Healthy habits may not be as healthy as you think. Do you ever get the feeling you’re doing everything “right” for your health and still getting nowhere? Yeah, I know exactly how you feel. I’ve felt that way dozens of times during the last few years since I began my health journey. And it is sooooo frustrating!
But even more frustrating is the idea that if something isn’t working for you, then you must not be doing it enough. If drinking eight glasses of water a day isn’t fixing your problems, then drink ten.
If running a mile in the morning isn’t helping, then run four miles. And if being on a low-carb diet isn’t working for you, then you must need a zero-carb diet.
This stems from the more-must-be-better philosophy which, by the way, I totally disagree with. Whether or not more of anything is better depends on a lot of factors, which should all be centered around the individual–aka you.
When I started paying attention to my body’s response instead of just blindly following some guru or another, I was amazed at how quickly I was able to uncover so-called “healthy” behaviors that were working against me.
I was surprised to discover just how much advice I was following out of habit–sometimes habits that stemmed from tidbits I picked up from who-knows-where when I was just a kid!
So, what determines if something is a healthy habit or not? Your body and your metabolism! A truly healthy habit will nourish your metabolism and ultimately evoke a positive response from your body. And if a habit is not doing those things for you, then maybe it’s not so “healthy” for you after all.
What Does it Mean to Nourish Your Metabolism?
Before I get into which “healthy” habits may not be so healthy, I want to explain my idea of nourishing your metabolism vs. stressing your metabolism, a key premise in my book The Nourished Metabolism.
Your metabolic health is the sum of all your body’s amazing functions–how your cells use energy, how well your digestion works, the quality of your sleep, your energy levels, your moods, and much more.
Stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol throw a wrench into all of these functions and cause imbalances that stress your metabolism.
Because chronically high stress hormones interfere with healthy metabolic function, one of the key principles for nourishing your metabolism is to work on normalizing these stress hormone levels by reducing your overall stress load.
(This stress could come from many sources such as nutrient deficiencies, deprivation dieting, lack of sleep, emotional trauma, allergies, toxin exposure, not getting enough sunlight, etc.)
Identifying and eliminating (or at least reducing) some of these stressors is an important step to nourish your metabolism.
With this in mind, it’s easy to see why some “healthy” habits are actually stressing your metabolism by promoting high stress hormone levels, and in the end, doing more harm than good.
(PS: This is my favorite supplement for helping me handle stress and feel more grounded even when life is hard.)
Which healthy habits are hurting your metabolism?
1. Following a diet plan.
Everyone knows that following a diet plan is way healthier, right? Wrong! Diet plans break two important rules for nourishing your metabolism: 1) they often deny your body energy by restricting food intake, and 2) they tell you to listen to the plan instead of your body.
Diet plans try to make you fit into the plan, instead of allowing you to make a plan that fits you.
Diet plans tell you what to eat, how to eat, when to eat, and especially what NOT to eat. Diet plans are always centered around restricting–whether it’s fat, carbs, animal foods, starch, or just calories in general.
The restriction mentality is stressful and almost always backfires.
Restriction tells you that your body only wants the “wrong” things, so you have to listen to a plan instead of listening to your body. This is just not true! Once you’ve taken a step back from the restriction mentality, what your body really wants starts to become a lot clearer. But you have to be willing to step outside of the “plan” first. Listening to your body is a truly healthy habit.
Related: I Stopped Dieting 6 Years Ago, and This Happened…
Related: How I Finally Stopped Binge Eating
2. Eating lots of fiber.
Yes, I know that fiber is the darling of the health industry. We’re told that fiber is like little brooms that “sweep” away all the icky stuff hanging around in our digestive tract. It’s a nice analogy, but it isn’t the whole story.
Fiber is packaged with phytic acid and oxalates, both of which can prevent the absorption of important minerals like magnesium, calcium and zinc.
Fiber also hangs around your gut and feeds the bacteria there–and not just the good kind. If you already have an imbalance of pathogenic gut flora, fiber can literally feed the problem and just make it worse.
So if you already tend to have digestive issues, eating a lot of fiber (and especially forcing a bunch of fiber supplements down your throat) may not be such a good idea.
