Whether you're looking for the perfect diet to assist with being your ideal weight, helping to manage energy levels or digestive complaints, you've probably realised that there is no perfect diet.

This is partly because we are all unique individuals and because diet is not the only thing that matters in terms of our weight, energy levels and digestive system.

We are in the age of information, and sometimes this seems extremely overwhelming and confusing. With all the information available, we seem to have overlooked the basic elements in being healthy. We're focusing too much on what 'Joe' is eating and his results, and not enough on our own bodies' reactions to our own lifestyles.

While the perfect diet may not exist, there are a few key things that you can do to help achieve better outcomes.

1. Feed your Gut.

The health of your gut impacts the health of your whole body and mind. Healthy gut bacteria require enough fibre and probiotics in the form of fruits and vegetables and fermented foods. Enzymes, present in fresh foods, are also essential for breaking down food efficiently. Be mindful that red meat, fried foods, artificial sweeteners and additives, alcohol, excess caffeine, and antibiotics (including foods containing antibiotics) can harm the healthy gut biome. [1]

2. Eat locally and seasonally.

Eating locally grown, seasonal produce is not only better for you, but also for the environment. Food has a higher nutrient content when grown seasonally. Out-of-season produce is artificially ripened and may miss its nutrient-building growth phase.[2] .Local food is higher in nutrients than imported food. This is because food loses its nutritional value during the transportation process.

3. 80 / 20 rule

Being super strict with your diet is mentally unhealthy. Allowing yourself to be more lenient 20% of the time helps you to maintain a balanced diet and maintain a healthy mindset around eating. Some studies also suggest that having 'cheat meals' occasionally can increase your metabolism [3]

4. Eat mindfully.

How you eat is just as important as what you eat. Eating in a rush or when you're anxious affects how food is broken down and digested. Under stressful / fight & flight conditions, you cannot digest food properly; therefore, you are unable to absorb sufficient nutrients from the food that you are eating, and you may experience bloating, flatulence, heartburn or other digestive symptoms.

5. Intuitive eating

Establish a healthy relationship with food and body image. Relearn the difference between physical cues for hunger and fullness and emotional eating for comfort. Learn to know the difference between unhealthy cravings – which can be a nutritional deficiency – and what your body really needs.

6. Let's talk about labels

It's human nature to try to categorise almost everything. This is all good and well, except when it creates inflexibility. Nutritional labels on food are informative and objective (we're not talking about the marketing claims here). They help us make informed decisions without bias. However, when it comes to labelling yourself according to a specific diet, things can start becoming rigid, obsessive, and imbalanced. While joining groups can be a great support system, sometimes the 'diet culture' can make you feel guilty when you're unable to maintain that diet. This mentality can consume you and affect multiple aspects of your life. When embarking on following a specific diet, be mindful about why you are following this diet and how flexible you will allow yourself to be, without defeating the objective of your main reason or goal for being on this diet. Most of all, create flexibility in your diet that works for you (refer to the 80 / 20 'rule'.

7. Your body clock / circadian rhythm

We've touched on how you eat as being important. When you eat is just as important. Your metabolism is linked to your circadian rhythm (or body clock). Digestion slows down in the evenings and slows down even further when you go to sleep. Furthermore, it takes 2–4 hours for partially digested food to reach the small intestine. You also want to give your digestive system a break for a couple of hours. You can aim for at least 12 hours between your last evening meal and the next day's meal – sleep fasting is important because it allows the body to shift from digestion to essential repair, restoration, and metabolic regulation [5]. Good-quality sleep is an essential component of a diet, as it regulates hormones that control hunger and satiety, directly influencing your appetite and food choices [6].

Always remember that a healthy diet doesn't necessarily lead to invincible well-being. Diet is just one aspect of holistic wellness. It is part of what gives us energy or fuel. And while good-quality fuel is very important, exercise, mental health, and spiritual well-being also play important roles in achieving optimal wellness.

 

Sources:

1. Mikstas, C. (2022) Pictures of the best and Worst Foods for Gut Health, WebMD. Available at: https://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/ss/slideshow-best-worst-foods-for-gut-health (Accessed: 03 May 2023).
2. Dehnke, A. (2021) 6 must-know benefits of eating seasonally, Better Nutrition. Available at: https://www.betternutrition.com/ask-the-nutritionist/6-benefits-of-eating-seasonally/ (Accessed: 03 May 2023).
3. Fitzpatrick, K. (2019) Is a cheat meal bad?, Greatist. Available at: https://greatist.com/health/cheat-days-explained#bottom-line (Accessed: 03 May 2023).
4. Marcheva, B. et al. (2013) Circadian clocks and metabolism, Handbook of experimental pharmacology. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4089089/#:~:text=Circadian%20clocks%20maintain%20periodicity%20in,across%20the%20light%2Fdark%20cycle. (Accessed: 03 May 2023).
5. Hall, W L. (2022). The emerging importance of tackling sleep–diet interactions in lifestyle interventions for weight management https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/ATVBAHA.125.323355#:~:text=Compared%20with%20control%2C%20extended%20overnight,indicating%20improved%20acute%20insulin%20response.
6. Grimaldi, D. et al. (2026) Sleep-Aligned Extended Overnight Fasting Improves Nighttime and Daytime Cardiometabolic Function. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9340846/