I've had a lot of illnesses lately and the final straw was getting an allergic reaction this week which made my eyes and upper lip swell up. Nice. I knew something wasn't quite right for someone who is as active and supposedly healthy as me. So, determined to get to the bottom of it (despite knowing really what was happening...too much sugar...too much chocolate...) I went to see someone who did a Vegatest this morning. It's a bio-electrical analysis that tests all sorts of foods, environmental triggers, organs, vitamin and mineral deficiences, everything.
The results showed that indeed I am showing a huge reaction to sugar, tea, chocolate - all the things that I crave and eat daily. Despite knowing that it's bad for me, I still eat it, I positively crave it. Despite knowing that I am hungry for carbohydrate in the form of grains (I'm showing no reaction to these by the way, or dairy), I ignore my bodies call for it and focus on what I think I 'should' be eating or the other bad stuff, like sugar. Gone has the balance. I should be eating most foods, most food groups, not cutting one out which forces me to crave another. In fact, I SHOULD be eating what my body needs, which is a little of all food groups. In cutting out major food groups like carbohydrates (in the form of grains), I crave other types of energy to keep me going. I get to the end of the day and BAM! I need sugar and I need it now!
So, I am about to embark on clearing my body of this sugar, tea and chocolate (and oranges weirdly) that create havoc in my body and leaves me feeling tired with no energy. Perhaps then, after a few weeks I can have a little of what I love (or maybe I won't want it by then). I will eat little and often and with mindfulness as this will keep me healthy. I won't ignore my body if it tells me that I can have a piece of rye bread and organic butter with my homemade vegetable soup. I will listen to my body and not the latest fitness trends or fads. You see, life is absolutely about balance and really listening to your body. Have a little of everything, but, if you know that something is not right for you (and we usually do), then address it.
We are all different, therefore no eating programme will suit everyone. We have to go out there (with guidance from professionals, sure), and really see what works for us. I already knew that I was taking in too much sugar, chocolate and tea, but almost needed someone to tell me that before I could make a change. Crazy. Fitness professionals seem to be the worst at taking our own advice! Let's see if I can change that, starting today!
Sam