Now, fiber’s not all bad–it can also help beneficial bacteria produce healing short-chain fatty acids like butyric acid. Often fiber’s negative side effects are dose-dependent, so most people don’t need to worry about completely eliminating fiber from their diet.
I’m not advocating extremes, trust me, but just keep an eye on how your body reacts to fibrous foods–you may benefit from cutting back on your fiber intake.
3. Drinking 8 glasses of water every day.
Let me start with this: hydration is important! So don’t take it the wrong way when I ask, is it possible you’re drinking too much water?
The idea of drinking too much water sounds completely ridiculous in our culture which encourages downing a bottle of water every chance you get.
Did you wake up? Drink a bottle of water! Hungry? Drink a bottle of water! Thirsty? Holy cow, you’re already dehydrated–drink two bottles of water!
Again, keeping your body properly hydrated is a healthy practice, but drinking X amount of water every day just to fill a quota isn’t the healthy approach to hydration.
The common sense approach is to drink when you’re thirsty. Why? Because that’s when your body is telling you it needs more fluid! Think about it: how much water your body needs depends on a lot of factors:
- Your metabolic rate. A low metabolism requires less fluid, and a high metabolism requires more.
- Your activity level. A heavy exerciser will need more water. If you aren’t very active, you may need less.
- Your climate. A dry, hot climate will increase your water needs, but if you’re in a cool, humid climate, you may need less water.
- Your diet. If you already eat a diet rich in fluids from raw milk, fruit, or soup, then your water needs decrease. (Yes, water in food counts. Why wouldn’t it?)
Your body prefers a healthy balance of minerals, sodium and water–and plain water contains just one of those important ingredients. If you detest the taste of plain water, it might mean your body wants a more balanced form of hydration.
Try some diluted orange juice with a dash or two of sea salt. This balanced beverage can quench your thirst while also supplying you with electrolytes like sodium, magnesium and potassium. Now that’s a healthy habit.
4. Eating chicken breasts for protein.
Getting plenty of protein is definitely a healthy habit for nourishing your body, but in today’s culture that tends to mean eating a lot of muscle meats like chicken breasts.
Muscle meats are fine and dandy (if they from quality sources like truly free-range chickens or grass-fed cows), but they don’t contain the best balance of amino acids.
Traditionally, meat consumption was always balanced with gelatin (or collagen) in the form of rich bone broths made into soups, sauces, gravies or stews. But today we’ve strayed from this practice and tend to just consume to meat by itself (or with processed broth that contains a lot of yucky additives and virtually no gelatin).
Gelatin contains important anti-stress amino acids like glycine, which has been shown to improve insulin function, protect your liver, and is anti-inflammatory.
You can balance your overall protein intake by eating more gelatin-rich bone broth or by supplementing with high quality collagen protein powder.
For further reading on protein: Daily Recommended Protein: How Many Grams Do Your Really Need Per Day?
5. Restricting your salt intake.
Salt is bad… right? Whoops, mainstream health got it wrong again! Sure, loading up with heavily processed foods that contain tons of MSG isn’t healthy, but that doesn’t automatically make salt bad for you.
Here are some interesting facts that show how salt can actually nourish your metabolism:
- Salt naturally increases your metabolic rate.
- Salt lowers stress hormones.
- Salt raises oxytocin levels.
- Low-salt diets are linked to a higher mortality rate.
- Low-salt diets increase insulin resistance.
The key to getting the right amount of salt–not too little and not too much–is to listen to your body! Salt simply tastes better when your body needs more sodium (just like plain water tastes good when you’re really thirsty!).
Just be sure to choose a quality salt with no additives, and then simply salt your food to taste. Sometimes you’ll want more, sometimes you’ll prefer less, and that’s totally fine.
(I will add that heavily processed foods loaded with flavor enhancers and MSG can lead you to consume a whole lot of sodium without realizing it. The principle of salting your food to taste works best when you stick to more natural foods.)
For more reading on salt and your health: How to Use Sea Salt for Adrenal Health
6. Eating tons of raw veggies.
Over the years, I’ve eaten many a salad in the name of establishing healthy habits, but I can count on one hand the times I actually enjoyed eating a salad (and in those cases, usually some bacon or cheese was involved).
