There is no perfect diet!

Wouldn't it be nice if we could get scientifically-based information on the best diet to eat that would be suitable for everyone everywhere? It doesn't exist. I wish there was a magic cure-all that would help everyone with everyone's health. It sure would make life easier.

We are all unique. We have different ancestry and genetic makeup. We've been exposed to different environmental toxins. We've eaten different things. We are susceptible to different diseases. We have different economic and social factors on our lives. We need a unique diet.

I imagine many health-conscious people follow a diet that substitutes healthy food for junk food. Sounds universally helpful. And I'm sure to some extent it is. We use brown rice instead of white. We use coconut oil and olive oil instead of vegetable and canola oil. We make sure that we are buying wild-caught alaskan salmon. We use greek yogurt with twice the protein of regular yogurt. Wouldn't these simple substitutions work for everyone?

Not necessarily. The food that causes me the most pain is cauliflower. It's a healthy food but just doesn't work for me. We have to know what our bodies tolerate or assist our body through enzymes and such and that's where the GAPS diet has intrigued me. It strips down to a gut-healing diet. It adds back foods slowly to see what is tolerated and what isn't. There's no one-size-fits-all approach in regards to diet. One family may not be able to have dairy while another person can't have eggs. Totally customizable.

I've read lots of books, blogs and studies on nutrition. It is easy to arrive at the conclusion that nothing is safe to eat. Health fads change regularly and even professional opinions can change on appropriate treatments within just a few years. Where can we get reliable information? I think it's our bodies. I think we were made by God with bodies with an incredible ability to heal themselves. If we are adding food back one at a time, we'll know exactly what makes our stomach hurt or skin break out.

I think most if not all solutions lie in a balance. If we are eating way too much or way too little of anything, we're probably on the wrong track. Our diet is very heavy on the starches (although I have added more protein in the past few years) and very low on fats and fermented foods. I am starting to feel a difference in how I feel after eating a bone broth soup and water or a starch-heavy meal. I'm not sure if the additions are sufficient or if a more-intensive healing period is needed. We'll see how things are going at the end of the year.

Lastly, I think following a diet has become somewhat of a religious activity. We think we must follow it with as much attention to detail as the Pharisees followed the Jewish law. I decided a long time ago that if it wasn't sustainable, it wasn't worth doing. I study the good and the bad, the availability and the cost before adding something to our diet. I've carried over many sustainable nutritional habits and I've left a lot that didn't work for our family for whatever reason. GAPS is not a religion or a diet to replace everything I've tried. It's a continuation on our journey.