One size does not fit all...

Image: Nut Butter Phenomenon

Imagine you could've got a diet which fits you perfectly…

Imagine controlling your meal size without feeling hungry or overloaded?

Imagine being lactose intolerant and continue enjoying dairy products?

Imagine treating anxiety through nutrition?

Image: Nut Butter Phenomenon

I know, sounds a bit like a scam 😄 Well…it’s definitely not!

It is a scientific approach based on our molecular profiles and lifestyle - precision nutrition 🧬

“You should always have breakfast within one hour of waking up”? Not true! Some people tend to metabolise food better in the early morning while others don’t.

One size does not fit all. We’ve got different individual responses to the same food because every person is unique. What makes you unique, is your genes combined with the environment you are living in. So what we need to understand is how genetics, epigenetics, microbiome, and metabolism could be influenced by nutrition.

This information leads us to just one answer. There is no “right” way to eat. You have to choose the way which suits you best:) 

Image: Nut Butter Phenomenon

“Bring me back my 2012!” or idiotic food trends from 2010s we can’t leave behind

Image: DESIGNECOLOGIST

If I had to pick one decade that is responsible for the most of eating disorders it would certainly be the last one.

How often did you get to hear that “The key to happiness is mindful eating?” But wtf is mindful eating? Harvard school of public health describe it as “using all of your physical and emotional senses to experience and enjoy the food choices you make”. Easier said than done (at least for me). And it is not even about distractions. The truth is that each of us develops unique response system which reacts to things around us in its unique way.

Here’s another example. We’ve been taught that we shouldn’t scroll through the phone while eating. Otherwise you will develop obesity and even brain damage. Yup, sounds about right. But what if I told you that sometimes watching whatever you’re watching on your phone might help with staying more calm, and focussed? Probably in a perfect world we could’ve just focused on our loved ones or some fancy view outside. But most of us live in a different world. Very often the smartphone is the only escape we’ve got…

How about this one: “when you think you feel hungry, you're actually thirsty so just drink water and you’ll be fine”. Or this: “replace two of your meals a day with a bowl of cereal”. “1000 kcal diets” were “the best”: apple + yogurt + 1 toast, 4 almonds as a snack and chicken salad without dressing for dinner. Remember, how we were afraid to eat bananas and grapes because of its high sugar content? That’s funny now, but I actually believed this shit 10 years ago. Another concept which completely screwed up our generation is the story about “good foods” and “bad foods”. It implies that we can be poisoned by cookies, pasta or cheese and there’s no better antidote than starving yourself mixed with good old guilt.

All of this madness happened because we were told that weight was somehow connected to morality and self worth. How come that having a body that doesn’t fit into the standards of majority means that you are not good enough, because you don’t look “normal”. But wtf is “normal”? Honestly, nobody knows, because it is different for everyone.

Scientifically speaking, weight loss diets don’t work.

Using food as comfort can be a form of self-care. We can seek certain foods for a dopamine boost. Tricky part is that we crave something specific and we won’t feel satisfied until we get that food. If I want crepes with Camembert and apricot jam, I won’t be happy if I’ll get crepes with Nutella instead. And that’s perfectly fine - eat whatever you like, raise the dopamine and improve your mood.

Foods to ease anxiety (which are not salmon and avocado)

Image: Wix

Don’t get me wrong, I like avocado+salmon toast. It is just not for everyone.

Do you know this boring list of “foods for mental health” which usually includes dark chocolate, legumes, oranges, eggs, nuts and, of course, fatty fish. Feeling stressed? Eat poached egg toast with avocado paste and rucola salad. Add some nuts and don’t even think about coffee! Sounds familiar, right? Honestly, those kind of “healthy tips” make me even more anxious. Because, the moment we look at the meal will initiate emotional response and may bring back memories associated with the food in front of us. At that same moment our brain doesn’t give a damn whether the thing we see reduces anxiety or not. Biological part will turn on later. When food enters the mouth and passes through the digestive system, it sends a multitude of interacting signals to the brain bringing sensory and nutritive information. There is a part of the brain that lights up when we see food. That part is called “ventral food component,” and is located in a brain region known to play a role in identifying faces, scenes, and words.

So what is the food that helps with anxiety? Your mom’s special meal, favourite breakfast, travel snack - whatever brings you positive emotions counts!

Blueberries, seafood, grains, seeds among other “brain foods” offer plenty of benefits for mental and physical health. Try to include them in your eating routine as much as possible. Although, don’t be too harsh on yourself: preparing (and eating) those kind of meals when you’re feeling down might consume more energy than you can get. Let your brain decide what is best for it and leave trends behind.