The ME diet.
Creating a personalized diet plan, specifically tailored to your body's needs.
Note: My results are not typical. Please Consult with a trusted healthcare professional before attempting to follow my suggestions. The Entire Concept is based on learning what works for you. This is what worked for me, and me alone.
Introduction:
Imagine if you will, creating a diet that supplies your body with most, if not all, of the nutrients it needs to perform the best it possibly can regardless of your age, current physical condition, or family history. I'm here to tell you it can be done and it's working for me.
It could be said that I discovered this through misfortune. But that's true for many of the things we learn in life; when you find yourself between the proverbial "rock and a hard" place with no exit sign , you find your own path out . That's what I've done and what I'm about to share with you.
Imagine if you will, creating a diet that supplies your body with most, if not all, of the nutrients it needs to perform the best it possibly can regardless of your age, current physical condition, or family history. I'm here to tell you it can be done and it's working for me.
It could be said that I discovered this through misfortune. But that's true for many of the things we learn in life; when you find yourself between the proverbial "rock and a hard" place with no exit sign , you find your own path out . That's what I've done and what I'm about to share with you.
I'd like to offer an example that, when viewed as a comparison, will help explain how and why a personalized diet plan will help you perform your best:
Have you shopped for a multivitamin lately? If so, you've undoubtedly noticed that your choices seem almost endless. For starters, you need to pick the one that fits your activity level, gender and age group. It's a no brainer that what works well for an active 23 year old girl isn't probably a good choice for an inactive 59 year old male, right? And it becomes more complicated as you go. A 23 year old girl may need an additional amount of iron in her diet, where it may not as necessary for a "typical" 23 year old male or a post menopausal female. If you are a vegan, you may want to consider the one with a higher level of CQ-10. And if it's cold and flu season, you may want that one with extra vitamin C. To take it a step further;should you choose the one where vitamin C more effective comes from natural sources or is it just as effective if it's derived from ascorbic acid? (The FDA seems to think that they are the same). I could go on for quite a while here, but I'm sure it's not necessary.
Have you shopped for a multivitamin lately? If so, you've undoubtedly noticed that your choices seem almost endless. For starters, you need to pick the one that fits your activity level, gender and age group. It's a no brainer that what works well for an active 23 year old girl isn't probably a good choice for an inactive 59 year old male, right? And it becomes more complicated as you go. A 23 year old girl may need an additional amount of iron in her diet, where it may not as necessary for a "typical" 23 year old male or a post menopausal female. If you are a vegan, you may want to consider the one with a higher level of CQ-10. And if it's cold and flu season, you may want that one with extra vitamin C. To take it a step further;should you choose the one where vitamin C more effective comes from natural sources or is it just as effective if it's derived from ascorbic acid? (The FDA seems to think that they are the same). I could go on for quite a while here, but I'm sure it's not necessary.
Once you've made your selection and start your vitamin regimen, how do you know that you've picked the right one? If you feel better on days when you take them, or can identify that you don't feel as good when you skip them, it seems obvious you've made a good choice. But did you make the best choice? You may never know.
If you can make an analogy between choosing the right multivitamin and making the right food choices in your effort to provide the best combination of nutrients to your body, it's easy to understand that why one universal diet plan isn't feasible.
If you can make an analogy between choosing the right multivitamin and making the right food choices in your effort to provide the best combination of nutrients to your body, it's easy to understand that why one universal diet plan isn't feasible.
Please take a minute and ask yourself these two questions:
Question #1: can you name one food that just plain makes you feel good after you eat it? My answer would be Eggs.
Question #2: can you name one food that leaves you feeling lousy after you eat it? My answer here would be a Burrito from a well known fast food restaurant.
To be fair many, if not most, other people might have the exact opposite experience when eating these two foods. The important thing to note is that even though I absolutely love them both and my mouth is watering just at the thought of eating one of those tasty burritos, I'm aware of how my body reacts to these foods and it allows me to manage my food choices accordingly.
