There are so many different diets touted as being best; the diet that will help you lose weight, the diet that will cure all disease, the diet that will eliminate all digestive discomfort…….it’s hard to know where to turn.
So what is the golden miracle of all diets????⠀
What if the best diet was about gaining more energy, feeling healthier, getting ahead of any disease and feeling at the top of your game?⠀
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What if there wasn’t any one specific diet?
What if you just ate what was right for you as an individual at the stage of your life that you are in right now?⠀
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The way of eating I generally recommend is one that is supportive of the gut microbiota. A diet that incorporates a diversity of foods and is supportive of each individual’s needs at that particular time of their life.⠀
At different times of the year, different times of our lives and dependant upon our health and well-being and our personal goals, our nutritional and energy requirements will differ. We are not static; humans by nature are evolving and dynamic, therefore our diet needs to support this.⠀
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My personal view is that there is no one perfect diet for any individual for the rest of their lives. In fact, I believe that sticking to one diet regime for too long can actually be detrimental to the gut microbiome and therefore our overall health and well-being.⠀
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In regards to diet, I believe diversity is key.
Diversity is in regards to the plant foods we eat and changing up the foods we eat on a daily basis. This variety provides us with a variety of microbiota feeding foods, a variety of micronutrients, a variety of beneficial phytochemicals and a variety of life. Not only is it supportive to our health but it reduces diet boredom and this alone will encourage us to stick to a healthful dietary plan rather than eat healthy for a week, get bored, feel disengaged and go out for that greasy takeaway because we feel we are missing out in life.
Challenge yourself to expand your food choices. Next time you are at the supermarket go in search of the vegetables you’d not normally eat; Look at the bulk food section and explore the ancient grains with names that you have no idea how to pronounce; Change up your white rice to red or black rice.
Try something new and diversify your diet. Aim to make meal-times an adventure and exciting.
Natalee Durrant – Naturopath and Medical Herbalist
