Listen to Your Body
Two years ago, I decided to eat a primarily plant-based diet, along with giving up meat (I still occasionally eat fish, and will forever put cheese on my pizza). My decision came without much thought or reasoning. My friend made a lifestyle change, and I wanted to support her. However, this small act of support has generated a few surprising discoveries. One is that the bloating, pain, and moodiness I was experiencing was a result of me eating meat, not carbs and sugar. How do I know you may ask? Well, I never gave up carbs and sugar; I still eat them to this day. Another mention about my body and meat, I do not miss meat; I have never really liked the texture and taste of most meats, so I’m okay with not eating it. Another lesson, my body knows what it needs, and I need to listen.
Listen to What My Body Is Saying
About four weeks ago, I decided to give up any animal-based food, I wanted to see how my body would react. Again, for no specific reason other than to see if any other foods disagreed with how well my body felt. Call it an experiment. Once again, I did not give up carbs or sugar, but I did avoid processed sweets and dairy. This was HARD because I love cheese, and yes, if I make my home-made pizza, I am using cheese, albeit half of what I used to use. Low and behold, my body responded quickly and positively to these changes. My hot-flashes are significantly reduced, I am sleeping better, and I am finally dropping the menopause belly.
Listen To What Your Body Is Saying
I am not a hard-core vegetarian, or vegan, or plant-based guru; I’m just a woman who made a few changes to see how I felt. I do not believe in cookie-cutter diets, body-shapes, eating plans, or anything else with lists of haves- and -have nots. I’m also not advocating for anyone to run out and attach a label to any new way of eating. What I am suggesting is that each woman listen to her body and finds out for herself what works best. And while you’re out there discovering new foods and new ways of eating, try and forget everything you’ve learned about what an acceptable body should look like. You are free to love yourself right where you are; you are already enough.
Love Your Friend Right Where She Is
Let me close this blog up by saying that if you have a friend who wants to explore what is right and true for her body, then support her. Don’t make her feel like the odd-one-out because she is listening to her body and doing life differently. Instead, ask questions about how she feels, or ask her to share her new favorite recipe, and if she hasn’t assigned a label to her new eating habits, then please don’t assign one for her. Love your friend right where she is, and for who she is.
