(Author of Happy Healthy You) KJ Landis says not sacrificing your principles- when it comes to health values- is doable.
If we reach back far enough in human history, we find that human beings only began eating grains about ten thousand years ago, with the onset of the agricultural revolution. The population did not eat grains every day either, just like they didn’t eat fruit every day. They ate these things when they were available, when they grew in their area under ideal climate conditions, and when they were ripe enough to fall or be picked without too much effort. In grains’ case, they had to learn to soak and then grind them, before cooking over a fire. Only then, the grain was edible. Eating in a modern world with the principles of those who ate millions of years before grain was discovered and consumed is called many things. Some call it Paleolithic eating. Others refer to it as Primal eating. I have heard it named the Ancestral diet, the Evolutionary diet, and so on.
Fundamentally, if we eat as our forefathers did for millions of years before grains were consumed, we can see great improvements upon the Standard American Diet. Then we can see marked improvements in whole person care, not sick care. Taking the responsibility into our own hands instead of relying on doctors and pills to “fix” us is a large and empowering task. We are up to the challenge if we have the correct information and tools.
Many times when I am coaching people or when I am at the grocery store helping people learn how to shop to nourish the whole person, they will reach for the same edible food-like products they have put into their baskets for years. My eyebrows go up, my eyes widen in question, and this is usually the response given to me: “It’s low fat, it’s whole wheat, it’s got vitamins and minerals added, it has the American Heart Association logo stamped on it!” My favorite answer I heard is, “It’s not for me, it’s for the kids…”
You are not married to your past! Those past choices are what brought us to this disarrayed state of health in the first place. I am not saying that we are bad or guilty of wrong-doing. I’m saying that we have unfortunately been fooled for a long time by the mainstream food manufacturers and media dollars. Now we can choose differently. Now we have scientific research and success stories of friends and loved ones to provide both proof and anecdotal evidence that clean and green foods are the way to go. Create a new story.
Do I want my children to suffer the ups and downs of body weight and fat gain? Do I want my children to ride the emotional roller coaster of health drama and body image issues? No! So many of us have to come to this point in our lives where we have psychological damage caused by weight gain, as well as the mental and physical stress the accompanying chronic conditions create. I say it is time to think differently about body image. Create a new story for yourself and the generations to follow. One can be large and very fit and healthy. One can be lean and not fit and healthy.
I encourage you to reach waaaay back to our ancient people’s way of eating to ensure a brighter food and health future. Now is the time to go back to the beginning. We already have many convenience foods that are healthy for us when we are on the run. If you don’t have time to cook or clean your foods properly, there are ready-washed-and-cut vegetables and fruits at grocery stores and convenience markets. Single serve packets of raw nuts and seeds are available for reasonable prices. Even dollar store have healthy options. Read your labels carefully though. Use the modern conveniences without sacrificing your principles of health values and time values. It is doable. You got this!
With Gratitude,
KJ Landis
Visit me on the SuperiorSelf channel on YouTube
Happy healthy you
Your Total Wellness Toolkit For Renewing Body, Soul, and Mind
Health and wellness: Happy Healthy You is a multidisciplinary approach to reclaiming ultimate wellness. We are all so busy nowadays, and tackling all those to-do lists can leave us drained, worn down, and lacking energy. When you take a deeper look inside, you will also discover patterns, old habits, and past events blocking self-growth. Life coach extraordinaire KJ Landis helps identify how, why, and where we got stuck in the first place, and how we can utilize past trauma and drama as a springboard to becoming our most authentic, vibrant selves. As one of KJ’s students enthuses, “She has taught me several tangible strategies to cope with stress…I am using KJ’s simple techniques to achieve my lifelong health goals.'”