INDIVIDUALIZING DIET, NUTRITION AND LIFESTYLE
There are so many diets out there which claim to be the “best” for everyone, as well as highly varying advice on mega doses of vitamins and minerals, not to mention the thousands of exercise programs promising to keep you in shape. Are all of them good for everyone or are they just another one size fits all view? Does everyone benefit the same from the given percentage of fats, carbohydrates and proteins? Does everyone need the same dose of vitamins? Do we all need the same type of vigorous exercise to stay healthy?
My car was built exactly the same as thousands if not millions of other cars. They all came from the same factory with the same parts and the same needs. They need the same type and amount of gas, oil, break and coolant fluids which need to be changed after about the same mileage. Is this correct? It seems so, but I drive about 1oo miles a week, while my neighbor drives hers about 25o miles a day. What about the other millions of cars which are built the same but used differently than mine? What about the trucks and buses which work on the same concept but are different than others?
As a species, we all have the same genetic building blocks. The same bones, muscles, nerves and chemical processes, yet we are so different from each other. Some of us are thin and fidgety, others are short, round and jolly. Some of us can run like a gazelle, others are couch potatoes. Some of us are satisfied with a slice of pizza, others are still hungry after eating a whole pie. Some of us can learn new things easily, others have to work hard for it. Some of us take charge in stressful situations, others panic and don't know what to do. Some of us enjoy the pizza, digest it well, others suffer from heartburn. Well, are we all the same? Do we all have the same needs? Absolutely not.
Let's look at our diet a little more closely. Does each of us need to consume the same calories? Let's compare a petite 11o pound woman to a stocky, 25o pound man. If they would eat the same amount, the petite woman would balloon up and the stocky man would starve to death. Does a fidgety, overactive person who burns a lot of energy with a speedy metabolism need the same amount of calories as a calm, serene, slow moving person whose digestion is sluggish to begin with? Of course not.
Let's look at the ratio of vegetables, fruits, dairy, meat and grains in our diet. Some of us can eat all kinds of raw vegetables without any problem, others feel miserable from gas, cramps, nausea and are able to digest vegetables only if they have been stewed or steamed. Some of us love sour apples, others flinch just thinking about them. Some of us can enjoy milk products, others are lactose intolerant. Some of us enjoy a steak dinner, others develop diarrhea and cramps after eating it. So can we eat the same balanced and well proportioned diet which was developed for “everyone”? I don't think so.
Some of us are able to utilize vitamins and minerals well from our diet, others need supplements. A smoker uses more A,C and E vitamins while a person who's taking beta blockers need more B5 vitamin, chromium and choline. Women on birth control use more B vitamin complex, D and E vitamins. People who are taking diuretics need to replace the potassium, B2 and C vitamins, as well as calcium and iodine. A fidgety, anxious person uses more B complex vitamins than a serene, calm person. Our supplement needs are also different.
Exercise is the newest requirement for everyone. Our labeling system works on our guilt. Is it beneficial for everyone to jump, sweat, and run on those fancy machines when for some, a nice walk with a friend, yoga or raking leaves in the garden might be adequate? We all do need exercise. There is no question about the benefits of exercise on our circulatory, musculoskeletal, nervous and hormonal systems. The question is what kind of exercise is good for us. Should a 2oo pound stocky person jump to the music in aerobic class or should she power walk or tai chi? Should a petite, energetic person do yoga or play basketball instead? Do we need the fancy machines and a gym membership to get adequate exercise? Some of us do, some of us don't. It depends on our preference and motivation. If we're truly having fun doing one particular exercise over another, chances are it's beneficial to our bodies.
We are all different in our appearance, personality, preferences and nutritional needs. There are three basic types of people with similar physical and mental characteristics. In order to feel healthy and balanced, there are certain diet, nutrition and lifestyle needs which are beneficial to the individuals belonging to each group. Most people are a mix of subtypes and do not fit each perfectly, but there is always a dominant type in each of us. We were all born with an instinct which tells us what to eat and how to live. Unfortunately, we lose this instinct due to outside influences, but we can learn it again and our body will be thankful for it. If you would like to find out your type and would like to receive type specific health advice, please visit our CONSULTATION page.
