Theories on the Best Way to Eat

You may be asking yourself, "So how do I know what I should be cooking or eating? What is the optimal diet for me?" There are a number of theories that address those questions, many of which have been written down and tested. Making sense of these theories is up to you.

There is a great deal of information available on how to eat today.  So many books and articles have been written on achieving the best diet possible for weight loss, overall health or for specific ailments.  However, everyone is different and it is very likely there is no single best answer to the question, "What should I eat?"

The other issue that is commonly ignored when dealing with diet and lifestyle change is, "What do I think and why?"  Too often people are given a command to follow a particular regimen with little regard as to why.  Understanding the concepts behind the commands are important as it frees people up to decide for themselves.  We are much more likely to participate fully in a program we design for ourselves since we know ourselves best.

The challenge is then twofold:

1- To prepare yourself for the challenges ahead.

and

2- To arm yourself with information.

Self-Work
I've found that combining concepts from several sources of information can be better than just sticking to one method.  This requires that you experiment a bit and that you know your own body better than the average Joe.  It also requires you to think and make judgments about the information you receive.

Another quality you must possess is patience.  Many food programs require time to work.  It simply isn't possible to see results overnight and anyone that says otherwise is probably selling something.  Be patient with the routines you adopt and patient with yourself.  Making mistakes is part of being human.  There is no need to punish yourself for failing.  It happens.  Gently pick yourself up and try again.

Becoming a good cook and a good eater also requires you to be an active participant in your own well-being.  Leaving the decisions to someone else may be easier, but ultimately you are the one responsible for what you pick up and put in your body.  You also might need to become a skeptic and question concepts that come from traditionally trusted sources like doctors, governments and other such institutions.  This doesn't mean you should avoid advice from those sources, but understanding what factors contribute to certain advice can be very telling.

Perhaps the single most essential personal quality required for success is the desire to improve.  By visiting this blog and reading this far, you've already proven that you are ready for change.  In reality that's what is required of someone wishing to become healthier - making permanent changes for the better.   The difference between losing weight and becoming healthier is that weight loss is often associated with temporary changes in diet or activity.  Lifestyle change is what's required for maintenance of the healthful improvements to one's life.  However no matter what anyone says, without the sustained desire to really help yourself there is no real way to succeed.

Books to Start With
The two books that have influenced the way I eat the most are Eat Right 4 Your Type: The Individualized Diet Solution to Staying Healthy, Living Longer & Achieving Your Ideal Weight
by Peter D'Adamo and The South Beach Diet: The Delicious, Doctor-Designed, Foolproof Plan for Fast and Healthy Weight Lossby Dr. Arthur Agatston MD.

Eat Right 4 Your Type suggests an optimal diet based on blood type and includes lists of foods most appropriate for each of 4 types.  The South Beach Diet recommends control of blood sugar by carefully combining certain types of foods.  Both books have an explanation of the concepts behind them refuted by scientific research.  They are a great place to start for anyone interested in improving their diet and subsequently their health.  Combining the styles of eating that these books suggest gives you a solid base from which to start experimenting.

These are two books that have worked for me.  While they can be great introductions to some of the concepts I stick to, I urge you to go out and do some research of your own.  You certainly don't have to stop at two books.  Make learning about food a priority.  Ask the people around you what has and has not worked for them.

(Images courtesy of public-domain.zorger.com )

Introduction

Hi, I'm Monica.

The purpose of this blog is to help people cook foods that will enhance their well-being.  By well-being I am speaking of physical health as well as psychological and spiritual health.  I strongly believe that what and how you eat determines more about your health than nearly any other factor.  Learning to cultivate good eating and cooking habits is paramount for anyone wishing to improve their lives.

A bit about me...
From day one I was considered a 'good eater'.  I ate a lot as a kid (as children often do).  I was lucky enough to have a mom who was concerned with keeping me on a healthy diet and a grandmother with a penchant for gracious Southern cooking.  Between the two of them they kept me happy and well-fed with a diet of lots of healthy and wholesome foods, much of which came from our garden.  Though I loved eating, I never really gave much thought to learning to cook.  What I did learn was how people showed their love through cooking for family and friends.

As I grew older I ventured away from my sugar-free upbringing and began to experiment with soda and candy instant ramen noodles.  Luckily I'm one of those people with a slim build and high metabolism.  I could eat all the junk food I wanted without a care.  In fact many people told me growing up that I would be able to eat whatever I wanted for the rest of my life without gaining weight.  I thought that was wonderful and so I didn't really think to much about nutrition or eating well.  I just ate whatever tasted good... in vast quantities.

When I was in high school I decided to become vegetarian for ecological and compassionate reasons.  The thought of being able to feed an entire hungry world with just vegetables and grains was very appealing to me.  However I learned over time that being vegetarian was not necessarily the best way to feed myself.  I decided to experiment with food and diet to find the right answer for me.

In the beginning I was a strict ovo-lacto vegetarian.  This lasted for several years.  I tried to eat a balanced and nutritious diet, but I wasn't a great cook and I ate a lot of junk food.  I went through occasional periods where I took dietary supplements, but as I hate swallowing pills, I would always give up on that.  I gave veganism a try while in college (and conveniently worked at a vegan restaurant).  I liked being vegan and found it wasn't as difficult as I had expected.  However I eventually caved in to a grilled cheese sandwich and found it so delicious I could never go back.  :)  After returning to ovo-lacto vegetarian, I eventually decided that I should include fish and shellfish in my diet since it was such a pain to find something to eat at a nice restaurant.  However I never cooked anything other than vegetarian meals for myself.  This continued for several years.

I didn't notice it at the time, but my health had suffered as a result of not eating an optimal diet.  I was anemic for quite a while despite my best efforts.  I suffered from hypoglycemia.  I was almost painfully thin despite how much I ate.  I suffered from depression and mood swings.  By the time I was 26 I had such severe stomach issues that I could barely eat a meal without abdominal pain.  My wonderful doctor, a naturopath, attempted to help me get back on the right path.  Her suggestion: start eating meat.

I was horrified.  For almost 12 years I had refused to eat chicken, pork or red meat and what she said opposed a major component of my identity.  Initially I refused to hear her.  Over time I grew so desperate I gave her suggestion a try.

Eventually I started to eat meat again and indeed my health did improve.  I still have a way to go to find the perfect solution to my health troubles, but every day I feel like I get a little closer.

I think there are many factors that contributed to my improved health, but it was letting go of some of my dearly-held convictions and doing something that was right for my body that changed my situation most.  The other greatest factor was learning to cook well for myself, my family and my friends.

I hope that through reading this blog, you can help yourself to find the solution to some of the issues you may be having in your life.  I can't promise that a good diet and better cooking skills will improve everything, but there is nothing like feeding yourself and those you love with nutritious, delicious food you've made yourself.  Good cooking is its own reward; Thus is the gospel of good cooking.

Thanks for reading!

- Monica