Have you check out what’s on Netflix Canada lately? Besides all the binge watching shows. Netflix has added quite a few health-related documentaries. My latest watch is What the Health.
I’m only half way through it so I cannot give a complete review on What the Health. If you are already passionate about health and wellness like I am a lot of the information isn’t new or surprising. Except this was the first time I heard about the link between chicken and diabetes. But besides that. Whether you are familiar with all the controversy or a total newbie it’s hard not to get overwhelmed by all the information.
Eat this, not that. Eat that, not this. Who’s right?
Here are some tips if you are feeling overwhelmed.
Don’t believe everything you read or hear. Although it’s a great starting point it may or may not be completely true. The best thing is to do your own research but use the information from what you heard as a starting ground.
Try not too implement too much change at one.If you are going from a mostly process food diet and want to transition to a strictly plant-based diet do so in steps. Very few people can go from such a huge change and maintain it long-term. Our bodies aren’t meant to adapt that quickly.
Use your own judgement and listen to your own body.Here’s the easy thing about eating health. If you learn to tap into how you feel after you eat you will quickly discover what works best for you. Pay attention to how you feel immediately after you eat, within 30 minutes and after a few hours. How is your energy level? Are you still hungry or are you satisfied? Are you suffering from brain fog or is your mind clear?
Become an “eater without a title”. Vegan. Paleo. South beach diet. There’s so many diets out there which one is best? They can become too restrictive. Why do we need to identify with one diet only? Why not take the things you love from the diets and lifestyles that appeal to you. For example, when I was in my early teens I became a vegetarian. But I ate cheese, eggs and fish. Some people would still consider this diet a vegetarian diet others wouldn’t. I found myself defending my food choices to fit the vegetarian title which can be exhausting (ironically it’s the people who aren’t even eating healthy being the ones the challenged me). Rather than trying to fit into a title I just eat what I like. Sometimes I eat fish a couple of times a week, other times a will go months without eating it.
Michael Pollan, who also has a documentary on Netflix Canada called In Defense of Food, simplifies everything in this quote: “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.” He goes on to stay what if you grandmother or great grandmother didn’t eat it, you should probably not too. To me this is commonsense and I use it as a guideline when making healthy food choices.
Happy watching everyone!