a.k.a. why a “one size fits all” philosophy is NOT the right approach to our health
I wasn’t planning on writing about this.
But after a fun catch-up with one of my besties last week, I decided it was needed.
About 12 days ago, I started a raw milk cleanse.
I ate nothing. And drank only raw milk (and water). For 8 solid days.
To rid myself of parasites (so gross).
I’ve got an entire protocol (including a follow-up diet).
Customized for me. By a loving (and very knowledgeable) Naturopathic Doc whom I trust.
I’ll definitely be writing a post soon about my experiences with this cleanse as there have been many inquiring minds!
I posted the photo above (of my milk + supplements) on my assorted social media channels and told a few friends + family about it.
And the responses were across the board.
Supportive.
Judgemental.
Curious.
Horrified.
You name it, it definitely elicited some pretty strong reactions.
And it got me thinking, why can we be so opinionated when it comes to diet, health, and wellbeing?
I’ve noticed a tendency (in the health + wellness communities especially), of dogmatically approaching diet and wellness regimens as if there is only ONE way.
Vegans insist that I would be healthier by giving up all animal products.
Some vegetarians believe that eggs and/or fish are the golden ticket – just no meat.
The Paleo folks tell me to cook up some bacon and while I’m at it, use the fat to sauté my veggies.
Macrobiotics think that if I eat seasonally and mostly whole grains, vegetables, beans, legumes and sea veggies – with the occasional fish, seafood and meat as needed – we can live long and prosper.
Raw foodists (mostly vegans but not all) assert that if food isn’t heated above 104 degrees Fahrenheit they retain their enzymes and nutritional value. And therefore, I’ll be in peak health.
And then there are the more gluttonous folks who tell me that I shouldn’t worry so much, just eat + drink + be merry, cause we’re all dying every day anyway (yes, someone actually said this to me).
When you look at it, there are an array of options. Endless options. For eating and sustaining health.
And really, that’s my point.
Options.
Health, wellness, and food choices are personal. They’re highly individual.
Not everyone should be a vegan. Just as not everyone needs to eat meat.
And quite honestly, who is anyone, to suggest otherwise?
Until you’ve walked a few (hundred) miles in someone else’s shoes, how can you really say what’s truly best for them?
The only person who feels what you feel and understands what it’s like being in your body – is YOU. Don’t forget that. It’s powerful.
click to tweet this!
I don’t resonate with a lot of the super-strict (or flat out restrictive) approaches out there.
Whatever happened to good ‘ol fashioned common sense about eating (mostly if not all from nature)?
The kind advocated by our grandparents and today, people like Michael Pollan.
Pollan talks eating seasonal, local, organic and pasture-raised whenever possible.
“The human animal is adapted to, and apparently can thrive on, an extraordinary range of different diets, but the Western diet, however you define it, does not seem to be one of them. ”
~Michael Pollan, from In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto
If you haven’t read Michael’s books, (In Defense of Food, The Omnivore’s Dilemma, and Food Rules), I strongly recommend you check ’em out!
These days we have endless food options at our disposal. At any time of the day/night/month/year.
I think this is part of the problem.
The general feeling is that we should be able to eat what we want, when we want it.
I call it “food entitlement”.
And in turn, our health (and nature) suffers.
Instead of being so dogmatic to one approach or another, I believe we should all try listening to our own bodies.
Like REALLY listening.
What does your body want?
Not crave. But want.
My guess is it wants nourishment. And a little love + respect.
So that you can get on with life and all your plans to dominate the world (or even just make it through the work week).
I have a challenge for you this week ::
After you eat your next meal, sit down for 5 minutes, close your eyes and see how the food feels in your body. Is your stomach happy? A little bubbly? Angry at you for eating too fast? Unsettled from the spicy burrito? Or is everything A-Ok?
Pay attention to how you feel after you ingest your food. It’s amazing how just that awareness can help you shift your habits and your health.
Feed your body what makes it healthy and what makes it happy.
We are each, the best judge of what we need. We just have to tune in(ward) and listen.
So, what is your health + wellness philosophy? Do you subscribe to a particular way of eating?
What works for you? We all have different approaches, and I think it’s super valuable to share (without judgment of course).
Leave a comment below, I’d love to hear your story!
And I promise to share my own story of my recent cleanse with you very soon.
xo
Awesome post and I agree that we’re all individual and we need to do what works for our bodies . . . and that we need to listen to our bodies. I became a vegetarian because that’s what my body wanted. Sometimes I’m vegan. Sometimes I eat eggs or dairy or fish. Not often, but when my body needs it.
I love it Leanne! It’s amazing what happens when we just listen, isn’t it? It puts us in the drivers seat of our own health.
Thanks for commenting!
I’m going to try that challenge! I’m all about awareness, but don’t often apply it to what I eat. Thanks!
