Maybe you want to start eating better, but you just don’t know where to begin. Or maybe you just received a diagnosis for an auto-immune disease and are feeling overwhelmed, not knowing how to help yourself. Or perhaps you have been at this health and wellness game for some time but are now wanting to tweak some things. Where ever you are in your journey to wellness I hope that these few tips help you along the way!

Where to get started?

Choose The Best & Most Realistic Fit For You

First, you need to remember that EVERYONE is different. There is no “one size fits all” protocol. So take your time and do your research to find which diet, exercise plan, and wellness approach is best for you.

Now I do not believe in reinventing the wheel here so here is the best resource I know of to understand the similarities and differences in some of the most popular real food diets.

This was created by my friend over at Treehousedaily.com. Head over to her blog to see her full post on the different diets and to read about how to choose which is best for you. If you want even more information from her on this topic check out her facebook page where she has a live video talking about each diet and answering some of the more common questions that come up when people start to research these different diets.

There are a few things to consider when you are choosing what real food diet would work best for you:

• Time: How much time do you have to put into preparing food for yourself or your
  family each week?
• Budget: How much money do you have to put towards food each week? The more
  limited the diet the more expensive it can get.
• Diagnosis: Have you been diagnosed with an auto-immune disease? Hormone issues?
  Has your baby been diagnosed with FPIES? Anyone in your family have a
  neurological disorder? These kinds of things will effect which diet will be best
  for you.
• Necessity: Are you looking for a real food diet because you want to improve your
  performance in cycling or CrossFit? Or are you here because you are extremely
  sick and have yet to find something that will actually help you? What you
  choose will be affected, in large part, by how crucial it is for you to eat a certain
  way.

Get Support

Now that you have an idea of what diet you want to try it is time for you to build your team. The best way to guarantee your success in anything is to surround yourself with support, accountability, sound advice, and inspiration. In regards to diet, some of the best places to find the support you need are:

• Practitioners: Be it a doctor, naturopath, homeopath, nutritionist, or any
  combination of the above you need to have a professional that you are working
  with to help you reach your wellness goals in a healthy way. Before you begin
  your search read this fabulous article about how to pick the best doctor for you!
• Online Communities: I know places like Facebook get a bad rap sometimes, but social
  media is an invaluable resource when you are looking for information and
  inspiration about a particular diet or health issue. I am a part of a few
  communities on Facebook that have been a lifeline for me at times, have been a
  wonderful sounding board, and have introduced me to people that will be my
  friends for life. Certain blogs and people I follow on Instagram provide me with
  inspiration and encouragement. Another thing that is wonderful about online
  communities is that they will often times introduce you to people in your area and that leads me to…
• Good Friends: “Find your tribe” is a phrase being used a lot lately and though that is
  not the way I would word it the advice is sound! Having people around you who
  are striving for wellness also, possibly eating the same diet as you, or are just
  super supportive of you and your pursuits will be your greatest asset! When you
  feel like giving up, and you will feel like giving up, or you have a really bad day
  these are the people that will hold you accountable and hold you up. Having a
  few friends that are like minded, who you can enjoy meals with and share
  struggles and triumphs together will be the best support you can find!

Know Your Resources

Get to know the grocery stores and butcher shops in your area. Also, get to know the online sources that are available. When it comes to shopping for real food finding high-quality foods is crucial and finding a good deal is exciting!

In your neighborhood look for:

• butchers
• ethnic grocery stores
• co-ops
• bountiful baskets
• community gardens
• local ranchers and farmers
• farmers markets

Online just some of the many resources to check out are:

• Thrive Market
• U.S. Wellness Meats
• Azure Standard
• Tropical Traditions
• Salt Works
• Mountain Rose Herbs
• Amazon

Now To Get Started

You have done a lot of research. You have picked the best diet for you. You have your support team. Now it is time to get started! Here are some of the best tips I received or have learned myself in my journey to wellness:

• Recognize that you are not looking for “healthy” alternative to the junk most of America is eating today. You have to rework your thinking about food to recognize what is healing and good for you, what is worthwhile. Instead of starting by looking for a “better” cookie recipe seek out meals that will satiate, satisfy, and energize you.
• Stock, stock, and more stock. If you can only do one thing I suggest starting by making short cooked stock and consuming it every day. Work your way up to a couple times a day! Check out my posts for more information and a recipe.
• It is ok to start with baby steps! Try out some recipes that sound good to you. Change just one meal a day to comply with your chosen protocol.  You don’t have to master the diet on day one, begin by integrating it slowly and learning how to do it well.
• You don’t have to be perfect to be successful. Everyone has to or chooses to cheat sometimes. It does not mean you failed! It just means your next snack or meal needs to be compliant.
• Learn to listen… to you. There is a lot of information out there and everyone is ready with advice or their opinion, but you are the only one living in your body. You have to learn how to recognize when and what is making you feel good and when and what is making you feel bad. There are so many factors that go into making you uniquely you and those factors play into how you react to foods, supplements, and the world around you. A great place to start is by reading this article. Remember even if you find a diet or workout that is a great fit you will inevitably end up tweaking it some to make it a perfect fit for you. A great example of this is that paleo is now allowing white rice or GAPS allows dairy, but not everyone who uses those diets can eat those particular things. You have to find what makes you feel best!
• Be gentle with and kind to yourself. Don’t rush through detox attempting to get better quicker. Don’t try to add back in foods to quickly. Don’t beat yourself up for mistakes made. Speak positively about yourself and your healing journey. Psychological studies have found that positive thoughts have immense power to affect your health for good.
• Find a few recipes you love and you feel great when you eat them? BATCH COOK!
• Follow me for daily ideas, resources, and inspiration! 😘

Remember healing is a journey, not a destination. You are not rushing towards an imaginary finish life, but making life changes for the betterment of you, your loved ones, and the earth. I hope that this post has given you ideas on how to continue on your path to health and wellness! Have any questions or comment? Please leave them bellow!

*Disclaimer: I am not a doctor, nurse, or any other form of medical professional. The content of this blog is simply my opinion and has not been evaluated by the FTC, FDA or any other government agency and this information is not intended to “diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.” Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this Website.