4 minute read
“Mom…do you think there was diabetes 400 years ago?” My 13 year old is learning about the differences of Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. “We probably only ate potatoes, rice, vegetables and meats back then?” These are conversations we have often as we daily address what healthy foods we can add to our day, and when we’ve crossed the limit of unhealthy foods. We strive for 80/20. Though this summer for me it was closer to 60/40…drinks with friends, potato chips, ice cream, going out to eat lots and flat out ignoring my body’s ask to not eat gluten or grains has pushed me into an inflammatory state. The scale, my skin, my energy and my mood are evidence.
I am working on the final touches of refining The Power of Food Reset Program. Through each patient who completes the program and through my own health needs, which ebb and flow throughout the year, there is more insight, awareness, and ways I can improve the efficiency and effectiveness of this life changing program.
There are many times when I wish I did not have to have the food conversation with my patients, my peers, and my community. Food beliefs run deep and strong…they are generational, they are social, they are emotional…and so much more psychologically. Then we get into convenience, the busyness of life and hectic schedules, grab and go, social events…
But just like I can see old structural injuries and identify people who are headed for knee, back and shoulder degeneration (airports and beaches are the worst!!), I can also see inflammation in people…everywhere.
I see it in their skin…acne, sores that are not healing well, dullness, dryness.
I see it in their hair, dry and thinning.
I see it in the way and where they hold excessive weight (a very delicate topic, both professionally and personally, but important to discuss as it is often a result of inflammation in the body and then causes more inflammation…a vicious cycle on so many levels.)
I see it in their eyes…dullness, fatigue, lack of brightness and vibrance
I hear it in their voices…sometimes it’s negativity, despair, lack of hope…research is showing us how the health of our gut affects the health of our brain. (1)
So, I continue to talk about inflammation, because I have to. But talking, writing, educating, and encouraging is all I can do. I can’t make anyone take a hard look in the mirror and decide to make major (or for some minor) changes in how they look at food. And I can share stories of real people who have changed the trajectory of their lives for the better…including my own, which by trickle down, has improved the lives of my brother, his family, my children, and some of my friends.
Looking in the mirror is a daily thing. Every day, we must make the choices of how we are going to take care of our one and only, precious body…making nutrition, exercise, and nervous system support a priority, weaving it into the needs and wants of our daily lives. There are time periods when we are more diligent with our health, and seasons when we are not. I am a strong believer of 80/20 (for me, genetically, closer to 85/15)…as long as we get back to those times when we hit the reset button and work a little harder on our health.
The Power of Food Reset Program is just that…hitting the reset button. In this 7-week class, each person lowers their inflammation, breaks cravings, increases their nutrients for cellular health and natural detoxification, uniquely identifies the foods that drive their symptoms and how to work with and without them, learns how to read labels, and how to continue to follow this healthy lifestyle for a lifetime. The results I have seen have been beyond impressive, and I have seen lives and the lives of their families change. I have seen patients struggle with other programs, which is why I’ve created my own based on Institute for Functional Medicine research and guidance, patient needs, and my own trial and errors.
Society does not support our biology…but YOU can take control of your health and your future!
Keep it simple. Limit processed and packaged foods, fried foods, sugar…boost your healthy veggies, fruits, fats and lean proteins. Learn awareness of how your body reacts to foods it does not like. No one can do it but you.
Need help? You know where to go…:)
Patil S, Mehdi SS. The Gut-Brain Axis and Mental Health: How Diet Shapes Our Cognitive and Emotional Well-Being. Cureus. 2025 Jul 21;17(7):e88420. doi: 10.7759/cureus.88420. PMID: 40842787; PMCID: PMC12366197.
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