As it turns out, maybe my body was trying to tell me something: raw veggies aren’t your best friend.
Raw vegetables are loaded with cellulose, a fiber that the human body simply can’t digest. Certain animals were definitely designed to eat a cellulose heavy diet, like cows with their multiple stomachs, or horses with their large cecum.
But we humans are blessed with one stomach and a small cecum. We’re just not made to digest cellulose. And indigestible material can often lead to irritation and inflammation in your gut, especially for sensitive individuals.
But the trouble with raw veggies doesn’t stop at cellulose. Raw vegetables also contain anti-nutrients like oxalates (which block calcium absorption) and goitrogens (which suppress thyroid function).
Luckily, simply cooking your veggies can break down cellulose, neutralize oxalates, and at least partially neutralize goitrogens. So you can still eat your veggies if you want–just eat them cooked (at least most of the time).
7. Focusing on cardio and aerobics for exercise.
Our society tends to put a lot of focus on running marathons, logging in hours on the elliptical machine, or going to spin class. Cardio exercise just seems to be so politically correct, you know? But politically correct doesn’t always translate to metabolically beneficial.
Being active is definitely an important part of being healthy, but I think there is a smart way to be active without sacrificing your metabolic health. Cardio exercise triggers the release of stress hormones, so it can definitely be overdone.
This is especially true if you already have a problem with high stress hormones–doing a ton of cardio is only going to make the problem worse.
So I suggest a different approach:
- Put more focus on muscle-building exercise. This can be weight lifting, body-weight strength training, yoga or any other muscle-building activity. This type of exercise is linked to metabolic benefits like better insulin sensitivity, improved brain function, stronger bones, and better moods.
- Turn cardio into HIIT. High intensity interval training (HIIT) can usually accomplish the fitness gains of cardio exercise in a fraction of the time. HIIT sessions don’t typically reach the “endurance” phase when the body starts releasing a lot of stress hormones into your system, plus it’s associated with improved heart health and insulin sensitivity (it’s even been shown to support fat loss more than cardio exercise!).
- Fuel your exercise with the right diet and lifestyle. It’s important to remember to support your active lifestyle with plenty of quality food and good sleep. A poor diet (especially not eating enough) and poor sleep habits can cause chronically high stress hormones–add a bunch of exercise to the mix and you’ve got the recipe for a metabolic disaster. So be sure your getting the food and sleep you need to fuel your activity level.
Healthy Habits: “Healthy” Means Healthy for You
I’ve always felt it’s important to learn how to nourish your body, but in my own research, I’ve learned the term “healthy” can be relative. In the end, whatever advice you want to follow should always be tempered with a good dose of listening to your body.
Your body is a complex system that is actually pretty smart, so always tune in to your biofeedback to figure out what’s truly healthy for you.
Tell me about your health habits in the comments!
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You can also read more about how I learned to eat and exercise in a way that nourished my metabolism (without stressing about it!) in my book The Nourished Metabolism. No gimmicks or magic pills, just a balanced perspective on how you can improve your metabolic health with simple changes to your diet and lifestyle. Click here to check it out.
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More Articles on a Nourished Metabolism and Dieting:
- I Stopped Dieting 6 Years Ago, and This Happened…
- How to Stop Binge Eating
- 5 Deep Breathing Benefits
- Stop Dieting: Why Giving Up on Dieting Isn’t Giving Up On Yourself
- Uncover the Real Reason You Want to Lose Weight (It’s Not What You Think!)
- Why You Really Lost 10 lbs in One Week
Like this post on healthy habits? Pin it below!
Resources for this article include:
- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1657026
- http://chriskresser.com/myths-and-truths-about-fiber
- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6086543
- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21036373
- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21471383
- http://heart.bmj.com/content/early/2012/08/21/heartjnl-2012-302337.short
- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14578226
- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20016113
- http://www.unm.edu/~lkravitz/Article%20folder/RTandMentalHealth.html
- http://www.unm.edu/~lkravitz/Article%20folder/bonemass.html
- http://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/article/S0025-6196%2812%2900473-9/abstract
- http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1113/jphysiol.2011.224725/full
- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18197184
Winnie says
This is a really great post. I am looking forward to reading your book!
