Your body doesn't care about your beliefs

December 19, 2024

Your body doesn’t care about your beliefs.

Some folks remain ideological about diet when their diets are actively diminishing their vitality.

Your body cares about whether or not it receives the nutrients in adequate amounts and whether it has the ability to utilize them efficiently for your needs and well-being.

Folks hair falling out…
Can’t walk up the stairs without catching your breath…
Constantly waking up fatigued after a full night’s sleep…
Hormones fluctuating out of control and driving you batty…
Anxiety and depression that no amount of therapy or meditation resolves...

This is a body screaming for an intervention.

Tami and I used to be on this diet merry-go-round too. Tried it all: vegan, paleo, vegetarian, almost raw vegan. And every single time I removed nutrient groups, my health declined. Looking back, it makes total sense.

The problem is that everyone has a strong opinion about what diet is “right” — as if 8 billion people on the planet could practically eat the same way and thrive. Our ancient healing modalities and modern science agree: there is no single diet that suits everyone perfectly. But the body has been pretty clear and consistent on the nutrients it needs, which can be met by many different diets.

Your constitution, genetics, activity level, the makeup of your gut microbiome, your environment, and so much more influence what you need and how you metabolize food.

I even know folks who refuse to give up their diet because of what their followers will think. Imagine making decisions about your well-being based on the opinions of people you don’t know and will never meet. Y’all…where’s the boundary, care, and prioritization of yourself? Folks gonna “influence” themselves into a health crisis.

How did Tami and I get off the fad diet merry-go-round? When we started looking at the ingredient labels on vegan food and saw how heavily processed it was. May as well eat the cheese! This was over 10 years ago, so things have improved in terms of vegan food options.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not undermining the value of a plant-based diet by any means, but meat shouldn’t be replaced with lab-made chemicals. The more the food industry manipulates our food, the worse it gets — nutrients go down, inflammation goes up.

The key was listening to our bodies. We paid attention to symptoms that appeared or disappeared based on what we ate. It’s simple, but it requires slowing down and noticing subtle signs.

I think when people experience low levels of discomfort, aches, and pains, they actually get so used to them that they don’t recognize what triggers or relieves them. You really have to pay attention.

As we round out the year, you don’t need to wait until January 1 to set a new intention for your health. Every day presents a new opportunity to do something that supports your well-being.

Life flows with much more ease when we practice the habits that help us feel better inside and out. Try not to get caught up in “shoulds” and instead give yourself permission to discover what’s right for you.

However you’re spending the next couple of weeks, may your time be filled with ease, rest, laughter, and the energy and community you need to feel loved and nourished.

Love you big!
Selima & Tami 

Leave a comment

Comments will be approved before showing up.

Also in Iwilla Remedy Herbalism & Spirituality Blog