Mindbodygreen founder Jason Wachob, redefines successful living and offers readers a new life currency to build on, one that is steeped in wellbeing…Wellth.
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WEALTH
(noun) Derived from the Middle English, welthe: meaning well-being and happiness
: a large amount of money and possessions.
WELLTH
(noun) A new and more valuable life currency
: a life exemplified by abundance, happiness, purpose, health, and joy.[/bluebox]
EAT
One of the first and most elemental aspects of accruing wellth comes from how we nourish our bodies. It seems that everyone wants to know the perfect ‘diet’ in order to look great. Many think that means eating exclusively organic, vegetarian/vegan, raw, Paleo, low-fat, or low-carb foods. But how do you tell which eating is best for you?
Is there a one-size-fits-all diet that leads to wellth?
Grow your life savings
How do we know when our approach to diet isn’t working? Dr. Frank Lipman is one of my food gurus and is also my doctor. He shared his thoughts on diet, which I have incredibly helpful as I continue to reasses what feels right in my body.
5 Signs your diet isn’t working for you
1. You are tired and listless much of the day. If you’re fatigued or lethargic much of the time and lean on caffeine and sugar to prop yourself up, it’s time to take a close look at what you’re eating. Chances are, your diet is too short on nutrients to support you the way it should; so instead of feeling vibrant, you’re exhausted and drained.
2. Your belly is misbehaving. A lot. Bloating, gas, constipation, IBS, indigestion, and other digestive ills that so many of us think of as normal or routine are anything but one of the major signs that a dietary change is in order is digestion that’s off. You’re likely eating foods that irritate your digestive system, leading to an imbalance in your gut flora, those bacterial good guys who live in your gut, help you to digest your food, produce vitamins, excrete toxins, regulate hormones, and generally keep everything moving in the right direction.
3. Your moods are all over the map. Food has an impact on your mood. If you often feel like you’re on an emotional roller coaster, it may be your diet that’s taking you for a ride. Eating a diet that’s high in sugar, gluten, alcohol, caffeine, or other irritants can push your mood up and down throughout the day, leaving you depressed, irritated and anxious, regardless of how else the day is going.
4. You have skin issues that are written all over your face or body. What’s going on internally is reflected externally, specifically on your skin. So if you’re besieged by breakouts, rashes, eczema, or other skin issues, you should definitely take a hard look at what you’re putting into your body.
5. You always feel as if you’ve ‘got something’ or are a little off. Eating foods that are damaging to your body can send your immune system into overdrive. Your gut’s lining is extremely thin–it’s just one cell thick–and damage to it can be extremely problematic.
The Fix
1. Try to eliminate diet, and be your own irritant detective. If you really want to find out which foods are irritating your body and undermining your health and vitality, start with an elimination diet. This means removing the most common allergens or irritants from your diet. At the top of the potential irritants list: sugar, gluten, corn, soy, dairy, and alcohol.
2. Then reintroduce foods slowly. After you complete an elimination diet, I suggest you reintroduce foods slowly, one at a time, to see what kind of reaction (if any) you have to each one.
3. Keep a food journal to monitor what works–and what doesn’t. As you’re reintroducing foods you’ve eliminated, make sure to keep a food journal. This practice can be extremely helpful when you’re figuring out what type of diet will keep you feeling your best. Note how your body responds to the food you’ve eaten. Did it make you feel tired? Energized? Moody? Did it digest well, or did you feel bloated? Did you get a headache?
4. Shake up your diet–try new foods. One of the most important things you can do on your personal health journey is to be open to trying new ways of eating. If you’ve always eaten a lot of grains and beans and stayed away from animal products and you’re not feeling great, you might try experimenting with a diet that includes more high-quality animal products and fewer grains to find out how your body responds.
Related Reading:
Complement Wellth with Why dieting doesn’t usually work?
