#NoFilter

#13: Unsustainable 'healthy' diets

//THIRTEEN//

Hi everyone and welcome to the new chapter of #NoFilter. In today's chapter I'll be discussing the so called 'healthy food diets' and how they are anything but healthy.
Enjoy! :)

Diets tell us to eat a certain way. Wherever we look, all we can see is the' Try this sugar-free diet. Why not try paleo? Maybe gluten free? Or how about dairy free? Low carb?'

Next thing, industries will be teaching us the right way to use air.We'd call it the revolutionary oxygen diet.

Ugh.

We are surrounded by tons of articles, videos, tips and tricks telling us that we need to eat a certain way to be 'better' or whatever other way these medias want us to believe. In reality and with scientific proof, diets don't work, yet the diet talk is still forced down our throats, constantly without remorse.

One scientific example that I researched is of Traci Mann, a psychologist at University of Minnesota who worked in an eating lab for many many years. She studied eating habits, self control and dieting.

Her research provided really interesting information on diets. She found that diets don't work not because of lack of self control or willpower but because there are biological changes that happen to the body once we start any kind of diet.

There is the: 
〰️Neurological change〰️.

The body starts to be more aware of the food as it's being deprived of food in a way. Diets cut off a certain food group and so the body starts to be more hyper aware of such cut off food groups. It is hard to resist these signs from the brain.

〰️Hormonal change〰️.

Traci found that when the amount of body fat lowers, hormones that help you to feel full and satiated drop whilst the hormones that turn on your hunger are increased.

〰️Metabolic change〰️.

Your body's metabolism slows down and you start to digest less food. That's not something you want to do to a body.

Traci refers to dieting as starving your body of certain nutrients and before the time of experiencing my own fair share with cutting off certain food groups, I would have gone absolutely bonkers at that analogy but after the experience and the story that unfolded behind it, it is a lot like starving and I completely agree with Traci.

It's so disheartening and upsetting to see that the diet industry is telling us to decrease or eliminate the intake of certain foods that biologically play an essential part in keeping our bodies alive.

Living life only off cauliflower rice or broccoli won't make us happy. In fact it will make us miserable, irritable, hungry and may or may not lead to the development of disordered eating habits and behaviors. We do not want that. All we want is to eat intuitively and in peace without someone shoving down *enter the name of a vegetable* down our throats telling us this is the 'cure' to all of our problems. No honey, it isn't. Eating veggies is important but so are the other food groups. It's all about balance.

We should be able to enjoy all kinds of foods like rice, vegetables, fruits, bread or chocolate... without labelling one as good or bad. With my own experience, I came to believe that every type of food should be enjoyed, as every food has its purpose. Repeat after me. EVERY FOOD HAS ITS PURPOSE.

So, to summarize this chapter, diets have been researched and studied by numerous psychologists and professionals and every study found that they DO NOT work and in fact lead to many dangerous health problems. The diet industry is feeding us (or the lack of) foods that don't keep our bodies running efficiently and effectively because one way or another they take out a nutrient from our balanced food equation. And so, I feel that there should be more awareness on such topics to help educate and inform those that are vulnerable to such misleading messages.

Just remember to fill your body with love and food and it will do the work for you :)

If you know someone taking a diet that's eliminating too many foods or someone thinking of going on a diet, please share this message with them. Even, send them a link to this book to help them become more aware. Thank you and take care!

Sending you all virtual hugs,

KinderKari 💖