Elizabeth Walling says
Thanks, Winnie! Let me know what you think of my book–I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Joanna Storey says
At last someone sensible. Thank you, you have corroborated what I have been doing 😀
Elizabeth Walling says
Thanks, Joanna, so glad you like this post!
Winnie says
ps I shared your coconut oil body recipes round-up on my facebook page and it went wild!
Elizabeth Walling says
Thanks for sharing, Winnie! I really appreciate it.
Jaime says
This post is AMAZING! It seems like everyday I’m realizing more and more how I’ve been trained *not* to listen to my body…I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism during my last pregnancy, and trying to cure it has been almost a lifesaver in itself since it’s forcing me to reexamine so many habits and beliefs I’ve always taken for granted – even as a real foodie! Here I’ve been dragging my feet at prepping for a 5K thinking I *have* to, it’s *good* for me – even though I’ve always preferred relaxing exercises like yoga, and lifting weights! Gee – maybe I should *listen to my body!?!?!* Thank you!
Elizabeth Walling says
I know exactly what you mean, Jaime! I’ve noticed the more in tune I get with my body’s needs, the better I feel in general. It’s really taken my physical and mental health to the next level.
H says
So, are you telling me that I shouldn’t grade these mountains of exams? By body is telling me not to do it :-). I am just joking around. I completely agree with listening to the body. My body is telling me to sleep now. But I don’t have time. Sigh! I am going to eat 2 fried eggs on bread, however. In an hour or so. When I take a break. Lately, too, I have been feeling energized on a bit of running. I was very sleepy the other day. Was forced to jog 3 blocks (because of time constraints) and all of my sleepiness vanished. It was freeeeezing too!
Brittany Ardito says
Great tips. It reiterates that you should use your own common sense instead of blindly listening to what other people say.
Elizabeth Walling says
I completely agree. Anytime I’ve gone against my common sense or a gut feeling about my health, I’ve always ended up paying for it later!
kelly says
I enjoyed the article very much, but it confuses me more than I already am, ugh. My dilemma: I KNOW what I need to do and what works for me, but ONLY under “times” of extreme motivation, am I successful, and then, I slowly creep back to fat self, (actually fatter) because, well, (I think), you can literally change your physique in 6-8weeks with minimal cardio, weight training, and a diet with no sugar, no alcohol, and very very minimal carbs! But then, once the event has passed, I want to enjoy some of the indulgences that weren’t allowed, but I also want to stay looking good, but I can’t ever seem to keep myself reeled in, I am never able to maintain ANY of my success, I actually gain more and look worse!!! What the heck is wrong with me??? Now I’m getting scared that at my age (55) just getting there again is gonna be the challenge NOT keeping it!!! ? frustrated &disappointed me
Elizabeth W. says
It sounds like you’re putting a ton of restrictions on yourself, Kelly. For me, that’s always totally backfired just like you describe – it’s either “on” or “off” an eating plan because I DEFINITELY can’t stick to something like that forever. Have you thought about making small changes that are more sustainable and enjoyable in the long run? I’ve found this to be the most effective way for me to maintain a healthy weight, feel good, and not get wrapped up in a damaged relationship with food and my body.
Caitlin Mery says
Wonderful post! I completely agree… After battling blood sugar issues the majority of my young adult life, I always knew I felt better when I listened to my body and incorporated healthier habits at a pace I was comfortable with. I’ve learned that sometimes I just have to tune out some of those “health gurus” for a time and go with what I know to be best for me and my family.
Elizabeth Walling says
I agree, there comes a point where it helps to “tune out” the gurus and just go with your gut. I think it’s so important to do what works for your body and your life.
Beth says
Love this post. So insightful, a very common sense and intuitive approach to finding what works for each of us. This is always how I’ve tended to think, though I’ve been sucked into this theory and that theory at times. This was bery refreshing to read. Thanks so much for sharing!
Elizabeth Walling says
“I’ve been sucked into this theory and that theory at times.”
I know what you mean! I think intuition is such a lost art in our society, it takes some effort to break past the dogma, take what works for you, and leave the rest. It’s gotten easier for me during the last year or two, but I totally admit to hopping from bandwagon to bandwagon for the first couple years of my health journey.
