It may seem impossible to eat intuitively with diet restrictions, but don’t worry it’s still possible! Having diet restrictions in itself can be a real challenge. Maybe you were just diagnosed with Celiac or IBS and now you feel overwhelmed by the new foods you have to avoid in order to feel your best. This can be heartbreaking for most and could potentially lead to disordered eating and poor mental health.
Here are 5 ways to eat intuitively with diet restrictions:
1. Find out EXACTLY what you need to cut out or reduce.
Often when we find out that we have to avoid certain foods to feel our best it can easily lead to a spiral of, “if I can’t have gluten, maybe I also shouldn’t have dairy or sugar.” But that isn’t necessarily the case! This is why it’s very important to work with a dietitian so you can discover what foods your particular body needs in order to feel its best. Because to eat intuitively with diet restrictions may require some extra support by a professional!
2. Give yourself permission to “mess up.”
When you are restricting certain foods, even if it’s for medical reasons, you may start to beat yourself up over accidentally eating those foods. It is very important to sit down with yourself and give yourself permission to eat all foods but to be aware of the effects certain foods have on your health and your body. Because to eat intuitively with diet restrictions starts with your mindset. Realigning your mindset to not punish yourself for eating certain foods is super important to keep a healthy relationship with food.
3. Practice listening to your body.
Do your best to eat slowly and pay close attention to how your body reacts to certain foods. This is also a great opportunity to better understand your hunger and fullness. If you are more in tune with your body you will be able to understand the way different foods affect you, thus allowing you to eat intuitively with diet restrictions.
4. Don’t fear medication.
With many food restrictive illnesses, there are medications that can allow you to mostly continue to eat with little to no restrictions. For example, those with acid reflux (heartburn) may be able to continue to eat their favorite foods with daily medication such as Omneprazole or Pantoprazole, both prescriptions given by a gastroenterologist to help reduce acid production.
Many fear medications or prefer natural remedies but if after doing research and consulting with a medical professional, you find the medication prescribed to you to be beneficial, don’t be afraid to give it a shot. It can give you that extra guidance needed to allow you to continue your regular diet.
5. Keep a symptom journal!
Monitoring your symptoms and how your body reacts to foods through a journal can help you to determine what foods may not make you feel your best.
All in all, having a food restriction can be a challenge but with the right support can easily be aligned with intuitive eating in order to maintain or create a healthy relationship with food.
Blog contribution by Kayla Abella, Dietetic Intern.
Review and Edited by Marissa Kai Miluk, MS, RDN, LD and Kaitlyn Allen MS, MEd, MS, RD.
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