Customize a Food Plan that Works for You

Customize a Food Plan that Works for You

          On my healing journey I am constantly working with a nutritionist to make small changes to my diet in order to develop the best food plan for my medical needs.  There are many different food plans claiming to be the best and healthiest food plan for people.  We are all unique individuals and need to customize a food plan for our body and medical needs.  I sometimes get stuck in the thinking that if it is not on the recommended food list of the diet that I am following then it will not be a good choice for me.
          I just recently had the MRT blood test and gluten cross reactive foods blood test and gained valuable information to help me make an optimal  food plan for my medical needs.  I tend to use the Paleo and Specific Carbohydrate diet as guides to choose healthy food options for my body and illness. However, corn and lentils have come up as suggestions for foods that my body did not react to on the blood tests.  The nutritionist recommends trying to add it into my diet and see how my body and ailments react to it.  I was reluctant because corn and lentils are definately not approved foods on Paleo or the specific carbohydrate diet.  The goal is to make a liveable diet with as many foods as possible that agree with my body to promote variety in my diet.  I am learning that these diets are just a helpful guide for me to build a foundation for my food plan and then I have to change and customize it for my health needs.  In the coming months I will decide when is the right time to reintroduce these foods into my diet to see if they agree with me.
         Different diets work for different people.  It is easy to get into the habit of saying certain food groups are not healthy for people, but we have to remember each person has their own unique needs.  One food may work great for one person and be like poison to another, so thank God we have so many healthy food options. I have worked hard to learn how to read my body signals if a food is agreeing with me or not.  My only suggestion for everyone would be to make your food plan foundation based on real foods.  Whole real unprocessed foods are the foods that the human body recognizes and uses to get adequate nutrients for health and healing.  Just Jerf which means "Just Eat Real Food" is a great motto to live by.  Remember when you are adding in new foods and making changes to your food plan, make one small change at a time.  This will allow you to monitor your bodies symptoms to see if your body can tolerate the new food.  There is no one perfect diet. Everyone has different needs, so customize your food plan according to your needs.
          The body has the power to heal itself if given the right nutrition, exercise and sleep. Work on living a lifestyle that reduces stress and anxiety.  Eat nutrient dense foods and move your body to create a healing flow within your body. The body is happiest when balanced, so stay open to new things in order to positively affect your healing journey.  I took a yoga class the other day and really enjoyed it. The movement, breathing and relaxation I felt while doing yoga positively affected and stimulated my digestive tract. I am currently working on staying open to food restrictions and additions on my plan in order to create the best food plan for my health, healing and well being.  Eating real food, moving the digestive tract, exercising your muscles and managing stress are key to healthy living and healing. Just be in the moment and focus on the here and now instead of always focusing on the end result.  Marinate in your journey of healing and be proud of all your accomplishments.
          Yes, sometimes the road to healing is long and paved with lots of fustration.  There are days when I get irritated with the gas and bloating especially when I think I am doing everything right.  When I get low, I try to really focus on what I can do instead of what I can't do.  I love tea and tea cups but recently I got diagnosed with a food sensitivity to tea and can not drink it anymore.  So instead of dwelling on the fact that I can't have tea, I started looking for something else I can enjoy in my tea cups. Now every morning and night I drink hot water in all of my tea cups I love, and I feel satisfied.  It really is all in how you look at situations.  God made us free beings, and he respects our right to choose how to live.  I choose to live a healthy positive lifestyle in order to feel well, healthy, happy, joyful and at peace.  When I feel good, I believe I positively impact myself, my family and the world.  I know the food choices I make directly impact my health and well being, so when I decide to eat something I always think about how I will feel after I eat the food. I ask myself, " Will this food positively impact my healing and healthy living or not?".  Don't get upset if a new food you try does not work because there will always be other foods to try.  Just stay focused, hopeful and positive and you will continue on your path to healing and wellness.