The Diary and Wheat Debate

It’s very common for me to have a new client discuss with me their fears about having to give up staples in their diet. Some of these staples include wheat, dairy, corn and soy. I am shocked at how these healthy foods have gotten such a bad reputation! Recently there are even more that are being cast in a negative light like lentils and even bone broth!

The first thing I ask these clients that are fearful and distraught is “How do you feel when you eat these foods?”. Many of the people I work with eat these and other top offenders, but don’t listen to their body’s reaction. I mean, who can blame them? We often are so busy in our lives that we are running from work to home, from activity to activity! A lot of us parents are just doing the best we can. Who has time to listen to their body?

But here, here is the key. Many of these same clients are hurting, feeling low energy, inflammation and digestive upset. They just haven’t taken the time to connect some of the foods they are eating with these feelings of discomfort. In my opinion, I feel a first step should be to start eating good whole foods and hydrating our body’s properly before we start eliminating half the food in our day to day routine. Especially foods that are nutrient dense and healthy.

So, what can you do if you want to know if you are sensitive to some of these offending foods? Try to eliminate them! Whoa!!  I’m not saying forever! I suggest you take them out of your diet for anywhere from four days to two weeks. That’s doable right? If you can cut them out and feel your body’s reaction to not having them you are starting the listening process. Did your energy go up? Did it go down? Does your body work better without them? Are you feeling less burdened without them? Or maybe you are craving them now that they are gone. Are you fixated on when the next slice of bread or bowl of popcorn will be coming? These are the things you need to become aware of. Next, add those foods back in. Go slowly, add just one serving at once meal to start and see what your body tells you. Are you bloated? Did the inflammation come back? Or maybe nothing happened at all! These, (as well as others) are signs that these foods may not be serving you the way nature intended or if there were not reactions, that food may not be the culprit.

So now what? Well, that’s a good question! If you find that you are eliminating and re-introducing foods and many of them are giving you symptoms what do you do? This step is a little trickier. There can be several contributing factors to why your body may be reacting to certain foods. This takes a little more digging and a little more experimenting. It can all become quite overwhelming! If you find that you have tested a few foods and there are fewer and fewer foods that your body feels good consuming, then it may be a sign that you are dealing with leaky gut. This is where seeking the help of an expert may be your best course of action.

There may be several paths we can take to help reduce intestinal permeability and get you back to eating the foods you love! So, the bottom line is, don’t despair! If you are searching a healthy way of eating, if you are looking to improve your digestion, lose some weight, feel more energy and less inflammation, it can be done and it doesn’t mean giving up all the foods you love for the rest of your days!

Are you looking to get even healthier? Are you dealing with possible food sensitivities but don’t want to have to give up the foods you love forever? Could you use some support figuring out what foods you may be sensitive to and need a practical plan to be able to live your life? Curious about how nutritional health coaching can help you make healthy changes? Let’s talk! Schedule an initial complimentary consultation with me today—or pass this offer on to someone you care about! Visit www.noshoesnutrition.com and sign up for a FREE consultation.  I work with people from all over the world individually or in groups so don’t let anything hold you back!