Modern life in the 21st century seems to be the era of upgrades. From each week, to each month, there seems to be no end to the number of upgrades we are prompted to acquire. Whether it is the software on our computers, the latest phone model or a trendy new app, upgrades general promise to improve and optimize functionality and efficiency.
Considering how essential food is to the functioning and survival of our body, doesn’t it seem logical that we should be upgrading our food choices to match our dynamic modern needs?
Ask yourself, when was the last time you reviewed your eating habits with respect to your unique daily life? I’m not just talking about what you eat, but when, why and how you eat are also components of what I like to call your personal food culture. These elements directly impact the efficiency of your digestive processes and energy production, as well as your immune resilience and speed of recovery from injury.
Having been afflicted with multiple digestive and intestinal issues since a young age, I have been personally experimenting with my food choices for over 17 years now. After years of trial and error, including 5 years as a professional nutritional consultant, I believe that the most important question when attempting to analyze the appropriateness of our current dietary choices is:
Does your food culture accurately reflect your daily biochemical, bioenergetic and biophysical needs?
Perhaps this question seems unusual and the terminology vague or unfamiliar. This is because most of us are not encouraged to analyze our food culture with respect to our individual needs. Conventional education and modern medicine has reduced food to a biochemical experiment, where food is merely a vehicle for calories, carbohydrates, protein, fat, vitamins and minerals. RDA and other guidelines reflect a “one size fits most” model, which assumes that all women, men and children of a similar age have comparable nutritional needs. However, with the ever increasing myriad of degenerative diseases, autoimmune disorders, chronic fatigue, burn out and food intolerances, it seems prudent to re-examine what we eat in order to positively respond to modern ills.
Throughout my years of experience, I have found that the common line of “you are what you eat” is sorely misunderstood. Most people do not realize the extent to which the very makeup of their cells is composed of the food that they eat. Beyond the physical structures of organs and tissues, the quality of the energy production of your brain, muscles and even your emotional expression is a direct expression of what is on your plate.
This can be understood by exploring the biochemical, biophysical and bioenergetic properties of what we eat. More clearly explained, all food has a biochemical nutritional profile that is expressed as a certain quantity of nutrients, shown on the classic nutritional label found on most food items. The bioenergetic properties of food can be measured using special photographic technology, showing“life-force” or metabolic activity, which is controlled by enzymes that help grow food from seed to maturity. All living organisms, including you, are maintained thanks to the work of enzymes – catalytic proteins that enable all metabolic reactions. As my friend, body building champion and health advocate Wade Lightheart says – “enzymes are needed for everything from thinking to blinking”. It has been shown that cooked, artificially processed and refined foods are deficient in enzymatic vitality. Ask yourself, how does it feel to bite into a fresh, crisp apple versus a can of fruit cup or applesauce? Biophysical properties are best understood as the physical profile and life story of the organism. This includes the country and climate in which it was grown, the balance of fiber and water, as well as the details of how long it took for the food to travel from tree, or soil to your plate.
To understand yourself as a biochemical, bioenergetic and biophysical organism, all you need to do is think about your metabolism, your emotions and thoughts, and your physical body. Each part of you has different needs and a different daily “rhythm”. Think about all the mental, emotional and physical activities that your day requires, and you will start to understand how a “one size fits most” nutritional model will likely fall short of your needs. Additionally, analyzing your food according to its biochemical properties alone will not provide you with enough information to match nutritional choices to your bioenergetic and biophysical needs.
So how can you start making accurate dietary choices that will satisfy your daily “holistic” (bioenergetic, biochemical, biophysical) needs?
- First of all, start looking at your food as an organism, with a history and a life force, rather than just a vehicle for calories and nutrients.
- Inform yourself about the quality of it’s life and life journey before arriving on your plate – was it grown organically? With genetic modifications? Has it crossed an ocean or multiple countries?
- Next, look at your food preparation choices – are you eating your food raw, which will conserve its maximize life force or enzymatic properties? Lightly steamed, boiled, baked or fried? How processed or altered is your food?
- Finally, consider your eating habits and how you work with your body to support efficient and complete digestion. Are you eating while stressed? In front of a computer or electronic device? Do you chew properly? Do you take a moment to enjoy the flavors, colours and textures of what you are eating?
These simple tips can dramatically improve the quality of your digestion and your assimilation, two main processes that determine the benefit you will gain from what you choose to consume.
In today’s modern world, most of us have never taken the time to really examine how our food impacts our energy, mood and state of health in a detailed and precise way as I have described here. With an ocean of, often contradictory, information available through the Internet, it can be quite overwhelming and intimidating to know where to begin or how to proceed.
Contacting a certified nutritional consultant with expertise in nutritional therapy is the safest and most effective way to begin your journey of aligning your food culture with your individual lifestyle and daily holistic needs.
Having recovered from over 10 years of physical, emotional and mental imbalance, including inflammatory bowel disease and 15 food sensitivities, I speak from a place of true authenticity. I work with individuals and families in order to help them find their own path of autonomy when it comes to making informed decisions about sustainably supporting their most vibrant health and vitality in the context of their unique lives.
Guest Contributor, Danielle Denichaud RHN RYT BA
Member of the Canadian Association of Holistic Nutrition Professionals
Teacher Trainer of the Aeküus Method of Health Preservation
To learn more about Danielle's consultation services, please contact her by email.