The natural diet… So what exactly is meant by “natural”?

Everyone's heard about the “caveman diet”. Some think that it's the most natural you can eat based on what humans used to hunt and gather, while for others a vegan, plant-based diet comes to mind because they connote “natural” with anything derived from the earth. So which one is right?

When it comes to eating a natural, whole food-based diet, there are many misconceptions. To clear them up, I'm sharing the important factors that most people overlook when they're trying to embark on such a food journey.

If the food you eat doesn’t grow in an environment you dwell in, it won’t give you the kind of energy you need

One major misconception about the nutrition from a food energetics point of view is that people prioritise the nutritional value of food over its origin. For example, a health-conscious eater may order a breakfast bowl with acai berries and chia seeds or a green juice blended with 10 or more ingredients despite the fact that he or she lives in a very cold climate.
 
Here’s the thing… if the food you eat doesn’t grow in an environment or dwell in, it’s not going to provide you with the energy you need – no matter how nutrient dense it is. Foods that grow in warm climates are designed by nature to keep your body hydrated while food that grow in cooler climates, such as root vegetables, warm your body.
 
Therefore, your top priority should always be to consume locally grown foods. They’ll help you adjust to your climate! When you eat out-of-season produce, you heat your body up in a hot environment or cool it down in a cold environment. Ultimately, this puts stress on your body and sabotage your weight loss efforts.

Here’s the plain truth. Diets alone don’t work.
 
How many diets have you been on, weight loss pills you’ve consumed, injections you’ve had to endure? You might have lost some weight but it’s probably all back on again…
 
The truth is that there is no magic solution to make the weight drop off.
 
The secret to successful weight loss isn’t starving yourself nor is it limiting your food choices or following a painful pattern of eating.
 

Find out the key to what you’re doing that’s preventing you from losing those extra kilos here.

   

Different foods and preparations give you different kinds of energy

There’s a time and place for everything… snacking on an apple can make you feel refreshed, while slurping up a hearty soup can make you feel calm. By simply timing the foods that you eat to be in alignment with the cycle of your day, you can optimise your health. You should eat uplifting foods in the morning and calming foods in the evening.
 
People who are trying to lose weight may eat nutritionally dense foods at any given time of the day, for example – a large chicken salad for dinner. The reason for this is because such meals are low in calories and hold the lots of nutrition from the raw ingredients. It’s not uncommon!
 
From a food energetics perspective, raw foods like lettuce leaves and leafy green vegetables are uplifting and cooling, which means that eating them at dinnertime may prevent you from getting a good night’s sleep. On the other hand, eating something warm and comforting at dinnertime will help you fall asleep faster and make you feel energetic and well-rested when you wake up the following day.
 

In a nutshell… a natural diet is about eating foods that grow in your environment

It’s also about selecting foods to eat that match the energy that you want to have in alignment with the cycle of your day. It’s as simple as that!
 
PS: For the only four tools you need to lose weight (and enjoy it!), read this.

Tags: natural diet, natural diet tips, natural diet meaning, clean eating, healthy lifestyle choices, nutrition tips