Tuesday 6 March 2012

Are You TOO Healthy?

Have you ever heard of someone being too healthy?

What does it mean to be too healthy anyway? 
Personally, I enjoy drinking my greens and have learned to love kombucha - a fermented tea beverage great for feeding the "good bacteria" in the body (Occasionally, I even enjoy the slimy bacterial culture known as the "SCOBY" that sits at the bottom). 

Perhaps it's because I am a nutritionist and have seen the wonder that food as medicine can do that I mostly enjoy food that offers my body health benefits. When I eat a leafy green I can literally feel the green chlorophyl rejuvenating my blood and nourishing my cells.

BUT....I also enjoy a good cup of coffee and a big scoop of creamy chocolate ice cream. 

With that said, as a nutritionist I am not giving you a free pass to pig out on all the ice cream you'd like. However, I will tell you that your health is what you make of it. If allowing yourself to indulge in that ice cream on occasion brings you joy then go for it! 

Health is about finding BALANCE and there is no such thing as being "too healthy". In my opinion, part of being healthy is allowing yourself the occasional indulgence.

I do not believe in deprivation. It's important to understand that we are each responsible for our own health and wellness - as well as associations. If you associate an indulgence with guilt then your body will be fueled with that guilt when you treat yourself - and at the end of the day, the guilt itself is worse for your health than the actual indulgence. 

Again, I am not offering you permission to eat all the junk you can find, but I do hope to relieve you of the guilt we are so often bombarded with through associations that have been branded in our minds. 

Balance is not only about eating well and allowing yourself a treat once in a while, it's about being open to new things that may enhance your well-being. Try things and try them in different ways! If you don't like sliced beets because they are slimy and weird looking and smell weird - or whatever! - try mashing them up and mixing them with sweet potato. Just TRY. 

Take away the guilt and replace it with the art of trying. Who knows, maybe one day you too will get a "scoby" craving. 

So promise yourself this. FOR YOUR HEALTH allow yourself to indulge and take joy in it! Throw away the guilt and fuel your body with happiness. Learn to love the foods that love your body and that work to enhance your health. Find your BALANCE.

Feed the body with your leafy greens and nourish the soul with the joy you get from an indulgence. 











Image from: http://www.chow.com

No comments:

Post a Comment