Am I eating food that will be used as a tool to help or harm me?
That is a question we have to ponder daily. Most humans eat every day, which makes food something that we have to take into consideration.
All of your food choices come with a direct or indirect repercussion. That can be for the betterment or worsening of your health.
Over the years of studying health and holistic wellness, I have learned that you are responsible for your decisions. That being decisions for your wellbeing, children, family, career, etc. It all plays a role in the lifestyle and quality thereof that you will ultimately live.
What kind of lifestyle do you envision for yourself? Is it one of peace, total health, lack of disease, optimal mobility, and quality of years lived? If so, then this does not come without a price.
Furthermore, here are some ways to know if what you are eating is helping or harming the state of your health.
1. You Feel Tired Every Time You Eat
One thing that I realized when I started this healthy living journey is that fast food drained me. That is no exaggeration when I say that I felt lifeless each time I would have fast food. At first, I thought it might just be me, but my husband felt the same way. We perceived this as a tell-tell sign that we need to look into the ingredients and additives used by these restaurants.
Upon researching, I discovered that the fast-food restaurants we enjoy have lots of sodium, refined sugar, and cholesterol, to name a few. That was a very shocking truth to me. When determining if the purpose of fast food is to help or harm, I discovered the latter. I assumed that fast-food restaurants, at least, had their customers’ best interests in mind. So this is a plea with you to be aware of how your body reacts when you eat fast food.
2. Gas and Digestive Issues
In addition, research shows that over 2.1 million Americans struggle with IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) or other digestive related issues. That is primarily due to diet choices daily. When consuming items like dairy, red meat, and refined sugar, you can develop digestive problems such as bloating consequently.
You may notice that you have more abdominal pain, gas, diarrhea, or constipation when eating these items. That is a sign that you might have a food-related intolerance, and may need to revamp your diet. As a result, you will be helping your body toward health overall.
3. Emotional Eating
Another way to know if you are eating in a way that helps or harms your health is through your eating patterns. Eating with the thought of soothing emotions can be a slippery slope. As discussed in a previous blog post, emotional eating affects more people than you think. It is certainly not a helpful, not healthful eating practice, but a harmful one.
Turning to food to cure your emotional distress can be harmful in the long run. That practice interferes with digestion and can lead to obesity, diabetes, and certain types of cancer.
However, a healthy practice that treats emotional eating is therapy. A licensed professional can help you understand the root of your emotional eating habits. As a result, you can grow and learn new ways to incorporate healthy practices.
4. Trouble Losing or Maintaining Weight
Furthermore, weight management is another way to know if your eating habits are helpful or harmful. Do you have trouble losing or maintaining a healthy weight? That is a primary indicator that you consume unhealthy food.
Often times people will diet for months on end with no resolve. For this reason, it is not about a diet but a total mindset and lifestyle shift. That is what leads to healthy weight loss and maintenance. Check out this blog on how to lose weight efficiently and keep it off.
5. Constantly Getting Sick
Last but not least, illness or lack of is an indicator that you are eating to help or harm your body. Think about the last time you were ill and the time it took for your body to recover. The answer to this question is an indication of the way you eat daily.
When you constantly get sick throughout every season, this can indicate that something isn’t right. The food you eat can contribute to inflammation, which is harmful to the body’s immune response. With inflammation comes illness. So this is why you should make it a priority to consume anti-inflammatory food every day. There will be more on this in the future.
Withal, now you should be able to identify if you are eating harmful or helpful food.
As you go into this next week, think about these things when making food selections. It will get easier over time with every ‘small’ decision you make.