Question #2: can you name one food that leaves you feeling lousy after you eat it? My answer here would be a Burrito from a well known fast food restaurant.
To be fair many, if not most, other people might have the exact opposite experience when eating these two foods. The important thing to note is that even though I absolutely love them both and my mouth is watering just at the thought of eating one of those tasty burritos, I'm aware of how my body reacts to these foods and it allows me to manage my food choices accordingly.
After 2 years of intense research and keeping a detailed food diary , I've compiled a pretty comprehensive list of foods and how my body reacts to them. I'll readily admit that it's been a slow process, complicated by the fact that feeling good or bad one time you eat something doesn't mean that you'll always feel that way. Your digestive tract may have been compromised by something you ate earlier in that day, causing you to misidentify something you just ate. You may have been in a hurry to eat , engaged in physical activity too soon after eating, or feeling emotionally burdened while eating. There are a myriad of things that need to be factored in but, by keeping an accurate diary and trying foods multiple times before coming to a conclusion that you'll want to live by, you can be very successful in creating your completely personalized diet plan.
Chapter One: Learning to be your Own Number One Health Advocate
Start by visiting your family doctor for your yearly physical exam. It's very much the same as taking your car in for it's yearly service appointment but much more important. Your doctor will check and comment on your vitals and ask you about how you are doing. I hope you see this as a wonderful opportunity to discuss any concerns that you have or to ask advice on things like diet, exercise or anything that comes to mind regarding your body and how it is functioning. Take full advantage of their medical knowledge. Your doctor will order blood tests to learn what what levels of sugar, cholesterol, sodium, calcium and other minerals and substances found in your blood that affect your health. When viewed over a period of years, I see this as a great opportunity to see the effects of my diet.
Example Number One: In August of 2014, my A1C level was 5.6 (just within the acceptable range)and by 2017, it had risen to 6.1 (a level that indicated I was pre-diabetic). I was a physically active vegan at that time consuming a higher level of carbohydrates that I felt were necessary to maintain my energy level. Though most were complex carbs, it's easy for me to see now that the ratio of carbs to protein was out of balance. Fast forward 4 years to the present, I'm now a relatively inactive omnivore with an A1C level of 5.7, an accomplishment worth celebrating. I have many other examples that I plan to share later on, but these are the best two and are easily confirmed.
Example Number Two: In 2015, The ACC/AHA issued new Guidelines with a Lower Definition of Hypertension meaning that my typical blood pressure reading of around 130/80, which had remained relatively constant for most of my adult life is now classified as Stage 1 Hypertension. When that took place, I agreed to take medication to bring my blood pressure down to the newly suggested levels. The side effect of the first, and then the second medication I tried were unacceptable. So, against my doctors recommendations, I set out to lower my blood pressure by making dietary modifications. In order to monitor my progress, I purchased a very accurate home Blood Pressure Monitor. It's just like the one they use at one of the medical facilities I visit regularly. I'm constantly checking my Blood Pressure so I can identify how my dietary changes affect my readings.
When it was taken last week during my yearly physical, my reading was 126/75. Further proof that what i'm doing is working.
Start by visiting your family doctor for your yearly physical exam. It's very much the same as taking your car in for it's yearly service appointment but much more important. Your doctor will check and comment on your vitals and ask you about how you are doing. I hope you see this as a wonderful opportunity to discuss any concerns that you have or to ask advice on things like diet, exercise or anything that comes to mind regarding your body and how it is functioning. Take full advantage of their medical knowledge. Your doctor will order blood tests to learn what what levels of sugar, cholesterol, sodium, calcium and other minerals and substances found in your blood that affect your health. When viewed over a period of years, I see this as a great opportunity to see the effects of my diet.
