When some of us hear the words “food diary” or “journal”, we think of the girls we used to know in school who loved to get pens, notebooks, make lists and organize and color code their calendars for a hobby. We might think that keeping a diary is cute and enjoy the idea of it, but can’t see ourselves making journaling a regular part of our hectic lives. But food journaling is very different from a fun hobby.
I would argue that it is the single most impactful thing we can do to start off healing, and maintaining, our digestive health.
As an ayurvedic digestive health coach, I can tell you what in general tends to affect your gut in certain ways. I can make you aware of the evidence of symptoms that have accumulated as a result of your overall diet and lifestyle, and inform you of the potential causative factors. In such a way, I can step in as a middle-woman between you and your body by handing you the instruction manual for digestive health. And you will find that the first step in the process will take your gaze off the page and point it right back at your own belly button. By that, I mean; turning your attention to your individual ongoing experience of the interplay between your eating habits and the sensations in your body.
When we are overwhelmed, we want somebody else to give us the answer. That health practitioner who seems more knowledgeable than us on the subject. And their advice, or prescription, might work. It might work for a period of time, or under certain circumstances. It might be effective on and off. Maybe it stops working altogether. Or we end up confused as to why the effectiveness of the remedy seems to fluctuate. By placing the power of decision-making in somebody else’s hands, we can only learn so much about ourselves. We can only become so intimate and familiar with our own bodies. The reality is that our bodies are more complex than that.
By cracking the code through keeping a food journal, your own body can let you know what happens in your digestive system. It’s about deciphering the language of your body. Through documenting your habits and experiences, in no more than a few simple words, you paint a picture that allows you to see the pattern of cause and effect. With so many things to juggle at once in our daily lives, this practice is usually necessary for gaining that perspective. It is, by far, the most effective and valuable tool for getting a grasp on the cause of digestive issues. Its value cannot be overstated.
In order to make progress in preventing digestive issues, we need to work proactively through experimenting with the recommendations we are given. While closely monitoring our own response. Our own experience will teach us when we become aware of it. As we skim through a few pages of our food journal, the picture emerges of what took place when, and oftentimes why. We get to look for clues like: What are some factors of cause and effect that repeat themselves? What did I do, or not do, and how did I feel, in the day leading up to a digestive upset? There is a golden opportunity here to let these pages be highly informative.
So how do you do it?
Whether you use a laptop, the notes on your phone, or a good old pen and paper/notebook, the important thing is to note down a few things for each day. Optimally, all of the following to form a clear understanding:
- Everything you ate throughout the day and night, with as much detail as possible about the ingredients. Separate each meal in the text to make it clear when you ate what. Include the approximate time for each meal, drink or snack.
- Any physical sensations you experience, with a focus in and around your digestive organs. Include the approximate timing of the day.
- Any strong emotions, with timing for context.
- The weather, and any unusual circumstances around your mealtimes.
If you experience very frequent digestive issues, noting down the first and second point at the very least is crucial. Don’t get hung up on the format of your journal. As long as you can make out, with clarity, which entries belong together, the journal fulfills its purpose. Whenever you experience a digestive upset, turn your investigative eye onto the page and retrace your steps! The more you document, and the longer you do it for, the more clarity you will gain around the picture that emerges.
I promise you, keep at it, and this is a failproof way of gathering invaluable data about your gut health.
Good luck!