I’m excited to hear how it goes Karen! And with Thanksgiving approaching, it’ll be an extra good time to check in and have awareness about what we’re eating. 🙂
Love this!! It’s so true. We’re all different, and what works for one person won’t necessarily work for everyone. I think part of it, at least for me, is that we want easy answers. It’s far simpler to read a bit, subscribe to a belief system, and blindly follow it instead of doing the hard work of taking in multiple perspectives, slowly experimenting, and listening to your own body. Of course, that’s so much easier said than done when there’s so much emotion and social pressure around what we eat!
Also, I’m totally jealous of that raw milk cleanse. Here in Ontario, it’s illegal to sell raw dairy so you have to go through loopholes to be able to stealthily buy it (I think it involves buying a share of a cow or something). Craaazy!
Dara!! So glad you’re here, thanks for your thoughtful comment. And I completely agree – we want quick, easy answers so we can get on with life. It’s a lot of work to educate ourselves and a lot of patience to get to the core of what we’re really feeling.
I seriously can’t believe it’s illegal in so many places. Makes me sad, because raw milk is pretty amazeballs. 🙂
Love this, Steph 🙂
This is one of these things that I can talk about till I turn blue in the face… We give our food choices waaaay too much emotional power. Just because something works for me doesn’t mean it will work for you- which is something I always keep in mind when asked about the food choices I make.
Now I’m all psyched to hear about your raw milk cleanse- and where you got the milk in the first place! 😉
xoxo
So true Kayla! It’s time to take the power over our health + especially our diet choices back. Will def be posting soon about the raw milk! I know I’m such a rebel! 😉
Apparently a place here in Southern California got raided not that long ago – all over raw milk. Crazy!
A naturopathic doc once told me that parasites are hard as hell to get rid of, so if the raw milk cleanse worked for you more power to you! You want to get those nasty things out of your system pronto. People need to realise that NO ONE DIET WORKS FOR EVERYONE. We all have bio-individuality so we each need to listen to our own bodies and see what works for us. I hope you got rid of those parasites. Was it from sushi?
Yes parasites are no good! In fact, it’s estimated that up to 90% of Americans have them in some form or another (from food, travel to foreign places, they can even be transmitted by kissing!). And they wreak havoc on our bodies. Kinda scary (and gross). 🙂
Thanks so much for the support Christina ~ will reveal more in my upcoming post about the cleanse.
Oh em gee, your breakdown of dogmatic eaters has me in stitches. So darn accurate!
I’m totally curious where this mentality that there is one right answer comes from… maybe the allopathic one size fits all approach? Finding that perfect diet for your body is such a hero’s journey fo sho. And I feel like it changes over time which can really be quite frustrating.
I hope the raw milk diet helps your gut, that sounds no bueno. Parasites and fungus are super hard to get rid of. No bueno
So true Mara, our diets morph and shift as we age, as we encounter health chanllenges, etc. It’s like riding a wave. You just have to roll with it and be flexible (so I’m learning)! Thanks for your comment + I so appreciate it. 🙂
Steph, this very concept is something I want to fully emphasize in my health coaching practice! I, too, can talk about this all day. It really is disturbing to me that there is so much judgement in the health and wellness industry, which really negates the spirit well-being. As a conscious omnivore, I feel like I’m still in the minority and have to remind my classmates at IIN that it’s about bio-individuality…Thanks for writing about this! Loved reading it.
Yes!! I’m so glad you’re out there doing what you’re doing and spreading the concept of bio-individuality. It’s SO important. Thank YOU for your thoughts (happy thanksgiving!!). xo
I’m another one who could talk about this topic all day. I try to eat as “clean” as possible (no processed foods, sugar, artificial anythings, etc) and catch a lot of flack for it. I don’t understand why so many people around me have an opinion about what I eat. Doesn’t bother me a bit what they decide to have for lunch. I am a firm believer that you are what you eat. How you feed your body is just as important as how you feed your mind! Take care, Stephanie.
Love this, thanks Liz! It really is funny how “emotional” people get about diet. 🙂
I just read part one and two and I must tell you, I loved every little bit of it!
I’ve never even done a cleanse, so for me this was the perfect introduction.
Also, it gave me the push I needed, to finally do something about MY health. I’ve been emo-eating for years now and I’m a yoyo-dieter. I’ve been struggling with my health for a while now (doctors think I might have IBS as well) and I’ve never actually completed the tests, just because I’m scared of the result. So it’s time to take action and do something about it!
I’ve found a center for ‘mindful eating’ (http://www.me-nu.org/mindfulness/eating.aspx?l=en&c=650&cc=0&gc=0&p=889), so I think I’ll take it from there!
To 2013! xx
Oh Femke, I’m so glad you’re here! Thank you for sharing your own struggles. I too felt super scared of the results of testing and was always worried I would have something “seriously” wrong with me. As it turns out, I’m ok – but it’s good to be informed so that you can stay on top of your health. I’m rooting for you + thinking of you + if you need any encouragement or recommendations, don’t hesitate to reach out! xo