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You’ve probably heard about our good old Greek friend Hippocrates who stated thousands of years ago “let thy food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food”. The idea that food can heal is definitely not something from this modern age with all its vegan, raw and other trends, and has actually been around for centuries.

For so many of us, food is just something that keeps our bellies satisfied. We experience food as entertainment. A calorie is a calorie, right? And if you’re feeling kind of good and you’re not obese, why worry about it?

We don’t often think about what our food actually does (or doesn’t?!) when it’s inside our bodies going through our gastrointestinal tract. Our food plays a crucial role in most modern age health conditions. People may look good on the outside but even skinny people can be obese on the inside. Why do people have skin problems like eczema? Not because there’s something wrong with their skin! Why do people get arthritis when they get older? Not because they just have bad “bone genes”! Instead, the food we eat regularly over the years will determine whether we will or will not become ill now ánd at an older age.

So how does food impact our health so significantly from the inside-out? Let’s dive in a bit deeper!

Firstly, all diseases start as inflammation in the body. Whether it’s arthritis, diabetes, asthma etc. Inflammation is a natural response of the immune system; a release of chemicals from your immune cells when the body feels it’s being threatened. This is a normal process and affects nearly every cell, tissue, organ or hormone in your body. This process should automatically “turn off” when the threat is over and your body has pushed out the bad stuff. However, when we keep irritating our bodies with for example foods that are not good for us, this process will stay on. And that’s when the shit really hits the fan. Your body will stay constantly “inflamed” and will release a constant flow of chemicals which toxify and stress out the body, causing issues in all kinds of places leading to serious diseases on the long term. 70% (!!!) of your immune cells is in your gut! So you can imagine how big of an impact it has what you put in your mouth.

Secondly, the food we eat impacts our hormones and blood sugar levels. Consuming too much sugar and processed carbohydrates increases insulin levels which negatively affects things like body weight, energy levels, sex drive, depression and cognitive abilities.

Thirdly, our food affects the acidity of our bodies. Naturally, we should have a PH index of just over 7, but processed and low quality foods increase these levels and make our bodies become more acidic. Diseases thrive better in an acidic environment, so you can see how this affects our health.

Now we probably all know that cookies and crisps are not the most healthy foods. But what other foods should we avoid if we want to keep our bodies in balance and stress free? Watch out for these bad guys!

Saturated fats from animal foods, taking into account that having animal foods in moderation is ok, if for example your beef comes from a grass-fed cow and your chicken was a free range organic chicken that didn’t get any antibiotics
Trans-fats from any fried food, margarine, crisps, cookies, crackers etc.
Fats from plant based oils such as corn, palm, canola etc.
Refined and processed sugars, which are found in almost any processed food like chocolate, cookies, sauces, soups, and of course normal table sugar
Technically ANY refined and/or processed food, which normally contain lots of chemicals, additives, sugar and bad fats and have almost no nutrients left in them anymore. Think white carbs like pasta and white bread, cookies, meals-to-go, crisps, crackers, pre-made soups, canned foods etc. These foods are easy to spot because it’s practically anything that’s packaged in a supermarket (yup, sorry people!)
Caffeine and alcohol (I know, life is hard…)

By changing your diet into a fresh and whole food eating lifestyle you can heal your body from the inside out, reducing inflammation and giving you all the right nutrients your body needs to stay healthy and strong. Food has the power to generate a new you.

You might not see results tomorrow or next week. But in the long run, you will feel more energized, sharper and stronger to manage your daily lives and tackle all the challenges that come on your path. Your skin will be better, your eyes more bright, your nails and hair stronger. And the chances that you will stay free from disease at an older age increase significantly.

I can hear you think “then bloody tell me what this whole food healthy diet is like?!?!” Well, that’s a “whole” (bad joke, I know) different story. You will understand, this is not a quick fix and requires a lifestyle transformation. And that’s exactly what I can help you with in a coaching program. So connect with me through https://mpwrmyjourney.com/connect/ or via +31 6 29 36 86 45 to book your free first coaching session today!

Oh, and I promise this new lifestyle will still involve a glass a wine and a good piece of pie every now and then 😉 It’s all about balance!

Love, Myrthe