The first thing we are going to say before we get into any of this is, of course, consult your doctor if you’re going to do any radical diet changes. Having said that, there are so many different diets out there it is so very confusing. You have everybody from vegans to carnivores swearing that their diet is the best and you will feel so much better on them then you do now. So, how do you know which is the right diet? Well, we have listed a few ways that might help you below and added a little bit of information that might help you think. Here we go.
Everyone is different
Ok, that might sound a little bit cliché, but it is definitely the truth. Everyone reacts differently to foods and what they eat. Just to give you an example of this, just think of allergies. If we all reacted the same to all foods, then we wouldn’t have people that have allergies to some. Some allergies, such as peanut allergies, can even kill you. So, the trick is finding what works for you and what works for your genetic makeup. Don’t assume that just because everyone says it’s the best diet on the planet that it is going to work for you. Of course, there are a few basic tenants that apply pretty much across-the-board, but overall, it’s going to be a personal choice.
Your stomach biome
It is becoming much more prevalent as the medical association learns more and more about your stomach biome, the bacteria that live in your digestive system. For a very long time, it was not taken very seriously. Now they are finding out that your stomach biome can control everything from how you think, to depression, anxiety, and even mental and physical disorders. We have all heard about eating probiotics, but this only help your stomach a little, it doesn’t take over and fix everything. Eating a lot more fiber will help your stomach grow its own healthy bacteria better than the probiotics will (generally). It gives a good mass that the biome can live with.
What is the reason for your diet
The most popular reason people go on a diet is obviously to lose weight, in fact, the word diet has become synonymous with losing weight. This is not fully the truth however, as the word diet just means what you eat. So, you can be on a diet of milkshakes and hamburgers and gain weight rapidly. Which of course we don’t want to do anyway. Sometimes people change their diet for health reasons, for going to the gym, for athletics, or for medical reasons. Know what your reason for the diet is and that will help you find what diet will be the best for you to try to start.
Give it time
If you are trying a new diet, you need to give it time. Going back to your stomach biome, it takes at least two weeks for the bacteria in your stomach to adjust itself to your diet, and even longer for it to settle in. For a while, you are not going to get the benefit of what you’re eating in the way you should as it will take time for the body to adjust. If you have been living on sugar, and suddenly change over to fats, you will find that your stomach will not be a happy child for a little while. Once your body adjusts to the new food however, then you will start to see the benefits. You will often hear people, such as vegans, tell you that it takes time for your taste buds to change so you can appreciate the food. We believe this is more your stomach biome, but it makes it easier to understand if you just say your taste buds. So, give any new diet you’re going to try at least a few months to decide how it’s going to work for you. Of course, if you suddenly break out in rashes, or any other medical discomfort, revert your diet to what it was before temporarily so you can find out why. You might be allergic to something in your new diet. But if it is just bloating or occasional hunger pains, just tough it out for a while and see how it goes.
Budget
As much as we would like to believe that we can try any diet out there, the budget is also a consideration. For example, carnivores eat mostly meats and fish and if you check the price of meats and fish lately you’ll see that is quite expensive. If you can afford to eat steak every night, then you’re doing better than we are. Even vegetarians can have the same issue. Basic vegetables are not that expensive, but when you start adding things like avocados and higher-level vegetables it can increase in price rather rapidly. As much as we hate to say it, junk food is the cheapest diet out there in more ways than one. If you’re looking to lose weight, it’s all about calories, so even if you can only afford spaghetti, as long as you’re keeping the calories under what calories you expend for the day, you lose weight. (not that we suggest eating junk food to lose weight, as it has a negative effect on the stomach biome and can cause many overall health issues)
For life
The other thing you have to realize, and it really is a good way to decide what you’re going to eat as a diet, is that you really want to do this for the rest of your life. So, you have to find something that makes you happy. Of course, you don’t have to be drastic and hold to the exact diet always, but you need to pick something that you can stick to. A lot of people think they’re just going to eat vegetarian until they lose the weight and then they’re going to go back to their big mac and sodas, and this is really not the way to do it. A diet is a life change, so pick something that you can live with for life.
The best that we can suggest is that you do your research, make sure you’re getting all the nutrients you need, look at the pros and cons of each diet, and then try them out. If you don’t think you can ever give up having a good steak, then we suggest that vegan is not the one for you. However, having said that, if you become a vegan, after a while, you don’t want that good steak as your biome adjusts. It just doesn’t taste the same after awhile. And those vegan meals that at this moment seem tasteless and rough to you will eventually have a deep and rich texture and flavor that you would never believe. So, experiment with different diets, imagine that you going to be living on them for life, find one that you can enjoy, and try it out for a few months and see how you feel. Everyone reacts differently to different foods, so as much as you might want to stick to one diet it might not be the right one for you. When you find the right one you will find it very easy to stay on. We wish you healthy choices.
