What DIET really stands for...

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I came across this piece recently, and it really resonated with me. The underlying premise is simple... the power of food.

D.I.E.T. = Did I Eat Today?*

  • Did I eat today for more energy?

  • Did I eat today to feel good all day long?

  • Did I eat today to balance my hormones?

  • Did I eat today for better skin, hair and nails?

  • Did I eat today to improve my memory?

  • Did I eat today to stimulate my libido?

  • Did I eat today to scavenge cholesterol from my blood?

  • Did I eat today to lower my triglycerides?

  • Did I eat today to feel more joy?

  • Did I eat today to reverse my autoimmune disease?

  • Did I eat today to solve my blood sugar issues?

What I love about this is that it isn’t dictating what we “should” be eating – rather, it is simply stating how food impacts what goes on in our bodies. Food as medicine.

While every meal can damage, every meal can also heal.

It’s also implying that we need to eat! That deprivation is not the way to go to get healthy. Truth be told, deprivation is not even the way to lose weight.

Finally, it takes a positive approach. In fact, it would be a great list to have on a fridge just as you open the fridge door, but starting instead with, “Am I eating today to balance my hormones?” or “Am I eating today to solve my blood sugar issues?” Just a little reminder that the choices we make have an impact.

It’s about nourishment
There is so much talk about self-care nowadays, especially given the stress faced by many. Self-care is essential - I just wish food was on the table (yes, pun intended!) as one form of self-care. In fact, I would probably put food at the top of the list.

It’s nourishment for our bodies, our brains… our livelihood. “Did you eat to feel good all day long? Did you eat today to feel more joy.” Yes, food can do this for us.

The challenge
Of course, it’s never that simple. The challenges of change are many:

  • new habits are hard to develop

  • lack of time to think about it, let alone prep

  • not knowing where to start

  • being mislead by “healthy” claims

  • doing it alone when the rest of your family isn’t onboard

But when you look at the DIET list, you realize that the choices we make on a daily basis will either help us or hurt us. Period. So what to do?

Start small
The trick? As with any new habit or change, start small. Choose one thing. And then stick with it. For example:

  • Add one more vegetable to your daily intake

    • by doing this you can put a check by everything on the D.I.E.T. list

  • Remove one thing that you know is affecting how you feel (think: sugar and refined carbohydrates)

    • Again, you can √ everything on the D.I.E.T. list

  • Include protein at breakfast – eggs, greek yogurt, nut butters, legumes

    • Yup... check everything off the list

  • Think about timing of eating – eating an earlier dinner (ending 2-3 hrs before bed) with no snacking before bed can improve blood pressure and blood sugar (also much better for sleep and weight loss)

  • Make a goal to have leafy greens every day (if you don’t already) – tip – make a simple lemon vinaigrette at the beginning of the week to use with your leafy greens all week. Or toss greens in a smoothie. Just remember – think rainbow/variety

    • √ – especially when it comes to brain health

As we age, we need to be more vigilant about our health. If you lack energy, are having more memory issues, have sore joints, feel arthritis creeping in, have high blood pressure or high cholesterol, perhaps stubborn (and growing) fat around your waistline, or gaining weight in general… these are things that need to be addressed now, not later.

What you choose to feed yourself can make a lifetime of difference… what kind of difference is up to you.

Happy eating and thanks for reading :)

Gillian xx

If you need help navigating anything to do with nutrition, sleep, cognitive health or stress management, reach out for a free Discovery call to see if I can be of service.

Or, if all you need is a reboot, I have relaunched my popular Spring Walk & Talk program for those of you in Toronto – an hour long, socially distanced, walk in nature where we discuss your past and present health, your challenges and your goals. You leave with recommendations you can implement immediately, followed up with a personalized action plan. A great launch into spring :)

*credit goes to Haylie Pomroy and her book Fast Metabolism Food Rx, who conceived of D.I.E.T. = Did I Eat Today? (although I did add a line of my own ;-)