Why the System Needs Change 

How many times have you heard this? 

“Just exercise, and you’ll lose weight. Eat well. Meditate.”

Could it be so easy? If you’ve spent any time trying to take that advice, you know it’s not:

• What kind of exercise? High-intensity interval training (HIIT)? Yoga? For how long? How many times a week? What if I gained weight doing HIIT? What if running makes me bloated? What if it’s just not working?

• What does “eat well” even mean? What if veggies make me feel sick? What if I feel bloated when I eat certain “healthy” foods? What if I can’t tolerate blueberries? What if avocados make me feel worse?

• Meditate for how long? Why? Is that the only solution? I just can’t. 

The reality is, the traditional healthcare system does not know the answers to these questions. The current healthcare system focuses on diagnosing and understanding pharmacological options. The root causes of illnesses are not addressed or truly understood. 

Lifestyle and nutrition are epigenetic factors that can change the expression of our genes and lead to or suppress the expression of an illness or infirmity. Figuring out the root cause of a health issue remains the biggest challenge that differs from one person to another. Some people will follow a trend, then realize it doesn’t suit them. Some won’t adapt their nutrition to their lifestyle. Some people will gain weight doing HIIT because it increases cortisol levels. If you are already highly stressed, HIIT may make you feel worse. 

Eating “well”— lots of veggies, no sugar, and sufficient protein—can still make some people feel unwell. For example, if you have high histamine levels, eating avocados, tomatoes, and cashews (“healthy” foods) will make you feel worse. A particular diet can work for one person but not for another. It can make some feel amazing and others feel horrible. Meditation is another way to improve your health, but yes, you can overmeditate. The one-size-fits-all approach is inappropriate. We are constantly looking for the “best” solution, but there is no such thing. The best solution is the one that makes the person happy, feel well, and thrive.

Unfortunately, we are told to follow governmental guidelines and the Food Pyramid, which is not adapted to address each person’s unique body. For example, we’re told we should reduce red meat consumption, yet some people heal when they eat a lot of red meat or follow a carnivore diet.  

We are constantly changing, moving, evolving. If someone is going through a highly stressful time, they should adapt the consumption of nutrients to meet their body’s constantly changing needs. We are not static beings; hence, static recommendations are not suitable.

Healing is in the details, but mostly in listening to our bodies, not what others believe to be true or healthy. Some of us will get sick from eating blueberries; others will feel good eating dairy. We’re all different. Providing recommendations without context and understanding the dynamism of life is incomplete. Food is energy, and we must honor the individual ways it fuels our well-being. 

With Love,

Dr. Stephanie El-Chakieh, Pharm.D., M.Sc. | Spiritual Scientist