I advocate for a whole food, minimally processed diet for optimal health and that’s what Whole30 advocates too, which is why I like the program. I briefly skimmed an article recently about how Whole30 was the “worst diet” of the year (along with Keto) because it was too restrictive and excluded entire food groups. (First off, “food groups” is just a term used for classification and ease of communicating. They are in no way categorized by health needs.) It is restrictive because it eliminates entire food groups, food groups that are likely causing health issues and promoting cravings, BUT without the elimination part, you will never know how these foods affect you. That is the whole point.
You don’t eliminate these “food groups” forever. Doing a Whole30 doesn’t mean you’ll never eat cheese again. I mean you might, because you may realize it’s causing this sinus issues you’ve had your whole life. You may give up gluten forever because you have an auto-immune disorder and realize how much better you feel without it. The purpose is to teach you to listen to your body, to change your habits surrounding food, and to recognize your emotional and psychological patterns around food. It’s a specifically individualized science experiment that will teach you invaluable information about yourself. Information that can help you determine a “diet” that will help you live your best life while focusing on real, whole foods , not shakes, pills, or calorie counting. And the best part about it, is that will look completely differently for everyone. The initial 30 day experiement looks the same for everyone, but life after Whole30 looks different for everyone. (This is the where the whole “it’s not a diet, it’s a lifestyle” thing comes in.) . So, if you have zero health concerns or health risks, no inflammation issues, no desire to become healthier, no GI issues, no struggles with weight loss or habits of yo-yo dieting, no habits around food you’d like to improve, then yes, Whole30 is probably not right for you. For the rest of though, it’s worth a shot.
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I’ve been chatting with several clients about this lately, about whether it’s really necessary for people without an allergy or sensitivity to go gluten-free. I think so for a few reasons: it’s a highly inflammatory, it’s hard to breakdown and therefore hard on our intestinal lining, it’s too easy to overconsume (along with all grain products), and there is no nutritional need for it.
My goal with getting more people to reduce or eliminate gluten isn’t just to switch all of your wheat products over to gluten-free brands. The goal is to get you to switch over to a predominately whole food and nutrient dense diet. The goal is to reduce or eliminate ALL inflammatory foods from your diet and replace with more vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds and quality protein for improved overall health. While there are plenty of gluten-free options nowadays, literally you can find any of your beloved wheat products in a gluten-free option, ideally you would be eating those occasionally and not relying on them daily. Gluten-free products are less inflammatory but actually have a greater impact on your blood sugar, so they still affect your energy, and promote overconsumption. It’s hard to overeat broccoli but not so hard to overeat GF pizza or GF cookies. Recap: More whole foods=less processed foods. Reduced inflammation= better health, better brain function, and less pain and less skin issues. A healthy gut= better digestion, better nutrient absorption, better health, better mood, better energy, better hormone balance. |
AuthorChloe is a holistic nutritionist, certified Whole30 coach, certified personal trainer, and Beautycounter consultant who loves all things: food, fitness, wellness, outdoor, dog, and non-toxic living related. (especially people) She's on the hunt for optimal, yet sustainable health and happiness, and enjoys sharing her learning's and experiences with everyone who wants to listen. And some who don't. Archives
April 2018
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