The three most fundamental needs of the human body are nutrition, hydration and rest but when grieving these three things either taken seriously or not can make you or break you. When we are experiencing life after loss first and foremost, nutrition is our foundation and deserves our attention.
I am not going to delve deeply into the science of nutrition or dietary theory. The goal is not weight loss but blood sugar stabilization to provide energy, clarity, and mood stability to give you an edge in the grieving process. Grieving is inexplicably draining to bodily systems, it desperately requires the right nutrition to support it.
SIDE TIP: HYDRATION: Do yourself a favor and buy a 64 ounce water bottle to take with you everywhere you go. Grieving is dehydrating, particularly when you are constantly crying. The amount of water an individual needs is debatable as the science community doesn’t agree 100 percent of the time but most doctors recommend 64 ounces a day as a minimum.
The number one thing to know and remember about food is that what we eat becomes our cells, our blood, our organs, our bones, AND our thoughts feelings and emotions - every single part of us. Our body uses nutrition as a means to function properly, from hormonal function to organ function. Like how a car runs on gas, our entire body functions on food. But unlike a car, our body needs more than just gas. It needs an array of vitamins, minerals, micro/macro nutrients, antioxidants just to name a few. Your body uses each vitamin and mineral for a whole host of different purposes.
The human body’s basic needs:
Micro-nutrients: fruits and veggies which provide:
Vitamins
Minerals
Antioxidants
Flavonoids
Fiber
Macro-nutrients: protein, fat and carbohydrates
Protein provides amino acids
Carbs provide energy and fiber
Fats support healthy cell function and nutrient absorption
I advise all my clients to have a serving of fruits and veggies with every meal as well as accompanying every snack. If having that many servings is a brand new experience for you I advise to start with two servings a day for a week then increase it the following week. This could be as simple as adding an apple with your breakfast- apples are perfect at breakfast time, it’s FULL of fiber, and is satiating. For lunch add a side salad. For dinner add steamed or roasted broccoli. Those are just three really easy Ideas. Even if your diet isn’t great- just simply adding these three servings a day- will have a massive impact on the function of your body.
For instance: that apple?: lowers risk for cancers, heart disease, Alzheimer's, improves lung function, is great for healthy skin health and digestion.
The broccoli?: improves liver function, and also lowers risks for cancer, and has high amounts of omega 3’s.
These are just TWO food examples listing only a FEW of the many benefits of each of these foods. As a health coach: My PERSONAL rule of thumb; is my plate has to contain 50 percent or more of veggies or fruit or both. It leaves me feeling nourished and satisfied.
Protein is found in both animal and plant foods such as: meat, chicken, fish, eggs, nuts, seeds, dairy products, legumes, grains and some vegetables.
Protein helps us feel satiated (feeling full and satisfied), so be sure to incorporate it into every meal. It also helps stabilize blood sugar levels and minimize mindless munching.
Carbohydrates can be categorized as refined or unrefined; they are also called processed or unprocessed, simple or complex.
Refined Carbs are stripped of nutrients and other additives and chemicals have been added to take the place of what was taken out. Many of the additives are addictive and harmful to our health. These are some of the foods that cause us to have energy crashes and put us on the sugar roller coaster ride which affects our mood. So for the purposes of giving ourselves an edge to take on grief its best to limit those refined carbs.
Unrefined carbohydrates are full of nutrients, fiber, vitamins and minerals, which are necessary for the production of energy in the human body. Examples of unrefined carbohydrates include: vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, seeds and whole grains.
FATS: Consuming sufficient amounts of fat in the right forms and proper proportions has been shown to offer significant health benefits. Among other things, it can strengthen the immune system, enhance brain and nervous system functions such as mood, intelligence and behavior, greatly reduce cardiovascular disease, increase energy and performance, give you healthy skin, hair, and nails, regulate body weight, and improve organ and gland function. Fat is also critical for the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E and K, as well as optimal hormone function.
Healthy fats are found in foods such as meat, eggs, nuts, seeds, and oily fish, like salmon. Purchase the highest quality you can if your budget allows.
Other good fat sources include olive oil, coconut oil and avocado (i.e. olive oil as part of salad dressing; coconut oil for cooking, baking and more; and avocado in smoothies or on your sandwich or salad). Remember you only need to eat a little of these to get all the benefits from fat.
I know what you’re thinking, all this info is great, common sense even. But it’s overwhelming. So I’m going to break all this info down to one simple easy formula and it has to do with how you build your plate.
Whatever you cook or eat follow this formula: Stay hydrated, cook with healthy fats, make half your plate fruits/veggies, a quarter of your plate unrefined carbs, and a quarter of your plate protein.
SHOPPING TIP: always hit up the produce isle FIRST and pick out fruits and veggies for snacks and meals and avoid the chip, cookie and processed food isles.
Following this formula can easily allow you to get all of the body’s necessary nutrients without too much hassle. When the body gets what it needs you are better prepared for what life throws at you, waves of grief included.