the HUnter-Gatherer guide to intuitive eating - Julie Huang

Pociecha, Sebastian (Photographer) (N.D.) .Walk through the forest. [photograph] Retrieved November 11, 2018 from:https://unsplash.com/photos/IZr6n-v2IE0

​I  HAVE BEEN RECENTLY THINKING TO MYSELF, WHAT KIND OF LIFESTYLE SHOULD HUMANS FOLLOW? WHAT KIND OF FOOD ARE WE DESIGN TO EAT? ARE HUMANS ACTUALLY DESIGN TO EAT ONLY A PLANT-BASED DIET OR ARE WE DESIGN TO EAT  A MEAT BASED DIET? THESE THOUGHTS IN MY HEAD HAS LED ME TO GO BACK IN TIME. HUMANS, BY DESIGN ARE HUNTERS AND GATHERERS. WHICH BASICALLY MEANS THAT HUMANS WORK FOR THEIR FOOD. IF WE COMPARED TO HOW WE EAT TODAY, WE ARE THE MOST LAZIEST HUMANS EVER. IN THE CURRENT AGE; ALL WE DO IS GO TO THE STORE AND GET OUR FOOD INSTANTLY, AND YES, SOME HUMANS DO GO TO THE STORE AND GATHER THEIR “FOOD” AKA INGREDIENTS AND COOK IT AT HOME. BUT ARE WE SUPPOSED TO EAT IN SUCH MATTER; WHERE WE ADD EXTRA SALT, EXTRA SUGAR, EXTRA FAT IN TO OUR DIET? THE EXTRA STUFF WE ADD TO OUR FOOD, DO WE ACTUALLY NEED IT OR IS IT JUST A PREFERENCE. IN THIS DAY IN AGE, THE FOOD THAT WE CONSUME DOES NOT COMPUTE WITH OUR MORE SEDENTARY LIFESTYLE. IF WE, COMPARING TO OUR MORE ACTIVE ANCESTORS, THE AMOUNT OF ENERGY CONSUMED IS COMPARABLE TO THE AMOUNT OF ACTIVITY THAT OCCURS IN THEIR LIVES. BECAUSE OF OUR MORE SEDENTARY LIFESTYLE THAT WE ARE IN, THE ENERGY WE OBTAIN FROM THE FOOD THAT WE CONSUME DOES NOT BALANCE OUT, WHICH LEADS TO EXCESS BUILD UP OF UNNECESSARY FAT.

Rawpixel. (Photographer).( N.D.). Person measuring someone's waistline. [photograph]. Retrieved November 11, 2018 from: https://unsplash.com/photos/UcMfDmes9sk

OVEREATING?
     INSTEAD OF EATING FOOD AS A NECESSITY WE CONSUME FOOD LIKE IT IS TASK. FOR MOST, EVER SINCE PRIMARY SCHOOL,WE ARE CONDITIONED TO CONSUME FOOD AT A CERTAIN TIME AND CERTAIN AMOUNT. BUT DO WE ACTUALLY ALL NEED TO EAT THAT MUCH FOOD IF OUR LIFESTYLE DOES NOT BALANCE OUT THE ENERGY THAT IS USED? "IN TODAY"S INDUSTRIALIZED WORLD, FAST FOOD, HIGH-CALORIE BEVERAGES, and LARGE PORTIONS MAKE IT EASY TO OVERRIDE FULLNESS CUES, AS EXCESS ENERGY IS OFTEN CONSUMED BEFORE BEING REGISTERED BY THE BODY." (OUTLAND, L. PHD., RUST, F. PHD, 2013).BECAUSE OF ALL THE EXCESS FOOD WE EAT, OUR BODIES END UP STORING ALL THAT EXCESS ENERGY IN TO FAT. WITH ALL THAT ADDED AMOUNT OF FAT, IT LEADS TO HEALTH PROBLEMS, SUCH AS DIABETES AND HEART DISEASE. (GIBBY, J.T., NJERU, D. K., CVETKO, S.T., MERRILL, R. M., BIKMAN, B. T., GIBBY, W. A., 2015). FAT IN OUR BODIES ARE LIKE SPONGES, IT SUCKS UP ALL THE DIRTY AND NASTY THINGS WE PUT INTO OUR BODY. THE AMOUNT OF HEALTH PROBLEMS THAT IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO EXCESS FAT IS MORE THAN THE FINGERS ON OUR HANDS.  FAT IN OUR BODIES IS NECESSARY FOR NORMAL HOMEOSTATIC FUNCTIONS, BUT OUR BODIES ARE NOT DESIGN TO NEED SO MUCH FAT. OUR BODIES STORE FAT BECAUSE IN THE OLDEN TIME, WHEN FOOD IS SCARCE THE BODY WILL CONVERT THE EXCESS STORED FAT FOR ENERGY. 

