A balance of fats, carbs, and proteins provide a more even energy supply than heavy carb or sugary foods.
Foods that come directly from nature are the ones your biology knows how to break down. This is what was meant to nourish you. You are unique and your body has unique needs and preferences. As Michael Pollan says, “Eat whole foods, mostly plants, and not too much.”
Our diet and the way we live in this world affect the sustainability of our planet. Deanna and I end today’s discussion with a variety of ways to live sustainably:
- Drinking from a glass water bottle and avoiding microplastics
- Reducing carbohydrate and gluten intake to enhance your thyroid and hormonal function
- Shopping for groceries by consciously choosing what ingredients you purchase (& simultaneously voting with your hard-earned money for the companies you want to reward!)
- Taking quality vitamin and minerals to supplement your healthy diet to provide your body with the nutrients it needs to serve you well
- Nurturing your gut health, to strengthen your brain health and immunity for the long haul
Deanna’s #1 probiotic she loves is PB8, and her patients have had great success and seen their gut health improve from taking the supplement.
Remember Deanna’s mantra — “The right kind of food is the right kind of medicine.”
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