By Katie G.
It all reached the tipping point this summer when we got back from our trip to Italy. As soon as I left vacation mode and returned to my normal routine, I retold stories of those fun-filled two weeks and jokingly complained to friends, colleagues, and anyone who listened, really, that I had gained weight from all the cheese, pasta, and gelato we had eaten. "No you haven't," everyone assured me repeatedly, "It's just what happens when you go on vacation." Truth be told, I hadn't actually gained any weight (the scale verified this), but something definitely felt off. I was more tired, sluggish, and bloated than ever before. My allergies, which had been relatively under control, started acting up in a big way. I wasn't sleeping well. But, despite these obvious red flags, I continued to live my life according to my normal habits, diet, and routine – chalking everything up to stress.
Not surprisingly, things worsened over the following weeks. What I soon came to realize is that, if I wanted to feel better, I was going to have to try something drastically different. For the first time in almost 30 years, I listened to my body. And it told me that I needed a drastic diet overhaul.
Research over the past two decades has revealed that gut health is critical to our overall health. So many of us don't realize that our body's health is intrinsically linked to what we eat – our moods, our metabolism, our immunity, our energy, our skin, you name it.
So, maybe you're reading this and think, "my diet is fine." If your eating habits work for you thus far, that's great! But, if you're like me, and the nagging thought that you should re-visit your diet and eating habits has crossed your mind, it's probably with good reason. Your intuition will carry you far; listen to those hunches and take the steps to make some necessary changes.
That said, here are the top ten signs that you may need to make some diet changes this year:
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| You feel tired after a good night's rest. |
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| You have a hard time waking up in the morning. |
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| Your body experiences sickness more than twice a year. |
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You rely heavily on stimulants for energy, including: coffee,
tea, soda, energy supplements, etc. |
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| You are easily frustrated or angered. |
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| You have a desire to exercise, but no initiative. |
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You have difficulty with bowel movements (this can include
bloating, gas, diarrhea, constipation, etc.) |
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| Your sex drive depletes. |
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| You get moody or depressed more easily. |
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Your skin and hair are out of whack: think breakouts, dry skin,
premature aging, brittle hair, hair loss, etc. |
These sorts of feelings and sensations are usually a sign of stagnation in some of the major and vital organs like the colon, the liver and the intestines. In order to the get the body moving and excited again, some small yet necessary changes must be initiated right away. It can be as simple as adding in more fruits and vegetables to the diet or eliminating animal products all together. Your body is your temple. It is also the vehicle that you use to move around this beautiful and blissful world.
No more thinking about change. By continuing to think about it, you won't make the jump that is necessary. Make that shift today!