Carrie,G. (Photographer). (N.D.). Clear Glass Light Bulb on Sand During Day Time. [photograph], Retrieved November 11,2018 from:https://unsplash.com/search/photos/thinking

intuitive eating?

    According to The Gale Encyclopedia of Diets, "Intuitive eating is a program based on the premise that the human body possesses innate knowledge of the best foods to eat and the most appropriate eating habits. Intuitive eating rejects the multitude of diets and dietary recommendations that flood the marketplace and create confusion among consumers. Rather than scientific explanations and rigid dietary requirements, intuitive eating emphasizes the psychological components of eating habits as important nutritional factors. Thus, the goal of an intuitive eating program is to rediscover and reconnect with the inherent wisdom of one's own body, using practices that facilitate this process." (2013).  

   Rather than having a diet where their is restrictions and limitations, intuitive eating allows us to understand our bodies better in order for us to eat what I bodies is trying to tell us that it needs. With us focusing on diets with limitation and restrictions, it trains our mind to be disciplined in a certain way. Because of that we are actually ignoring what our bodies is telling us. A study that directly links between dieting, exercising and intuitive eating amongst early adolescents shows that "When individuals eat intuitively, they generally consume more nutritious foods and are able to maintain a weight that is healthy for their height and sex ." (Moy, J., Petrie, T. A., Dockenndroff, S., Greenleaf,C., Martin, S., 2013). 

Mars, Bruce (photographer). (N.D.). Man with Hand on Temple Looking at Laptop.[photograph]. Retrieved November 11, 2018:from https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-with-hand-on-temple-looking-at-laptop-842554//

Fuud for thought?

If we follow what our bodies wants us to eat, are we going against what our bodies actually need? (PLease Comment below)




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References

Dupler, D., & Alic, M. (2013). Intuitive eating. In K. Key (Ed.), The Gale encyclopedia of diets: a guide               to health and nutrition (2nd ed.). Farmington, MI: Gale. Retrieved from               
          http://jpllnet.sfsu.edu/login?url=https:/ /search.credoreference.com/content/entry /galediets/           intuitive_eating/0?institutionId=3907

Moy,J. ,Petrie, T. A.,  Dockendorff,S.,  Greenleaf, C., & Martin,S. (2013). Dieting, exercise, and               intuitive eating among early adolescents. Eating  Behaviors. 14(4), 529-532. 
         https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eatbeh.2013.06.014

Gibby, J.T., Njeru, D. K., Cvetko, S.T., Merril, R. M., Bikman, B. T., Gibby, W. A.(2015). Volumetric         Analysis of Central Body fat Accurately Predicts Incidence of Diabetes and Hypertension           in Adults. BMC Obesity. 2 (1). 1. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40608-015-0039-3

Outland,L.,& Madanat, H. & Rust, F. (2013). Intuitive Eating for a Healthy Weight. Primary                healthy weight. 23, 22-28. https://doi.orrg/10.7748/phc2013.11.23.9.22.e754