I travel Australia and the globe, speaking not only in regional areas but large cities and no matter where I go I hear the same story, many with tears flowing as they’re told. Usually it’s a mother who has children with either allergies, asperger’s, autism, hyperactivity disorder, asthma or bizarre disease I’ve not heard about. Or, it could be about themselves with hormone issues, thyroid conditions and depression. Some women will mention that their husband has high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes or high cholesterol and their parents are in facilities with dementia.
I’m told that the whole family is on some concoction of medication and that their doctor has told them that diet has nothing to do with their condition. If they do question their diet and ask their doctor for help, the advice is low fat, low salt and eat margarine.
Hang on, surely that statement can’t be true! If we are made from the food we eat and the energy we get comes from that same source, how can food have nothing to do with health or disease? Food can be everything – food makes our cells, which in turn make our organs and all the hormones and messengers our body needs in order to function. Saying food has nothing to do with an ailment or health is like saying that you can put petrol into your diesel car and it will still work.
In the past five years, I’ve seen a revolution. People realise that what is ‘normal’ or ‘common’ is not necessarily working and that in order to get out of the downward spiral of illness, medications are not necessarily the first course of action that should be taken. For some people, medications are vital for their survival but for the majority of people, this is not the case.
Most people present with a symptom, cold, flu, tiredness, lethargy, racing heart, poor memory, brain fog, skin condition, hair falling out, abdominal pain and so on. What people usually do is find a medication to rid themselves of the pain or problem, but in reality all that is doing is putting a band-aide over the symptom. Just like the oil light on the dash board of your car, your symptom is telling you something is wrong and you need to do something other than hide the red light.
I believe that when you are not well, it’s a good time to take stock of your lifestyle and find out why you are not well. Are you not getting enough sleep, are you sitting all day inside without any movement or sunshine, is your diet one of fast, takeaway, processed foods, do you drink too much alcohol or soft drinks and not enough clean water, are you feeding your body the wrong fuel and your body is slowly but surely breaking down?
If you are in a crisis or just feeling tired and lethargic, then a real food diet would be a good place to start. Most people think that a diet of breakfast cereal and low fat milk, toast, margarine and vegemite, crackers and cheese, muffins, cakes, sandwiches, pasta and ice-cream is a healthy diet, but in reality it’s a diet made up mainly of processed, packaged, prepared foods fortified with synthetic nutrients, flavours, colours, additives and two main foods – dairy and wheat. You may think you are getting variety but when you look at the main ingredients of these foods, it’s just wheat and dairy.
Two issues are the problem; firstly there is not much variety in the food and the food is processed so that it doesn’t even resemble the original food and secondly, the food is flavoured with artificial ingredients and preserved with dubious ingredients. Step away from the SAD (Standard Australian/American Diet) situation and you just might find that those niggling health issues you have start to clear.
We have a body that is evolutionary and is programmed for eating foods from nature; meat, chicken, fish, unprocessed dairy, unadulterated grains, legumes, beans, seeds, nuts, fruits, vegetables, whole spices, fresh herbs and clean water. In the past 30 years, there has been a disconnection between what our bodies need and what they get. The new foods that last on a supermarket shelf for years are not conducive to the working and health of the human body. We have not, and probably cannot, adapt to these foods and so as the generations pass, we find young children now have diseases of the aged.
Obesity, heart disease, autoimmunity (our bodies turn against us), cancer, diabetes and mental illness are running rampant in western society. It’s not the way it should be and we as parents and grandparents must change the course in order to teach our children the errors of what is happening in food and health today.
This is not hard, it’s a matter of shopping and eating mindfully, creating a relationship rather than a disconnection between us and our food supply. I know that this is easier said than done, but with education and guidance it can be achieved.
Back in 1998, I self-published my book Changing Habits Changing Lives and many people loved the book but wanted a step by step program on how to do the changes. I created the 21 Day Program but realised that people’s interest in the changes waned very quickly due to lack of motivation and many problems and excuses such as ‘life got in the way’. So, I decided to find a way to help people through the changes by using video, audio, workbooks and recipe ideas – this new program that I’ve created is the Changing Habits 21 Step Reset.
The 21 Step Reset – Learn how to restore balance…
We know that change can be difficult and that’s why our program has been designed as a series of 21 easy-to-follow steps to guide you to make lifelong, positive changes.
The 21 Step Reset program includes everything you need to succeed:
• Understanding labels & what’s in the food you’re buying
• What to look out for at the supermarket
• Foods, moods and sleep
• Healthy snacks and drinks
• Shopping lists
• What’s the difference that makes the difference
• Future visioning
• And much more…
The pack also has some great bonuses:
• Recipe Book – 0ver 60 easy, affordable recipes to make at home
• Meditation Audio – Hammock meditation by Michelle Nielsen
• Free Report – Creating health now to avoid illness later
• + Fabulous bonus upon completion
Each day, you will be able to map your progress and along the way we’ll be checking in with you, providing tips and offering support. Join tens of thousands of Australians who have successfully kick-started their health and vitality by simply following our 21 Steps.
I’m here to help, encourage, inspire and educate you to a healthier, more energetic version of yourself. Step by step, habit by habit, the changes are easy. Stick with each one and as one builds upon the other, you will be surprised over 21 Steps how much you have changed and how much your health has improved.
Our 21 Step Reset Program is now available – click here for program details.
Happy Changing Habits
Cyndi O’Meara
Nutritionist and Founder of Changing Habits
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