Can you connect how you feel with how you have been eating?

I’m sure you have heard the saying “you are what you eat!”  I really do believe there is truth in that, but what does it mean to most of us today? Have you ever noticed how you feel after you eat certain things? Do you ever feel down or depressed for no apparent reason? Do you feel sluggish and tired again when you feel you should be feeling good because you got enough sleep? I propose to you that you “feel what you eat,” and maybe if that becomes real to you, your food selections will be a reflection of your desire to feel vibrant and energized and excited about each day.

What happens when we eat too many processed foods? We get a lot of sodium and chemicals. According to Web MD, one common short-term effect of too much salt is your stomach feeling swollen. Long term problems, as you know, are high blood pressure, stroke, and heart disease. Our bodies need to keep our minerals in balance, so one way to feel better is to eat more foods in their natural state (not from boxes and packages.)

The other thing I want to briefly address is sugar. Sugar upsets the delicate balance of good and bad bacteria in your gut, and that is a host for many possible ailments, beginning with inflammation that can happen anywhere in the body. Speaking from personal experience and observation, not only does it cause brain fog, but you also develop a craving for more sugar.  Simple carbohydrates like white flour products turn right to sugar, and that is not a good thing for your mood or energy level. I could go on and on about the negative effects of sugar, but I really just wanted to address connecting what you eat to how you feel.

If you find yourself feeling crappy and blaming it on age, or the weather, or the co-worker, it might be time to check what you have been eating. Remember, food is information to your body to be able to complete all the important and necessary work that it does. I don’t want just any Joe Schmo working on my car; and I don’t want poor nutrition keeping me from exacting the most out of my body and mind functions!