Hippocrates (the Father of Modern Medicine) wrote:
“Let food be your medicine and your medicine be your food.”

This could not be more eloquently said. Everything we eat and drink either strengthens or weakens our health and wellbeing. Every day we choose what to put in our mouth. Some of us choose whole, fresh organically grown foods; whilst other choose to consume highly processed and nutrient depleted foods with a side of alcohol, caffeine and other drugs.

There are so many conflicting points-of-view about what we should or shouldn’t be eating, it’s no wonder some of us are confused and led to feel guilty about our choices. There’s the Low GI, Dr Atkins, South Beach, Blood Type, Low Fat, Vegan, Vegetarian, Raw Food, Acid Alkaline, Calorie Counting, No Carbs, Macrobiotic, Gluten Free, High Protein, Liver Cleanse and I could keep going on and on and on.

My point-of-view with all this “diet stuff” is that no-one knows your body better than you do. If you take the time to listen to your body and the signs that it gives you when you eat certain foods then you’ll instinctively know what it is that is “right” for you.

You may notice that when you eat a particular kind of food you become more hungry, bloated or tired.

You may notice that there are times when your body is telling you to put down the fork but you keep on eating.

You may notice that you are consuming coffee and/or alcohol out of habit as opposed to listening to what would truly be nurturing for your body.

Or you may notice that you feel guilty when you eat certain foods. But what if those negative thoughts and judgment were doing more harm to you than the actual food you were eating? Did you know this type of guilt and stress, that you inflict upon yourself, may have a direct connection to your weight? When you are stressed, your body releases a hormone called cortisol that has been proven to encourage fat storage in the abdominal area.

We are all different. There is no “perfect” diet for everyone. Many factors need to be taken in to consideration such as age, sex, race, weight, how much you exercise, stress levels, whether you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, and any predispositions to certain diseases amongst other things. Just because others can tolerate a certain food does not mean that you can too.

Over the years I have learnt that the best way to maintain a healthy diet is to follow a simple set of guidelines that in fact apply to us all. These guidelines promote a healthy glowing complexion, the health of our internal organs, increased immunity and an active body and mind.