How to know what is "right"?
So, I wanted to share some thoughts on food and health. I'll try to keep a red thread a not get carried away as I normally do.
The jungle of diets
There are many ways to eat healthy. There is no magic diet that works for everyone. If you want to improve your health you must not forsake your mental health. Find an eating habit that works for you, without leaving you feeling deprived of foods you love.
Some people thrive on LCHF (low carb, high fat) - eating almost no carbs whatsoever. That means elimiting anything starchy or carby. No flour, potatoes, grains, oats, fruit, root vegetables, beans or sweet treats. They eat mainly animal protein, green vegetables and dairy products (full-fat).
Some people feel great on a so called paleo diet - avoiding grains, beans, dairy and industrially processed foods. They eat mainly animal proteins, vegetables, fruits, nuts and healthy fats from meat, fish, avocados, olive oil, and ghee (butter that has been boiled to remove the lactose).
Some people tell stories of how awesome they feel from a raw food, vegan diet - eating nothing that has been heated above 42 degrees, all to maintain optimum nutrition within the food. This will mean that you cannot eat food that require cooking, for example grains, most meats, eggs, beans. Some beans are eaten if they have been sprouted. These people most often also avoid dairy products and refined foods.
Then there are people who sort of mix and match, some eat GI (like myself), some eat just vegetarian or vegan. Some just eat. Food is primarily meant to feed our bodies and provide nutrition that will keep us healthy, alert and energized through life. But people, human beings, have a more complex relationship to food than just eating to survive and maintain optimal health. We gather around food. We socialize around food. We build bonds and show love with food. It is so important to our mental and social wellbeing that looking only on the physical aspect of food is, in my opinion, rather foolish (I've been there myself, it is not nice).
So if I want to change my lifestyle to the better, how do I know what is right?
It is hard, because we are being bombarded every day about which diet is the most efficient. All of the above diets are popular right now and if you were to believe all of them and their arguments you would be left with nothing but some leafy greens and water on your plate. That is just not sufficient, either for your physical health, nor for your mental. Actually, there are studies that suggests that starvation causes not only physical deterioration, but also mental stress, depression and anxietys (source).
So what are you supposed to eat to become the healthiest, best, optimal you? To be honest, no one can give you the answer that is right for you, except yourself. But there are a few things in common with the above popular diets that I believe contribute to their popularity (the feeling of being lighter, energized and filled with "glow"). I will go through each common ground in separate posts - but remember, these are things that I, myself, have observed and noted while reading up about health and nutrition. I do not say that my thoughts and beliefs are true to you or anyone else. They are merely my gathered ideas of how to live a healthy life, with good choices for both my soul and body.