7 Steps to Radically Change Your Health
By Michelle Sala Integrative Health Coach
As I was typing up some follow-up notes for a client today, I realized that this would make a great blog post! These 7 steps are guaranteed to transform someone’s health status from mediocre to amazing! If you have some stubborn challenges, there are definitely other considerations and changes that may be necessary. But, for the average person who thinks they feel “okay” but would like to feel fabulous, these steps are a great place to begin your health transformation journey.
- Eliminate toxic Omega-6 oils – canola, soybean, vegetable, corn, cottonseed, peanut, safflower, sunflower, grape seed.
These toxic oils contribute to inflammation! Consumers have been duped into thinking they are healthy. These Omega-6 and Omega-9 heavy oils contribute to disease. Ideal oils are virgin coconut oil, avocado oil, extra virgin olive oil
Other healthy fats are raw nuts, avocados, ghee, grass-fed butter, fat from grass-fed pasture-raised animals.
https://chriskresser.com/how-industrial-seed-oils-are-making-us-sick/
https://michellesala.com/blog/get-an-oil-change/
- Eliminate Grains – wheat, corn, rice, farrow, oats
There are a number of reasons that grains don’t work for most people. It’s not about being “gluten-free”. Technically corn, rice and oats don’t have gluten, but they are still seeds of grasses which are difficult to digest. Plus, non-organic versions of these grains may be GMO and full of glyphosate. Check out these links for more information on why grains don’t contribute to health.
https://www.marksdailyapple.com/why-grains-are-unhealthy/
https://www.thepaleomom.com/why-grains-are-bad/
https://michellesala.com/blog/the-problem-with-wheat/
- Eliminate conventional dairy (consuming grass-fed, raw, goat, sheep dairy in limited amounts may be okay for many people)
Conventional dairy cows eat GMO grains (they are supposed to eat grasses, not the seeds) and are given antibiotics to ward off disease due to being in confined areas. These antibiotics are passed to humans through consumption. These antibiotics disrupt the gut microbiome of both animals and humans and have contributed to antibiotic resistance, leaky gut, weight gain, and autoimmune conditions.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/dairy-free-dairy-6-reason_b_558876
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/is-dairy-bad-or-good#bottom-line
- Eat Low-carb
Eating low-carb or lower carb doesn’t automatically mean you are eating keto or are in ketosis. If you are not reaching your health and weight loss goals then it will be necessary to use a monitor, like the Keto-Mojo to track glucose and ketones. https://bit.ly/ketomojomsala
Removing grains from your diet is a great place to start!
If you’re serious about getting into ketosis, shoot for 50g or less of carbs a day. Carbs are not a necessary nutrient for health. It’s the only macronutrient that humans can survive without. You can not live without proteins or fats.
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/carbohydrates/low-carbohydrate-diets
https://mindfulketo.com/keto-effective/
- Incorporate intermittent fasting – ideally 5 to 6 days a week.
Start with eliminating breakfast and push out first meal a day as long as possible. The longer you do it (and eat low-carb) the easier it will get. Humans do not need to eat 3 meals a day every day, unless perhaps you’re an athlete. Shoot for going 12 hours, then 15, then 18. Between 15 to 18 hours is a sweet spot for most people. Eat all of your calories during that feeding period.
Eating 2 meals a day doesn’t mean eating less calories (it may for some people). Eat real whole foods until satisfied at those 2 meals.
The human body does best when you confuse it. Pick a day that you eat 3 meals that day. Saturday or Sunday are good days. Then, try 24 hour water fast at some point where you eat dinner and then don’t eat again until dinner the next day. Doing this once a week to once a month has many health benefits including autophagy, stimulating stem cells. Regularly fasting will make you younger!
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/6-ways-to-do-intermittent-fasting#section5
https://drpompa.com/fasting/intermittent-fasting-the-best-strategy-for-weight-loss/
- Eliminate Soda! Both diet and regular sodas have negative health repercussions.
https://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20190903/once-again-soda-tied-to-higher-risk-of-early-death#1
If you like the fizziness of soda, replace it with sparkling mineral water like Pellegrino and squeeze lemon, lime or add food grade essential oils.
- Proper supplementation.
Consult with someone (like me) to review your current supplements and evaluate what’s right for you at this time. It may be necessary to get some blood work done. Your nutritional needs are always changing based on age, stress, lab results, etc.
https://michellesala.com/blog/vitamin-d-do-you-know-if-you-are-getting-enough/
https://michellesala.com/blog/is-calcium-supplementation-necessary/
Wherever you decide to start, don’t try to do everything at once! Pick one of my suggestions, master it and move on to the next thing. Personally, I think Intermittent Fasting is a great place to start! It doesn’t involve any investment except for determination. In fact, you will save time and money not eating as many meals. As you replace things with grains for grain-less options, look for recipes that are Paleo or Keto and you will find delicious substitutes for things like pizza, noodles, cookies, and desserts. Making these changes doesn’t mean deprivation. Once you feel better, you will not want to go back to your old way of eating.
Here are some documentaries on Amazon Prime that will help you to understand these principles better:
Fat: A Documentary
Is Sugar the New Fat?
Love Paleo
Disclaimer: Please note that these recommendations are based on my personal opinions which have been formed by my own research and are not meant to be a diagnosis or a replacement for any current treatment you and your health care providers have deemed necessary. Any changes you make in your supplementation or diet and lifestyle are the sole responsibility of you and your health care providers, should you choose to follow these recommendations.
