You Are What You Eat: Dr. Gillian McKeith

I read this book about a year ago, but always seem to go back to it every time I have questions or need to refresh my memory. You Are What You Eat: The Plan That Will Change Your Life is a great health and food guide by a well known Scottish Nutritionist. Dr. Gillian McKeith is not your conventional nutritionist, rather she takes a holistic approach, promoting exercise, a pescetarian diet (the practice of a diet that includes seafood and excludes mammals and birds) high in organic fruits and vegetables, and suggesting the avoidance of processed and high-calorie foods.

     The food we eat is like fuel. It gives our bodies the energy they need to function well. If you don’t  make sure that the fuel you pump into your body is of the right quality  or quantity, you won’t feel as healthy as   you could. We all have up to 100 trillion cells in our bodies, each one demanding a constant supply of daily nutrients in order to function optimally. Food affects all those cells, and by extension every aspect of our being: mood, energy levels, food cravings, thinking capacity, sex drive, sleeping habits and general health. In other words, healthy eating is the key to well-being. ~ Dr Gillian McKeith

As we enter the new year, we all make those un-kept resolutions. Rather then make a hypothetical commitment, I thought I would reexamine my diet to make sure I am still on the path to live a vibrant healthy life… (I think I am a pretty clean eater, but I know I still have a ways to go). So, to reexamine my diet I turned to Dr. Gillian’s You Are What You Eat Food Intelligence Quotient Test.

Answer Yes or No to the following questions:

1. Do you eat at least one piece of raw fruit each day? yes

2. Do you eat at least five servings of vegetables each day? yes

3. Do you eat rice, quinoa, millet, oats, or other grains at least three times a week? no

4. Do you eat a serving of raw vegetables each day?  yes

5. Do you eat raw seeds at least three times a week? yes

6. Do you use seaweed in your cooking? no

7. Do you include fish in your diet at least twice a week? (if you are a vegetarian or vegan exclude this question)

8. Do you chew your food thoroughly until it’s liquefied? no

9. Do you go out of your way to avoid foods containing preservatives, additives, colorings, or E numbers? yes

10. Do yo avoid foods that contain sugar or added sugar? yes

11. If you are stressed do you wait until the feeling has passed before eating? yes

12. Were you breast-fed as a child? no

13. Do you always make sure that you take time to eat properly, even if you feel tired or busy? yes

14. Do you eat breakfast every day? yes

15. Do you drink bottled spring water every day? yes

16. Do you drink at least eight glasses of filtered, spring, or mineral water every day? yes

17. Do you avoid beer/alcohol/ soda WHEN EATING? yes

18. Do you drink water approximately 25 minutes before eating your main meals, instead of drinking water with your meals? no

19. Do you eat a varied diet, instead of eating the same foods every day? (this is hard for me…so I guess no)

20. Do you make raw vegetable juices at least once a week? no

Your Score according to Dr. Gillian:

Add up the number of  your YES answers. 17-20: Excellent, pick up this book  just as a reference guide. 12-16: Not bad, you’re trying, which is good news, but not hard enough. Study this book faithfully. 11 or less: you should be worried and you’re in a serious mess. You need to pick up this guide and take to heart every word of this book.

I have 12 YES answers… haha that means I’m in the not bad, could try harder section. Obviously this doesn’t make it or break it for me.  But it does put it all into perspective;  just because your a vegan and avoid processed foods, it doesn’t mean your body is getting the right nutrients. In 2010 I will try to eat more grains like quinoa, avoid drinking while eating (affects the digestion of your food), and try to eat a more varied diet.

Learn more about my healthy eating habits and why I changed my lifestyle.

Feel free to answer these questions to see if you’re fueling your body with the right nutrients to live a vibrant, vital life. Challenge yourself and open your mind to new possibilities (I’m not saying you have to become a vegan or vegetarian); it’s a new year and it could be a new you! According to Dr. McKeith, if you don’t challenge yourself with your health and offer your body good food you may never know how well you can really feel, how much energy you can attain, how sharp your mind could be, or how much happiness you can exude. If you eat dead, lifeless food, your body will be lifeless. REMEMBER, YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT.

I love this book… rather then popping a pill for every ailment, You Are What You Eat gets to the root of the problem.

Other great books by Dr. Gillian McKeith: