The Importance of Making Nutrition Personalized

There is a somewhat overwhelming and endless array of nutrition philosophies and corresponding dietary regimes. They usually have some degree of merit but what they are not is personalized. The reality is that each and every person is an individual and should be treated as such. 

One person will respond to a diet or nutrition regime differently to that of another. For example, a diet high in carbohydrates will make some people feel energetic and others lethargic. Similarly, certain food combinations could cause bloating in some people, but have no reactions in others.

It’s important to recognize that you have your own unique requirements and you shouldn’t try to follow something just because it works for someone else. If you’re looking for optimal health and wellness, here are some tips that will help you to make your nutrition personalized.

Keep a food diary

Record a food diary for a week and note down how you feel after eating each meal, and throughout the day. Give yourself an energy rating out of ten and note down if you experience feelings that could be related to what you ate (for example bloated or unwell). 

After a period of a week you should be able to start gaining some insights about what foods your body is responding well to and what foods it doesn’t like as much. From there you can start swapping out foods that you suspect aren’t working for you.

Hire a nutritionist

Sometimes the messages your food diary is sending you might be too complex to work out on your own. Perhaps there are certain food combinations that your body isn’t responding well to, rather than an individual food. A nutritionist or dietician can help you to make sense of it and can guide you on ways to make healthy adjustments to your food intake.

If you have hormone issues or health concerns a nutritionist can also help guide you on a nutritional regime that takes your personal health needs into consideration. They can also advise you on testing options such as hair tissue analysis or blood testing. These sorts of tests can help you determine what foods you are allergic or intolerant to (without the guesswork) as well as what vitamins and minerals you are lacking in.

Consider your lifestyle and preferences

Many generic diet plans will include recipes and exact meal planning day by day. Unless these have been produced by a nutritionist especially for you, they won’t necessarily cater to your lifestyle and preferences. Maybe you don’t like coconut, and when you sift through the recipes in your plan you notice that a heap of them contain it as a major ingredient. If you don’t like the taste of something then the chances are probable that you won’t want to make it or eat it.

Similarly, you might have a busy family life as well as a full time corporate job. In this case, the time you have available for cooking needs to be considered. It may be that you need super quick recipes or maybe ideas for healthy snacks and food choices when you’re at work.

Overall, your nutrition choices should be sustainable in the long run. Personalized nutrition plays a big role in helping you to create a plan that you will be able to maintain.