Have you ever stopped to think about what’s happening inside of your body when you eat food? If you are like most people, you don’t. Most people just eat because something tastes good or because they are hungry or bored. But if you stop and think for a moment, “what is this food doing for me?” you might start choosing to eat better quality food. Ask yourself, is this helping me sleep better, feel better, and function better? Food can and does affect every bodily function.
POOR SLEEP
Almost 90% of my clients come to me with sleep trouble. Either they have a hard time falling asleep or they wake up frequently at night. Many of them have acid reflux, anxiety, headaches, or simply don’t sleep enough. They wake up feeling tired, groggy and need a nap in the middle of the afternoon. Sleep directly affects our body’s ability to digest our food, clean up dead and damaged cells, and keep our cortisol levels in check. If you aren’t getting good quality sleep, you are going to impede your body’s ability to burn fat and restore homeostasis.
We need at least a good 8 hours of sleep, preferably more, but I don’t know many people who can swing more than 8. Try going to bed 15 minutes earlier each night for a couple of weeks working toward a reasonable bedtime. Adjust your evening schedule and make it happen. But what we eat directly affects how we sleep! Stop eating before bed and cut out the sugar and booze and I guarantee your sleep will improve.
WEIGHT GAIN
Most often it is the food/alcohol we are consuming that causes us to gain weight. This isn’t always the case and of course,s there are exceptions. I speak with so many people who think they “eat pretty healthy”, but the foods they are consuming are not nutritious, and/or they are eating the wrong combinations of foods (too many carbs plus too much fat). The mainstream “healthy foods” are anything but and will continue to contribute to that 5-10 pounds you’ve been putting on the past few years.
Food has a function. Real food is meant to be eaten for its nutrients so our bodies can function optimally. Protein, vegetables, high-fiber fruit, nuts, and seeds are all rich in vitamins and minerals that our bodies NEED to function. Our cells can grow and our can bodies function properly when we feed them the right foods (real food). When we don’t, we get fat, we sleep badly, and we feel like crap.
WHAT ARE YOU FEEDING YOUR BODY?
Do you eat vegetables every day? Do you eat a variety of meat, fish, nuts, and seeds? Most people I consult with don’t. They eat a lot of food that is brown, packaged, and made in a factory. They’re also unhappy with the way they look, feel, and function. If you want to feel better, lose weight, have more energy, and sleep better start eating vegetables. Eat high-quality protein (grass-fed or local), eat fish or take high-quality fish oil, and STOP eating SUGAR and drinking your calories! Whether it’s wine, whisky, coke, orange juice, or milk, start drinking water! Sugar and alcohol are non-nutritive substances. They aren’t food, they aren’t good for you, and they don’t serve a purpose. You may like the way they taste, but if you want to lose weight and feel better, they are the first things that need to go!
Would you plant flowers in a dark cold basement, in a pot of rocks, and water them with Coca-Cola? Of course not! The flowers wouldn’t grow, they would wither and die pretty quickly. Why would you feed your body this way and expect a different outcome? Our body needs food grown from nutrient-dense soil, water, and sunlight. You only get one body. Take care of it.
If you need help or just want to learn more about food’s function book a FREE CALL https://eatwellnutrition.net/ to find out more about my customized Nutrition coaching!