Cindy Green says
This is NOT true for everyone….I followed all of this advice…we do not eat any processed food…only grass fed meat that we raise, raw dairy, and veggies from our garden. I use lard, butter and coconut oil. Since I cleaned up my diet I have gained LOTS of weight and feel terrible. I am planning on cutting out the raw milk and cut way back on butter and lard…….and looking for some other ideas.
Elizabeth Walling says
So sorry you’re feeling terrible! I know that’s not a fun place to be, and it’s definitely a sign that something needs to change. Small changes are usually the most helpful, not only because they really do add up over time, but also because you can listen to your body along the way to determine if something is really working for you.
Caiti says
@ Cindy Green and others
I was also very skinny for about 5 years before I went Paleo. As soon as I finished my first “Sugar Detox” I have been gaining weight ever since/ 25 lbs in a year. Cant get it off no no matter what. Stopped paleo and just eat what I want when I want to and stop when Im full. But nothing works. I was healthier without paleo….
Josh says
Unfortunately, you are not alone. Saturated fat is not everyones friend, and carbs are not everyones enemy.
J
CLove says
@ Cindy Green
My cousin has Celiac Disease (dx at 20 months old) and has been overly thin all her life. She finally learns about paleo/GAPS/WAPF @ 33yrs old and piles on the weight!
We’re guessing that she’s absorbing the nutrients better, that maybe her body is hoarding after being deficient for so long, that this too shall pass as the pendulum slows.
I’ve also heard another paleo-guru mention that if you’re unhealthy – not absorbing the available nutrition in your food, that you may be in the habit of unknowingly overeating to make up for the mal-absorption, then when you start healing and absorption improves, your caloric overeating in made apparent. She recommended using a food calculator available online somewhere to just double check your consumption level as a first step.
This may be a temporary “healing crisis”. Keep up on the nutrient dense foods and keep searching.
reposted appropriately as reply. Sorry about double post.
Elizabeth Walling says
Thanks for your comment, good points! (I went ahead and deleted the extra comment for you.)
Cindy Green says
Thank you for the reply…I hope that is the case!!! I am going to step up my excersice (not that I am always on the go now) and see if that helps…I sure hope something does to reverse this!!!
Rachael says
Yes! I’ve just been learning about healing crises. The physical and emotional healing processes our bodies are capable of astound me!
And I must add that it can be overwhelming. I wrote about my “former dieter’s conundrum” on my own blog, because after over a decade on diets and in dieting clubs, I don’t know what a real meal looks like. I also have major issues regarding overeating and feelings of food security, so I know I have a lot of introspection to do. It might get worse at times, but I have total confidence that it’s worth it!
ivy says
hi rachael,
your comment is very timely for me and i’m heading straight over to your blog. i’ve just had a relapse into some very unwholesome eating, despite my passion for real foods. i’m curious to know what this eruption of self-sabotage is all about.
see you on the other side!
Rachael says
Wow, thank you, Ivy! I wish you the best of luck with your journey, and hope the more I share mine, the more we can do together.
Elizabeth Walling says
I totally agree, Rachael–years of dieting can really mess up how we look at food, eating, and hunger. It can take some time to unravel that web. I’ve managed to do it for the most part, but I definitely can still improve in this area.
Rachael says
Definitely! It is just crazy how we re-write those assumptions into each and every craving. I love Butter Believer and Go Kaleo, because I feel like they really slap me in the face to wake up sometimes. Normally, I’m a little bit gentler with myself, but that gentleness keeps some bad ideas going. I’m so glad to know that there’s a community like THIS that keeps people striving and loving. Thank you!
Kristina says
Hello 🙂 Thanks for all this info! I do have some different thoughts on the veggies all being cooked though, raw veggies contain a numerous amount of natural enzymes that work with your body to help you digest & break down the veggies so the nutrients (vitamins & minerals) are absorbed well. When you cook veggies these are almost always cooked out, causing you to not get these types of nutrients. Just thought I would add. Thanks again!! 🙂
Elizabeth Walling says
Thanks for your comment, Kristina! I agree, cooking does kill any live enzymes in vegetables, so it’s a trade-off of sorts.
