On Food & Wellness

I used to hate salad. I found it boring and I hated that it was the staple of pretty much every desperate diet for weight loss. At least for me, this meant that salad represented deprivation. It’s very presence was an act of rebellion against the child within me that demanded chocolate chip waffles for breakfast and pizza for lunch and dinner. I mean… how could you blame me? Pizza has been shown to release natural opioids in our brains, and sugar not only messes with our serotonin but also our ability to feel the effects of dopamine in our brains! If I wasn’t eating something that wasn’t creating a rush in my system, it felt unsatisfying and limiting… like I was on the kiddy rides at Disneyland as my friends went on the rollercoasters.

I had suffered painful acid reflux since I was 8 years old and was diagnosed with IBS by 14. Nobody ever suggested a shift in diet or possible allergies. I truly believed this was just the way I was and I'd be broken, suffering from gastric distress, for the rest of my life. I'd never known anything else! I had to learn the hard way… by trial and error. Trying different cleanses, supplements, and diets over and over. All the while, feeling completely deprived and depressed that all my favorite foods seemed to make me sick. I truly resented salad for it’s kindness to my stomach yet overall lack of entertainment value.

But then I started *making* my own salads and I fell in love. I started figuring out what I liked and didn’t like… the crunch of a carrot vs the crunch of a radish. The spiciness of arugula vs the richness of spinach. I began making my own dressings out of amber honeys, stoney mustards, garlic, various oils and vinegars, seeds, and spices. They added such rich flavor profiles to the rainbow of fruits and vegetables I began to explore. I relished the newfound peace in my stomach and found myself grateful for every bite.

Salads are full of foods that are rich in prebiotics, polyphenols, and other antioxidants. All of these substances directly promote healthy gut bacteria! And did you know that our gut bacteria is responsible for producing 50% of our dopamine?! The mind and the body are deeply connected. We can get high off junk we feed ourselves that inevitably leads us to crash and fall ill… or we can choose meals that might not have that instant gratification but provide long-term well-being, balanced neurological function, and feeling good after a meal.

Self-care is more than just a catchy excuse to go take a bubble bath. It’s about making the right decisions for your body every day and becoming aware of what you’re consuming. When I switched my perspective from salad being a “deprivation food” to a vibrant, rainbow meal that will leave me feeling healthier and stronger than I did before, it truly made all the difference.

I’m also not saying that salads are *always* healthy for *everyone.* There are plenty of people that are genetically predisposed to not process leafy greens as well as steak and potatoes… and moreover, there are plenty of people out there genetically predisposed to not processing meat or cheese well at all and the vegan lifestyle is necessary!

Additionally… I believe cheat days are totally necessary. Nobody’s perfect and we all deserve a little grace. I’ve definitely snuck myself a piece of chocolate while on a cleanse… and I’m no stranger to fast food in my past. The more I contemplate the subject of diet and food the more I solidify my conclusion that what truly matters is being present, listening to your body, and continually finding ways to shift your mindset to better nurture mind, body, and soul. Life is too short to spend beating yourself up with a shame flogger after indulging in a decadent treat. Sometimes it's worth the pain ;)

In the end, if we do find ourselves having to make dietary shifts because something isn’t working, the most important thing to remember is to stay present. Wishing for things to be different or convincing yourself you’re “missing out” is just a way to distract yourself from what really matters — FEELING GOOD! Every meal is an opportunity to show yourself some love… and that also doesn’t mean forcing yourself to eat something “good for you” that you hate. You have the option to either find a way to fall in love with it, the way I did with salad, or you don’t have to eat it! Find something that satisfies you on all levels… something you enjoy to eat but also leaves you feeling clean, quick-witted, and light.

And lastly, don’t give up! It’s taken my whole life to figure out what foods make my body, mind, and soul all happy… turns out they like to disagree a lot. It takes a lot of patience, time, attention, and sometimes help to get it all figured out. Try an elimination diet! Try a cleanse! Try out an epigenetic coach! Try out a nutritionist! It won’t be a waste of time or money if the end result is you learning something new about better nurturing yourself. Also know that the learning process never ends... our bodies are constantly changing and there will always be risks of reacting to things that didn't create reactions in the past. Take what works, discard what doesn’t serve you, and keep going.

From time to time, I will continue this series on Food & Wellness by sharing a myriad of different recipes and information about different foods. They will range from paleo-friendly to vegan-friendly. I have A LOT to share on this topic in general, as well. From discovering my food allergies via fasts and elimination diets, the amazing revelations I had when I used an epigenetic coach to discuss my diet and sleep patterns, and my thoughts on more abstract concepts like how our digestive system and eating patterns are connected to other seemingly unrelated parts of our lives!

Until next time,

Lauren Morgan

ShadowFox Wellness