What Our Bodies Want

2.30
Most western culture is really confused about wellness and healthy eating. For all the perspectives on one side of an issue, there are just as many on the opposite. What I think the back-and-forth debating misses, though, is the vital question of 'what do our bodies want?'

Instead of what our bodies want, we get stuck on what our minds want. Without ever thinking about it, we feed ourselves with what our minds say is wonderful and desirable. The problem is, what our minds choose, and what our bodies would choose, if they could, are vastly different.

Our minds are programmed to prepare, prepare, prepare. Get ready for ________ (a shortage, a drought, a famine) by packing on stores of fat. And when our minds are playing that message over and over and over (loudly!) our bodies are happy to oblige by filling up on easy calories, often empty calories. The three most dangerous catalysts for ill health (that would answer our minds' call to pack on weight) are fatty foods, sweet foods and salty foods. Something like a fast-food milkshake wields all three and our minds cry out, "YES!" when we drink it, even though our bodies will cry out, "what have you done?!" mere minutes or hours later.

We really need to listen to what our bodies want, instead of what our minds want. These desires are simple and much more healthful, but these aren't what our minds would cry out for. What our bodies want are whole foods which are nutrient dense and fiber rich. When combined with ample amounts of fresh, filtered water, you have a recipe for a thriving metabolism and healthful life.

How do we get to the point of desiring what our bodies want, instead of what our minds insist is desirable? The short answer is 'retraining'. We need to get our bodies so healthy and vibrant from eating the healthful foods, that our minds final come around to admitting that kale wins over dinner rolls, and fresh fruit wins over ice cream. Eventually our minds will develop a firmly grounded context for making healthy choices because, stored fat or not, the healthful choice has brought us pain-free health and longevity, exactly what our minds ultimately desire.

So start your retraining now, today. Consume nutrient-dense, fiber-rich whole foods, and enjoy copious amounts of filtered water. Leave behind a modern diet of processed, refined grains and sugars, and fatty and salty foods as well. Your body will thank you for it in no time, and you'll be on your way to health by giving your body what it wants.

By the Way

I've posted a lot in the past with guidance from Dr. Joel Fuhrman that leads directly to healthier choices of nutrient-dense foods. Check out those posts here:
Power Pantry posts regarding Dr. Fuhrman

And for some content on detoxing from a standard American diet to a more healthful plant-based diet, check previous posts here:
Power Pantry post on detoxing