Let me tell you a personal story. In my teens and college years I always prioritized my health. I was diligent with my nutrition and got a variety of nutrients, but my body still wasn’t happy. I exercised a lot and had a healthier lifestyle than my peers, but my energy still wasn’t optimum. At the time, I was studying to be a Registered Dietitian and I thought, “Wow—of all people, I know how to eat well, follow the best recommendations, and have a healthy lifestyle… so what else am I missing for my optimal health?” I had been taking a multivitamin and thought that was enough, but my body was telling me different.
So, I did some more research, and based on how my body was feeling and health history I discovered that there are specific nutrients my body doesn’t absorb as well as others. My healthy diet and multivitamins weren’t enough. It was an aha moment for me. I still had a nutrient gap, so I needed a personalized nutrition supplement plan. Having this personal experience and having coached so many individuals with similar experiences, I now know that tailored and personalized nutrition is key for each individual’s optimal health.
Maybe you have a similar story and are looking for some answers. To start getting you some of those answers, I recommend all of my nutrition clients to ask themselves, “How would you describe your optimum health?” This is a great opportunity to imagine how good your body could feel and maybe start discovering what isn’t feeling optimum. I don’t think living in the world of “I’m feeling okay”, “I’m so-so”, or “I’ll manage” is what you deserve. Here’s a list of daily symptoms that we often push to the side but can actually be our bodies telling us it needs additional nutrients.
- Weakness
- Fatigue
- Poor sleep quality
- Challenge concentrating
- Headaches
- GI distress
- Bloating
- Constipation
- Loose stools
- Weight gain
- Weight loss
- Weight fluctuations
- Food cravings
- Increased appetite
- Hair loss
- Skin issues
- Pale skin
- Lightheadedness
- Feeling faint
- Joint pain
- Slow injury healing
- Menstrual issues
- Depression
- Heart irregularities
- Decreased immunity
I know that’s a long list and it isn’t even an exhaustive list. The key is that everyone’s body is unique, and our nutrition support should mirror that unique quality. That’s why I love the Meology™ tool. The questionnaire asks me the most key questions about my health to personalize my nutrition. Just going through the tool for the first time was actually a great opportunity to do a mindful health check in. In the hustle and bustle of life, it is so easy to push feeling “so-so” aside, but we shouldn’t. We all deserve to feel optimum. Also, let me tell you about a little bonus with Meology; you don’t have to worry about getting too much of one nutrient. The formulation behind the supplement packs takes the guessing game out of the equation entirely. Instead of thinking “I’ll do that tomorrow”, let’s all take a moment to do a mindful health check in. Maybe it is completing your Meology questionnaire and ordering your month’s supply of personalized nutrition. If you’ve already done that, I recommend you do a health visioning activity by asking yourself, “How would you describe the picture of your optimum health?”. Next, write down an action step you can take now that moves you closer toward that picture of your optimum health.
Sarah is the Shaklee Pure Performance Team dietitian/nutritionist. She is also a two-time competitor for the USA in the Summer Games, participating in the 10-meter Air Rifle event in 2012 and 2016. Her experience as an elite athlete and her status as a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) and Licensed Nutritionist (LN), make her perfectly suited to consult with Shaklee athletes on their nutritional needs. Sarah graduated from Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas with a BS in Nutrition in 2013, and then earned an MBA in Entrepreneurship and Healthcare Management. She specializes in weight loss, improved sport performance, diabetes prevention, heart health, healthy aging, smoking cessation, and performance goals. Her hobbies include church ministries, mountaineering, physical fitness, and gardening.
