Are You Sick of Fad Diets?

Are you are confused about all the conflicting information in the world of nutrition? Well, look no further as nature has shown us the way!

We are circadian creatures. We have natural rhythms in our body that mimic the rhythms going on in the world around us. We are the microcosm of the macrocosm. Ayurveda, “The Science of Life” and OG of circadian medicine lists one of the three main causes of disease to be parinama, meaning seasonal variations.

We live in a world where everything is at our fingertips. You find blueberries and tomatoes at the supermarket in January. When being shipped from across the country or from other countries, the nutritional content has been compromised. Waxes and chemicals have also been added to help make the produce look more appealing and retain its integrity.
Although the abundance and variety of food we have at our disposal is comforting, is it truly in our best interest to consume all year round? We all know produce tastes much different when grown locally and in season, but the food we eat has a deeper importance and purpose which is to bring balance to our bodies at certain times of year.

At each change of season, nature provides us with food that will support, nourish, and balance our bodies. Think about it:

• When is an appropriate time to eat heavier grains, fats and dense meat? In the winter when we need some extra insulation and protection from the outside world.
• When should we be lightening up, eating things like bitter roots, berries and greens? In the spring when the abundance of the bitter taste helps our bodies stimulate natural cleansing and fat burning processes.

A teacher of mine, Dr. John Douillard is a champion of seasonal eating and has written the book The 3 Season Diet as well as Eat Wheat and many articles illustrating the importance of taking cues from nature. One of the articles written highlighted research done on the Hazda tribe in Tanzania. The study showed that the microbes in tribe members changed dramatically with each season. In addition to their microbiome making dramatic seasonal shifts, the tribes’ gut bacteria are also significantly more diverse than that of a western-cultured microbiome. You may be thinking so what? Well, there are certain microbes that help us break down foods like wheat, dairy, protein, etc. These microbes are naturally present when these foods are in season. WOW! Mind Blown! So maybe we don’t need to be on a wheat free, dairy free, carb free, fat free (you get the point) diet. Maybe we just need to get back to nature, back to our circadian rhythms and circadian eating.

So what are the main reasons to eat seasonally?

• We are circadian creatures.
• Provides gut with microbes needed to strengthen digestion at this time of year.
• Nature provides the nutrients and the model needed to balance seasonal conditions.
• Produce is fresher, more nutritious.
• No added waxes and chemicals for shipment and storage.
• Supports local farmers and soil.
• Reduces carbon footprint.

If this post peaked your interest in seasonal eating, please feel free to reach out to me for guidance.

All my best,

Candice