Redefining “healthy”…

Food isn’t important just because it impacts the number on the scale, how you fit (or don’t) into your skinny jeans or the levels of energy you have (or don’t).

Food is important because it feeds your cells CRITICAL INFORMATION!

Let’s take someone who’s “thin or skinny” — most of us would consider them “healthy” right?  Well, not so fast.  If this person is living on highly processed/packaged food, eats food with high sugar content, follows a low fat or no fat diet, skips healthy carbs and eats conventionally raised animal protein laden with hormones and fed grains sprayed with pesticides, I’m willing to bet they have at a minimum some of the following:

• blood sugar balance problems (e.g. insulin resistance)
• digestive issues (gas, bloating, irregular or bowel movements)
• poor or incorrect immune responses (including things like psoriasis, eczema, thyroid or other auto-immune problems)

So please, don’t be fooled by the size of someone’s waistline into thinking they hold they secret to ideal health. I’ve seen “healthy looking” people eat the worse diet imaginable.  Some professional athletes eat a CRAP DIET because they work-out and think it’s all about how they look and what they can do on the field/court/ice.  They are ignorant to what they are ACTUALLY doing to their cells and it will eventually catch up with them.

Listen, I don’t believe we should be perfect all of the time; I don’t even believe perfection is a goal to strive for.  All my clients know I enjoy my treats — high quality dark chocolate, the occasional slice of red velvet cake, a cocktail or two, some pizza from time to time.  Food is comforting and it should be enjoyed; it brings friends and family together and creates community — all good things that make life fun and enjoyable!

My approach to working with clients is based on their unique goals, lifestyle and budget!  I tell participants in my group cleanse programs to use my program and recipes as an outline and make adjustments as needed.  I explain the best way to transform your health is often just upgrading your current favorites with better ingredients, for example: 

• adding high quality fat to your daily cup of joe
• swapping canola and vegetable oil for coconut and olive oil
• buying organic and pastured eggs and meat over conventionally raised meat
• using low-glycemic sweeteners like stevia and coconut sugar
• following the clean 15/dirty dozen list from the Environmental Working Group 

I envision part of my role as a Health Coach is education; taking what I’ve learned through school and life to help you sort through the noise and figure out what works best for you.  Please share this post with anyone who may be trying to lose weight, manage a chronic illness like diabetes, hypertension or autoimmune diseases or someone simply looking to figure out how to shift to a healthier lifestyle.

If you or they would like to have a chat 1:1, book a session here with me – no strings attached, no commitments.

In good health,
Chinyere