If You Listen, It Will Tell You

Passing The Thresholds

In this four part series, Good Men Project columnist, Taylor García invites you to examine what you eat to better understand who you are and how you function

Once upon a time, I used to make a cup of matcha green tea every morning. I would boil the water, pour it into my teacup, add a heaping spoon of the dark green powder, then whisk it until the powder dissolved, leaving a steaming cup of earthy goodness.

I began sourcing the finest matcha tea online and at shops that specialized in it. I found tea houses where I would sit to enjoy my favorite drink. I evangelized the benefits of green tea with friends, family, and co-workers. I swore it kept me healthy and would keep them healthy, too.

And then, one day, I couldn’t stand it. I recall I was at a holiday fair and I ordered a cup from a coffee cart. They had made an extra one, which I volunteered to drink. After that, I was done. I had hit my limit. Since that day, I’ve had only one or two cups, the taste I once had for it now absolutely gone.

So what happened? I believe my body said it was time to stop. My season with matcha was over. I had received its benefits, and now it was time to move on. Sometimes I think it was a safety mechanism; a signal my body gave as though to say, “Quit this stuff before you hurt yourself.”

Throughout my life, I’ve experimented with just about every diet and supplement out there. I’ve been vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, lacto-ovo, paleo, and on and on. I’ve done intermittent fasting, one-meal-a-day, two-meals-a-day, as well as water and juice fasts. I’ve taken daily vitamins and plant-based supplements as well as probiotics, prebiotics, postbiotics, and just about every digestive enzyme, natural and synthetic, available.

What I’ve learned is that all of them work, but that none of them are sustainable for long term healthy living. Fads are exactly that: fads. Eating (or drinking) one type of thing for months or years is a recipe for disaster. I believe that’s what happened to me with the matcha green tea: I hit my threshold.

We all have thresholds, and if we push past them, the health problems start. The trouble is, we ignore the signs and symptoms that we are passing said thresholds. Instead of backing off, adding, or moderating the consumption of certain foods and drinks, we double-down and/or medicate. We keep eating and drinking those things because we believe they make us feel good, or that they serve a beneficial purpose; or, they become a ritual, just like my matcha green tea. The same is true for our supplements and vitamins. I say yes, our beloved food, drinks, and tablets probably do possess said qualities, but not forever. Moderation and variety is indeed the key to longevity.

So, how do we know what’s harming us? Listen. Disruptions in sleep, bowel movements, breathing, or concentrating, plus, the arrival of acid reflux, indigestion, bloating, not feeling satiated, feeling exhausted, unhealthy skin or hair, or a tongue covered in film are some of the the more common signs that we are over-doing it on something. All of these symptoms start small, then build up over time.

For about a year, I tolerated a raspy voice, terrible sleep, continuous throat congestion, and chest tightness thinking it was simply aging. My doctors prescribed lots of drugs to treat the symptoms, but nothing improved. It was once I started listening to my body, keeping detailed food and symptom logs, and moderating my intake of everything, did I find relief.

So, how can you start regulating?

1. Simply pay attention. What are you consuming daily? How much? What time of day? How do you feel after?

2. What do you crave? Salt, sweet? Healthful food, junk food?

3. What can you give up or substitute?

4. What have you trained your body to like or dislike? What are your anchors to certain kinds of foods or drinks?

5. Read the labels of the foods you eat, the drinks you drink, and the supplements you take. What’s essential and what’s toxic? What’s good for the short term and what’s good for the long term?

Lastly, know that once you start this journey, your ability to listen and self-diagnose will increase. You’ll begin to fine tune and auto-adjust. You’ll gain and lose tastes, letting go of once-loved foods while incorporating those things you’ve always avoided. You’ll limit and indulge. You’ll learn that food is more than just food, but more simply, a reflection of who you are.

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