After being at university today, and talking with my fellow students about healthy eating, one thing became really clear. Diet and food can be very confusing subjects. It seems like there is an ocean of advice, and no way to know which advice to follow. There are so many people saying that their way of eating is best, and that if we eat certain foods, we will be unhealthy. People I know have found this subject so confusing that they end up giving up all efforts to be healthy and they eat whatever they want. They find it easier to give up.
Whilst I completely understand this, I don't believe that this is the right approach. In our circle of family and friends we have vegetarians, vegans, dairy intolerances, gluten intolerances, saturated fat allergies (this one is tricky as it means no meat, dairy, avocado or coconut), specific allergies to nuts, some fruits and shellfish. We cook for people who represent a wide variety of diets, and today I want to share some common themes of the most healthy people I know.
1. They think about their health.
Do you feel bloated and have pain in your stomach after eating? Do you have headaches throughout the day? Do you get tired and foggy throughout the day? Do you have an autoimmune disease? Do your children have behavioural issues?
If you can answer yes to any of these questions, it is worth looking at your diet. I haven't had one incident of bloating or indigestion since being on this diet - and I used to get it several times a week. I have psoriasis on my scalp (really red and sore most of the time) and it's almost all gone since going on this diet. Since day 5 I have not struggled with energy, and this week I've been finding that when I sit down to read or work I have found that my brain is much clearer.
Sometimes I think people don't realise that we shouldn't feel ill all the time. We should feel healthy, that is normal! If you don't feel this way, do some research, find out diets and food that help people and be willing to give stuff a try. It does take a little time to do some basic research, but give yourself a time frame, and limit what you read. Talk to some healthy people you know and find out how they eat and how it has changed their health.
2. They avoid processed food.
Who doesn't have a busy week and need to feed the family oven food! I've been there, so has everyone, but most healthy people, no matter what diet they are following, chose mostly natural, whole foods and spend time preparing good food. It does take a little time and energy to eat well, but it doesn't have to take that much time. Tonight I put a fillet of salmon in the oven with some olive oil, salt and pepper. I then made a quick salad with red pepper, cucumber, tomato, red onion, avocado and prawns, and then juicing some lime juice on top. Delicious, quick and easy - it took less that 10 minutes to prepare and was ready in half an hour. Honestly, I find that the key is planning meals, more on that another day!
3. They make a choice.
There are so many opinions out there, at some point you have to make a choice. Listen to your body - if you feel sick or ill, try limiting gluten, sugar, dairy, alcohol or grain. Keep a diary of how you feel after eating and throughout the day. When you have made a choice, stick with it. My mother-in-law has done so much research, and has followed different advice over the years, and she has come to stick with cutting out processed foods and products, eating good fats (coconut oil, butter and cold olive oil) and using natural, whole foods. It must be about 10 years now, and although she listens to the latest advice, she has rested in her food choices.
You don't have to cut everything out, but making a conscious, proactive choice will help you to ignore the confusing advice. Also, whilst there is lots of advice out there, there are some common themes that most healthy people share - avoid bad fats, salt, sugar and processed food. That's a really good place to start.
4. They don't aim for perfection.
A good principle is 80/20. Aim for planning healthy meals 80% of the time. Don't aim for perfection, it's too much hard work! Food is such a fun part of life, and it's a part of life that I believe we should enjoy. Some of my favourite times are sat round the dinner table with friends eating good food, sharing a glass of wine and laughing. You don't want to over-control those times worrying about the 3 teaspoons of sugar in the desert or the big juicy steak. You want to enjoy food. But, following healthy principles 80% of the time, means that your health isn't going to pay the price when you enjoy the more unhealthy foods. We also eat whatever is placed before us when we eat in someone else's house - we don't give them a list of things that we try to avoid - knowing that we are doing great 80%, means that we can be easy guests (of course, there are some people where this can't apply for vegetarians, or people with allergies and intolerances).
The point is - keep it simple. Do think about it. Do make big changes if you are feeling that you should make some change. Do think about the food you are eating, and do read. The fact is that too many people in our country are overweight through a lack of proper diet and exercise (I know that for some thyroid or medication are the causes rather than unhealthy diets), and it is having a huge effect on the NHS and our future health. But bear in mind the 80/20 principle - give yourself some grace!