One of the most common questions I get asked is "what should I focus on the most?". People tend to get overwhelmed at first by healing protocols (understandably so!), and they want to know where they should start, as well as what things are most important.
First of all, if you have not read the Medical Medium books, this is where I suggest you start.
You can also find plenty of information on his blog, social media accounts, SoundCloud account, and within free resources available on his website. Gather as much information as you can about your condition(s) specifically so that you know where you're going with this and most importantly, why.
As you will learn, depending on where you're starting from, a healing protocol can require some major changes. This is not always easy! Trust me, I've been there too. But if I was able to start doing this while I was working a high-stress management job 45-60 hours per week and going to school full-time, then you can too! I promise.
So, I'm writing this to share my top tips for avoiding overwhelm when getting started in the kitchen, with a healing protocol, and just with getting healthier in general.
1. TAKE IT EASY.
The most important thing when it comes to making healthy changes is to do everything that feels overwhelming in steps. For example, say you're currently following a pretty typical standard American diet and you have a goal of wanting to become a raw vegan. It's actually not a good idea to try to make this major change all at once. Raw foods are extremely cleansing and detoxifying, and if you have a lot of toxicity built up in your body, as most of us do, going fully raw right away might release too many toxins for your body to eliminate at once. This is something that happened to me when I first started eating healthy. My body became highly toxic and caused me to retain fluid, swell/bloat, hold onto weight, and more. I detoxed too quickly.
To avoid having this happen to you, here's an example process for taking it in steps:
Start by eating simply eating more whole foods and cutting back on animal product consumption.
Replace your staple items (bread, cheese, milk, wraps, pasta, etc.) with healthier versions. Check for some of my healthy food product recommendations here.
Add in more fruits, vegetables, and herbs.
Eliminate animal products.
Eliminate processed foods.
Make the commitment to go fully raw.
Ideally, you should spend several weeks in each phase. Keep in mind that this is just an example of a process! You absolutely do not have to go raw or vegan in order to heal. You just want to incorporate as many fruits, vegetables, and herbs into your diet as possible over time. In any case, take it in steps to make it easier on you and your body.
2. MINDSET.
I am a huge believer in the statement, "whether you think you can or you can't - you are right". You have to make it your mission to start thinking more positively. Your body cells receive the energetic impressions you emit with your thoughts. This means that you have a major influence on your bodily functions, as well as your healing process, with you mind. I highly recommend using my free eBook, The Wellbeing Mindset Guide, as you're starting out in order to ensure your thoughts are in alignment with your health goals. You can download this resource here. For further help with positive psychology, check out the books on my recommended products page. Many of these are amazing resources geared towards the mental aspect of health and healing.
3. INVEST IN THE BASICS.
Your life will be so much easier if you have the tools you need on hand to simplify food preparation. Remember that as you are healing, your food is your primary medicine. Trying to prepare it without the proper tools is like receiving prescription pharmaceutical drugs without a container to carry them in - it just makes things more messy and difficult.
I recommend starting out with the following:
A blender
Some sort of water purification system
Safe cookware
Mason jars
Glass food storage containers
A lemon squeezer
A juicer or either a nut milk bag or a fine-mesh strainer to use with your blender for juice-making
Other helpful tools can include a garlic press, a food processor, and glass straws. All of my recommendations for these products and more can be found here. You don't have to get the most expensive options! I got by, on my college student budget, with the least expensive kitchen tools possible, including a $30 blender from Wal-Mart, for the first 2 years of my healing journey - and I used that thing every day.
4. KEEP IT SIMPLE.
I always tell my clients to, in any way that they can, simplify their daily healing routines. You don't have to make elaborate recipes, 30-ingredient super-powered smoothies, or spend all day in the kitchen. A lot of my meals are actually mono-meals (comprised of only 1 fruit or vegetables), and if I prepare a meal it usually has 5 ingredients or less and takes just a few minutes to put together - super simple! As you read through the Medical Medium books, blogs, and social media posts, you'll find that there are so many incredibly healing foods, herbs, drinks, and supplements that each have an extensive array of healing properties. One of the most common things that holds people back is the feeling that they need to do everything. You absolutely do not! And the more you simplify, the more sustainable it's going to be for you.
I recommend using the books and your intuition to guide you to the top 3-5 healing foods that stick out the most to you. Your body knows what it needs. Start there, and focus on getting those few foods in every single day. For example, I'm focusing on apples, asparagus, and dates right now. So I put a handful of dates in all of my smoothies, eat at least 3 apples with my breakfast and/or as snacks throughout the day, focus my dinner around a heaping pile of asparagus as the main item, and eat more apple slices with more dates for dessert. This is how you use food as medicine.
Another helpful tool for added simplicity to sticking to some sort of regular structure to your eating patterns each day. Some people like to eat raw until 4pm and just have a cooked dinner. Others keep their morning focused upon fruit, their afternoons focused upon leafy greens, and their evening focused upon vegetables.
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I hope that these tips are helpful and may you offer some peace of mind. If you'd like individualized help in figuring our how to heal from your health problems, you can find information about my wellness sessions here. Remember that the healing path looks different for everyone. You have already made incredible steps forward just by being here and reading this post!
with love,
Amber
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