Margaret Fisher says
Great article! People really need to start listening to their bodies instead of what the latest health fad says. On the veggie issue…I think, as always, all things in moderation is the key here. Eat some veggies raw (like say, carrot sticks as a snack), and cook others. Boiling and then tossing out the vitamin-laden water is often the culprit, but more gentle cooking methods like steaming retain many more of the nutrients.
Elizabeth Walling says
Definitely, Margaret. I agree that moderation is the best policy!
Andrea says
One of the best things I’ve picked up along the way, as far as that goes, is to “drink raw, eat cooked”. Drinking ‘live’ veggie juice gives you all the enzymes and nutrients with no to minimal digesting, eating the cooked veggies helps satiate without empty calories and is easier to digest. No trade-off needed 🙂
Rachael says
Great reminder! Unfortunately for me, many raw vegetables wreak terrible havoc on my digestive system. Fermented foods are good though, and I tend to be considerate of how I prepare each veggie.
Janet TT says
On the subject of cooking veggies = would steaming be the answer? When you steam, the cellulose in the plant wall is softened and vitamins etc are not “washed” out into the water and thrown down the sink. Steamed veg tasts soooo much nicer too!
nicole says
I love this post and want to agree so badly and share it with my friends. But you make many scientific and medical claims and not once quote a study or piece of research. I just makes it all seem less credible and makes me not want to pass it around. Bummer.
Elizabeth Walling says
Thanks for pointing that out, Nicole! I’ve added a list of resources at the bottom of the post.
Diana@My Humble Kitchen says
Elizabeth, I simply love your blog. These posts really resonate with me because it’s how I eat, and what works for me. Thanks for another great post!
Elizabeth Walling says
Thanks, Diana! So glad you’re enjoying the blog. 😀
Elizabeth Walling says
Lisa, thanks for your feedback! I do think a lot of people will find value in the bundle, but you’re totally right, it’s not for everyone.
I will be having periodic discounts available for my eBook, so keep your eye out for those!
Tre ~ (@thoughtbythought) says
we live in a culture that has raised women to think they need permission. we live in a society that insists on the authority’s point of view as validation. that you are sharing your story from your heart and personal experience speaks volumes. that you’ve packaged it all up so beautifully in current manageable as easy as a simple click is admirable. that you are getting criticism is a given. being true to our hearts comes with the cost of raising the opposition. but? what i continue to find? hear that opposition as “wow. i wish i had the courage to put a stake in the ground and live true to my core.’ a friend shared your blog and i’m so moved to find another courageous heart being true. keep on. your experience is what it is so you can reach those looking for how to’s. only you know if you’re being honest to your heart….but that? is each of our life journies. be well, tre
Elizabeth Walling says
Thanks for the beautiful comment, Tre. I appreciate you stopping by.
Evelyn says
Hello, your link for “gelatin rich bone broth” is broken – the site does not lead me anywhere. Please advise.
Elizabeth Walling says
Whoops! Sorry about that. It’s now linking to a post I wrote about making broth: https://livingthenourishedlife.com/2009/11/broth-food-that-heals
Brenda says
I’ve noticed a trend on similar blogs about eating raw vegetables. Usually, they have similar comment along the lines of, “Who ever really enjoys eating a salad?”
I have to say I must be weird because I. Love. Salads. I crave them, I enjoy them, and feel better when they’re a regular part of my diet.
Elizabeth Walling says
I know some folks who really enjoy a good salad, too. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with eating raw veggies if you love them and they make you feel great. Some people can definitely tolerate more raw veggies, while others don’t do well on them. And then some even notice they can handle certain vegetables raw, but not others. It really does come down to listening to your body.
de says
Brenda, I too love salads but not at home. I dread cutting up the stuff. We have a store that has a salad bar that has me singing!!lol I am more of a veggie person than a fruit person. Give me a bowl of cooked brussel sprouts any day!
Brenda says
Also, speaking objectively as someone who’s making there first visit to your blog, I agree with the above poster that the price point for you book is too high. As an e-book it is more expensive than print book on the same subject on Amazon. Not only that it is shorter, a mere 120 pages (Having written things this long, I know it doesn’t feel “merem” when you write it!). For a comparable price, you can get a print book of 200-300 pages. Similar books cost $14-20 in print and $8-12 for the ebook.