Example Number One: In August of 2014, my A1C level was 5.6 (just within the acceptable range)and by 2017, it had risen to 6.1 (a level that indicated I was pre-diabetic). I was a physically active vegan at that time consuming a higher level of carbohydrates that I felt were necessary to maintain my energy level. Though most were complex carbs, it's easy for me to see now that the ratio of carbs to protein was out of balance. Fast forward 4 years to the present, I'm now a relatively inactive omnivore with an A1C level of 5.7, an accomplishment worth celebrating. I have many other examples that I plan to share later on, but these are the best two and are easily confirmed.
Example Number Two: In 2015, The ACC/AHA issued new Guidelines with a Lower Definition of Hypertension meaning that my typical blood pressure reading of around 130/80, which had remained relatively constant for most of my adult life is now classified as Stage 1 Hypertension. When that took place, I agreed to take medication to bring my blood pressure down to the newly suggested levels. The side effect of the first, and then the second medication I tried were unacceptable. So, against my doctors recommendations, I set out to lower my blood pressure by making dietary modifications. In order to monitor my progress, I purchased a very accurate home Blood Pressure Monitor. It's just like the one they use at one of the medical facilities I visit regularly. I'm constantly checking my Blood Pressure so I can identify how my dietary changes affect my readings.
When it was taken last week during my yearly physical, my reading was 126/75. Further proof that what i'm doing is working.
Chapter Two: Educating Yourself
This is not easy! Learning who you can trust for information is very tricky, and unfortunately, we can't believe everything we're told by Nutritional Experts because new knowledge is being discovered every day. The best example I can think of is Eggs. We were told forever that eating eggs could promote our death, then came the news that eating up to 3 a day could help promote our health, only to be reversed by a study intended to convince us that they are once again, evil. This seemingly proves that it's not only what we read, but when we read it that matters. How in the world do we expect our doctors to keep up with the constant changes? And the differing sources of information available can only make it even more difficult for them. Taking that all into consideration, I firmly believe that our personal physician is our best and most trusted resource for information. If you don't agree, you may want to consider changing doctors. Don't misunderstand me, I don't always agree or follow what my doctor recommends, but I value his advice and use it along with how my body reacts to things to determine the steps I take to protect or enhance my physical health.
And there are, of course, many online resources available to us. Determining the one that is the most relevant and helpful you each of us is a personal decision and choice. I've found Healthline Nutrition and Psychology Today to be the best online resources for me.
This is not easy! Learning who you can trust for information is very tricky, and unfortunately, we can't believe everything we're told by Nutritional Experts because new knowledge is being discovered every day. The best example I can think of is Eggs. We were told forever that eating eggs could promote our death, then came the news that eating up to 3 a day could help promote our health, only to be reversed by a study intended to convince us that they are once again, evil. This seemingly proves that it's not only what we read, but when we read it that matters. How in the world do we expect our doctors to keep up with the constant changes? And the differing sources of information available can only make it even more difficult for them. Taking that all into consideration, I firmly believe that our personal physician is our best and most trusted resource for information. If you don't agree, you may want to consider changing doctors. Don't misunderstand me, I don't always agree or follow what my doctor recommends, but I value his advice and use it along with how my body reacts to things to determine the steps I take to protect or enhance my physical health.
And there are, of course, many online resources available to us. Determining the one that is the most relevant and helpful you each of us is a personal decision and choice. I've found Healthline Nutrition and Psychology Today to be the best online resources for me.
Click below to visit my Amazon page where you'll find a list of products that have helped me both mentally and physically..
“The purpose of life is to live it.
To taste experience to the utmost.
To reach out eagerly, without fear, for a newer and richer experience.”
― Eleanor Roosevelt
We're living our very own Life Experience and we owe it to ourselves to make the most of it. I believe that each one of us faces different challenges, but the steps that we need to take to get the most out of our time here on this earth, are very much the same for all of us.
To taste experience to the utmost.
To reach out eagerly, without fear, for a newer and richer experience.”
― Eleanor Roosevelt
We're living our very own Life Experience and we owe it to ourselves to make the most of it. I believe that each one of us faces different challenges, but the steps that we need to take to get the most out of our time here on this earth, are very much the same for all of us.