We’ve all heard the phrase, “variety is the spice of life.” While this saying refers to the different activities and experiences in your day, it turns out variety is also the key to a long and healthy life. I’m not talking checking items off your bucket list or taking a different route to work every morning. I’m talking about changing up the food you put into your body.
Don’t get me wrong, a meal plan consisting entirely of pizza and ice cream is pretty appealing. But, by eating the same type of food over and over again, you’re missing out on an abundance of nutrients that are only available in a well-balanced diet with a variety of food groups. Even if you only eat carrots and broccoli, which are excellent sources of potassium and vitamin K, you won’t get nutrients like vitamin B12 which is essential for red blood cell formation, bone health, and boosting energy.
The internet is full of different fad diets, all designed to help you shed the pounds and keep the weight off. Even if your coworker did manage to lose 10 pounds in 7 days from her juice cleanse, is that sort of crash diet the best option for your health and your body?
I can tell you now; the answer is no. The more research is done into healthy dieting, the more it is clear that our bodies need a proper balance of food groups to stay fit, feel full, and live longer.
Rotation dieting is emerging as a method for ensuring balanced nutrition, determining foods which we might be intolerant, and preventing chronic disease. Don’t think of it as a restrictive diet; instead, a meal plan that allows you to eat most everything you love, but only on an alternating basis.
It may seem overwhelming when you first start a rotation diet, so it’s recommended to begin with a four-day rotation schedule. On the first day, write down everything you eat in a notebook (or better yet, rotation chart) and for the remaining three days, don’t eat anything you ate on Day 1. On the fifth day, you start the rotation over again. If you’re a picky eater, consider adding a few different protein powders to your diet to ensure you get enough of this food group.
You’ll begin to notice patterns in your energy level and stress levels, as well as your overall sense of bodily well-being. Then it will be easy to identify and cut out food groups that cause distress or discomfort.
This way, you approach your food intake from a holistic perspective, identify foods that cause bodily discomfort, like chronic inflammation that has been linked to Alzheimer’s disease, and support the overall health of your body by providing it with essential vitamins, minerals, and proteins. A diet consisting of a variety of food groups is the key to promoting your overall health, which will allow you to gain many memorable experiences throughout your long happy life.
Rory Brown delivers food criticism and healthy lifestyle advice to a devoted community across three continents and growing. He seeks out traditional cuisine that keeps up with modern gastronomic and dietary trends, always keeping his ear to the ground when it comes to the newest scientific research on healthy eating.