Many people come in to me complaining about allergies, insomnia, bowel disorders, and frequent illness. Often, these symptoms are a result of things that can be altered with a little self-awareness. One of thebest ways to bring about this awareness is through a health log.
Start with columns or the date, time (you can keep it general like morning, afternoon, and evening),meals, activities, location, and any symptoms you might have. If possible, be very specific about foods eaten. Certain foods are known to cause inflammatory responses in some people, others for causing bowel irritation, or mental fatigue and mood swings. I will be covering food-related allergies and how to read labels later, but for now, try at least to be aware of what prepared foods you are eating…pre-packaged foods, anything with sauces, flavorings, etc.
You may discover that every time you eat Italian foods, your arthritis flares up. Or after you eat a meal with a lot of bread or pasta, you feel very tired. Or that late-night glass of juice seems to be linked to the sleepless nights that you have. This is the first step to learning how to control your health through diet and lifestyle. Play with it awhile and see what happens. You may be surprised at what you learn!