Elizabeth Walling says
Thanks so much for your candor, Brenda. This is something I will be thinking about a lot–pricing an eBook was a lot more challenging than I originally thought it would be!
J-Boogie says
Hi Elizabeth – Just wanted to drop a note saying I just finished your book and thoroughly enjoyed it. I feel like it’s the best of WAPF, Stone, and Peat all rolled into one. I’m grateful I got it in the bundle, and it was the first book I read. I agree w/ previous posters regarding the retail price. Not because it’s not a valuable book – it certainly is. It’s just a very high price for a book. I strongly encourage folks to read it though!
Elizabeth Walling says
Thank you so much for your kind words about my book! I appreciate your feedback about pricing. This is something I’ll sincerely take into consideration. Pricing was a real challenge for me, especially because I saw related eBooks priced anywhere from $3 – $47 (that’s one heck of a range!).
In the end, I really do want to reach out and be able to help as many people as possible, and I would really hate for a price tag to get in the way of that.
tabbyday says
Great article! It’s true not everything works for everyone and we need to be more in tune to our bodies. Although #5 has little info about salt. Your body needs sodium, that’s very true but there is nothing natural about table salt or even most sea salts. If your salt is white, it is highly processed and is void of all it’s natural minerals. Salt should have color, especially pinks and grays. Use real salt as often as you like! It’s good for you! Mercola wrote a great article on salt: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/09/20/salt-myth.aspx
Elizabeth Walling says
Thanks for your comments! I agree, salt is a multi-faceted issue, and I only touched on it in this post.
One of the concerns I’ve read about with pink and grey salts is the iron content (the color can actually indicate a high iron content). Too much iron is a concern for some, so that’s something to consider.
Mike Luque says
One of the main issues I have with this article and the “ooh ahh” gushiness of many of the responses is that this advice isn’t strongly based on science and plays into people hearing what they want. Indeed people are tired of constantly having to limit this and that, but that doesn’t make the limits untrue or unhealthy.
Bypassing, for now, the generalized advice about salt you give above, your comment about your “concern” over the iron content of sea salt is pure nonsense and indicates that no research on the subject was undertaken. The trace minerals in sea salt all occur at almost entirely negligible levels. Specific to iron, 100 grams of sea salt, which would provide 2,000% of the upper limit of recommended sodium intake, contains statistically ZERO milligrams of iron. Considering pre-menopausal women require an iron intake of 18 milligrams of iron per day, the ZERO they’d receive from a single teaspoon means your “advice” is not beneficial to anyone.
Please, people will take the things you say and run with it as though it were gospel. Make sure you’re giving them scientifically valid advice.
Elizabeth Walling says
Thanks for your comment, Mike. I appreciate your input. It’s definitely important to look at the facts and at both sides of an issue before jumping to conclusions.
I’m here to talk about information and ideas, definitely not to give advice. I’m always careful to express whether or not I’ve done a lot of research on a subject. If not, then I just mention that it’s something worth considering. I always encourage people to do independent research, and listen to their bodies and intuition.
Gene Callahan says
“If you already eat a diet rich in fluids from raw milk, fruit, or soup”
I see… for some reason, water from pasteurized milk doesn’t count.
Elizabeth Walling says
Sorry if that was unclear, Gene. I really meant any food with a high water content, and those were just a couple examples.
Alicia Witt says
Great post. I do eat a green smoothie at breakfast every morning with either raw kale or raw spinach in it and it makes me feel awesome.. Although I also include raw fruits and raw milk in there. I have known about everything you mentioned about raw greens, but still feel better when I eat them raw. Anyway, if I’m not mistaken, blending and/or juicing fixes the issue of digestibility as far as cellulose goes, right?
Elizabeth Walling says
I’ve also read juicing/blending can help with the cellulose aspect of raw greens. Emily from Holistic Squid has some interesting thoughts on green smoothies here: http://holisticsquid.com/are-green-smoothies-good-for-you/
I really think it all comes down to balance and listening to your body. If green smoothies make you feel great and don’t seem to cause you any issues, then that is definitely something to consider.