So the obvious statement I could make is we are all different. Externally, that statement is easy to see but let’s think internally. About two years ago, I came across a concept called biological individualism. It is actually a book written by Roger Williams in the 1950s. The book goes over how each ones personal differences in metabolism, cell structure, and composition of bodily fluids influence our overall health. Essentially, it is the reason why diets are more like fads than actual lifestyles. Bio-indivisualism is why some people do good on all carb diets and some don’t.
Let’s take a look at metabolism and how it changes over time. When we were teenagers, our metabolism burned calories much faster but as we age, it slows down. Our hormone levels also change and so we have to change our diets to help our bodies compensate for the loss. That understanding alone shows us that a diet that might have been good for us in our twenties wouldn’t be good for us in our forties.
Another aspect of bio-individualism is knowing your blood type. For instance, type B folks do better on dairy whereas type A’s digest animal proteins better. Bottom line is understanding who you are internally will go a long way in shaping your lifestyle changes instead of jumping on the latest fad bandwagon and falling off a couple of months later.
So, let’s have a call to internal accountability. Test the food you eat and see how you are affected by it. For example, try eating a stuffed baked potato and see how you feel afterward. Another time, try a tossed salad and see how you feel. Take mental notes and learn from them. Did you feel tired? Did you get energized? Are you cranky, happy or sad? Believe it or not, the food we eat can and does affect us this way. I tested myself like this for about two months and learned alot about my own diet needs. I don’t do well with carbs. I thrive on vegetables, fruits, and moderate amounts of animal proteins. I found that I do best on a plant based diet , a minimum of about 85%. Remember, we are all different and we won’t know what works for us until we test ourselves. Essentially, it’s all about having a better life.
