You are what you Eat

Photo by ella olsson

“You are what you eat.” At least that’s what most of us have heard, or been told at some point in our lives. In truth though, “You are what your digestive system can absorb and process.” as my old mentor Graham Jellett used to tell me. And there is a world of difference between the two. In the modern day health sphere there are more new diets, superfoods and health hacks than you can shake a stick at. It’s hard to decipher what to eat when there is so much information that is not grounded in experiential knowledge. It’s one thing to be told a food is good for you. To eat it and to experience the effect it has on your body is to know the truth. Eating well should be simple.

How do I eat for better digestion?

Simply. That is to say, a diet should be easy to follow. Rigid diets, elimination of entire food groups, and overly restrictive diets are all detrimental to healthier digestion as a long-term solution. Why? Because too much restriction creates stress, tension, anxiety around eating food-most of which is held as stagnation in the tissues of the abdomen and leads to dysfunction of the gut. Most importantly eating food should be enjoyed and savoured, a meal should be a nurturing act not just a quota of calories to be chowed down hurriedly whilst flickering through social media. Slow down, cut out distraction, be mindful of your food and how it tastes-simply be present.

Another thing that is vital is to cook, cook well and where possible cook slowly. The act ofcooking is beneficial for the digestive system-because it can be a meditative act, particularly once you are confident in your skills and know a few recipes. Cooking soups, stews and slow-cooked foods not only delivers delicious food but is much better for our body than tearing through a drive through for fast food, or reheating a frozen meal from the supermarket. Food that is prepared with love, in a calm and relaxed way is always going to be better to eat than something prepared in a rush or by someone in a stressed state. I’m notsaying you have to be as zen as the buddha every time you cook but at the very least, cookmindfully and enter the kitchen with as much ease and comfort as you can find. Food is a ritual, keep it sacred. And food is just like spirituality-a little goes a long way. Don’t overeat.

What do I eat?

Whatever is in season. It’s that simple. Go to a local farmer’s market, organic grocer and see what is growing locally and in season and eat it. If it’s organic all the better. Eating tropical fruit in the middle of winter is a privilege, not a necessity. There I said it, you don’t need a banana a day. 

From there listen to what your body needs-not what your mind tells you is morally acceptable. If you need to eat meat, fish, eggs, ghee to survive then eat them. If you can survive on almond butter, kale and pure sunlight then more power to you Truly. There are some with constitutions that support vegetarian and vegan diets. There are also those that don’t.

In terms of eating protein, carbohydrates, and fats, balance is key-all are fine, at the right times and in the right amounts. A small amount of protein at every meal is good. Carbohydrates such as oats, rice, potatoes are best eaten after exercise or in small to moderate amounts. With fats, things such as ghee, organic butter, avocados, nuts, olive oil are healthy choices.

What not to eat?

I think we all know what not to eat if we’re honest with ourselves-the ultra-processed foods and the ones laced with sugar, chemical additives and all kind of processed food. Chances are if if the food is as close to its natural state as possible-you’ll be fine. Your body will tell you if it’s not-just listen to it.

Above all, for the love of food-keep it simple, and delicious. Your body will love you for it.

With love