I’Il be honest: sometimes, I do worry, “What if someone questions my credibility based on my size?” Dietitians –slim or not– get judged for all sorts of things, and sometimes, we even question ourselves. But last week was a great reminder!
We had a health fair at the hospital where I work with a biometric screening, and I was reminded about #HealthAtEverySize. Although my weight might not be where I’d prefer it to be for personal preferences (this is my own journey to practice body gratitude and acceptance), my relationship with food is! And because of that, my good cholesterol, bad cholesterol, triglycerides, blood sugar, and blood pressure came back picture-perfect. While some of this comes down to genetics, healing my relationship with food has made a huge impact! We all need to acknowledge our genetic body type.
How do I maintain rockstar cholesterol levels?
Oatmeal, blueberries, and other yummy high-fiber foods! This is your friendly reminder that avoiding carbohydrates and sugar can lead to decreased fiber intake, which can damage your good cholesterol levels, raise your blood pressure, and even increase your risk of colon cancer. Avoiding certain foods-or food groups-can be a slippery slope toward an unhealthy relationship with food, over-restriction, or binging, which can produce further negative health effects and wreak havoc on your body, inside and out.
There’s no denying that genetics play a role in our overall health, but by taking care of ourselves with foods that promote health, movement, and journeying towards body gratitude and acceptance – we can mediate our genetic predispositions and live our healthiest and most joyous lives.