Vibrant You

Navigating Conflicting Health Advice: Creating Bio-Individualized Wellness in a World of Information Overload

• Bindi Stables • Episode 37

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If you've ever felt lost in the sea of contradicting wellness information, you're not alone. From the meat or no meat debate to the kaleidoscope of dietary options—paleo, vegan, keto, and beyond—, to the debates on juicing, coffee, wine, raw vegetables, fasting, and everything in between.

In this episode, we navigate the maze of opinions, unveiling the truth behind common conflicting health advice. Cut through the noise in a world shouting with opinions and let's find clarity together.

In this episode you'll learn:

  • How to navigate conflicting health advice in a world of information overload
  • Debunking the ongoing debate on meat, eggs, veganism, fasting, coffee, wine, gluten, sun exposure and everything in between
  • Where the real truth lies when it comes to health advice (my answer may surprise you!)
  • The #1 science and question you should put every piece of health advice out there through to know if it's right for YOU or not
  • 5 Tips for knowing exactly which health advice is "good" or "bad" advice for your body


Links:

  1. Work with me www.bindistables.com
  2. Get my free Hormone-Balancing Superfood Chocolate recipe http://www.bindistables.com/chocolate/

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I’d love to connect with you on IG: www.instagram.com/bindistables

Visit my website for more resources and ways to work with me: www.bindistables.com

Bindi:

Welcome to the Vibrant you podcast. I'm your host, bindi Stables, and here we talk all things wellness and vibrant living. You'll learn about integrative health, functional medicine, holistic biohacking and enjoy raw and real conversations on personal growth, mindset and motivation. Optimize your body and mind and become the happiest, the healthiest, most vibrant. You Enjoy the show, hey, and welcome back to another episode of Vibrant you.

Bindi:

If you have ever found yourself confused or conflicted by what seems like just a never-ending stream of information out there, of what seems like just conflicting and contradicting health advice, then you are in the right place, because today we are talking about how to navigate the never-ending stream of information out there and conflicting health advice, and how to actually follow and what's actually best for your body. So the truth is there's just so much information out there and so many opinions when it comes to how to eat, how to exercise, the supplements you should be taking, self-care practices, and the truth is it can feel really overwhelming. I know in my health journey it has felt overwhelming and conflicting and just enough to make your head spin. One day you're told to just devour veggies like there's no tomorrow, and the next you're warned about the evil of oxalates in your leafy green vegetables. One day you see on social media everything about meat and you should go paleo and the carnivore diet and what that's doing for people's metabolism. And then the next day you're like, no, you should go vegan. Meat isn't good for you and we need more plants for longevity, we need antioxidants.

Bindi:

Don't get me started on dairy and just the conflict out there of okay, milk is bad for you. It's an evil industry. It's super inflammatory, it's full of pus and blood and all kinds of horrible things. And then the next day you hear about all of the benefits of dairy and goat's milk and raw unpasteurized milk and how that's the new super food and buy your dairy from your local farmer's market. Eggs is another big one of conflict out there. Some people call it a protein super food and the next person calls it a cholesterol time bomb that feeds viruses. You know you've heard that perspective.

Bindi:

Fasting right To fast or not to fast that is the ultimate question. Is fasting the best way to detoxify your body and energize and repair your cells, or is fasting a blood sugar disaster that brings a slow and painful death to your female sex hormones? And then there's raw food. What's the deal with raw food? Is it a nutritional powerhouse, full of enzymes and nutrition and vitamins and minerals, or is it digestive nightmare that's going to give you parasites and upset your digestion and cause bloating and gas?

Bindi:

Another big one I see is the coffee debate. Right, there's so many studies and research out there that talks about coffee as such a villain and a horrible thing for our health that depletes our adrenals and overstimulates our nervous system and causes havoc for our sleep and our hormones. And then the next scientific study and research paper right, both Rooted in Science talks about coffee as such a hero that's loaded with fat burning compounds and powerful antioxidants. Same goes for wine. Is a glass of wine a day good, is it not good? There's so many options the keto diet, the vegan diet, the paleo diet, the Mediterranean diet, the carnivore diet.

Bindi:

Should you be high protein, low carb? Should you be high carb, low protein? The sun that's another big one, right. Should you get sunshine every day for its amazing vitamin D properties? Right, and to maintain strong bones in your healthy immune system? Some people say you must maintain a 10 all year round to get adequate levels of vitamin D. But then the next person says but don't get sunshine or you'll get skin cancer. Wear sunscreen to protect yourself from the sun's harmful UV radiation, but don't wear sunscreen because sunscreen is toxic.

Bindi:

Gluten is gluten evil? Is it causing leaky gut? Is it causing your food sensitivities? Is it causing your brain fog? Is it the root of all evil? Or is homemade sourdough actually a wonderful thing and a great source of nutrition?

Bindi:

Supplements what should we be taking? What should we not be taking? Can we actually absorb nutritional supplements? Shouldn't we be getting our nutrition from whole foods? Are supplements just a waste of money? No, supplements are the best thing out there because we can't possibly get enough nutrition from the foods we're eating because of soil depletion and whatnot. Fruit is fruit good for you or not? Should you drink juices? The best way to get direct source of nutrition is from the juice of fruits and vegetables, but don't drink juice because it'll spike your blood sugar. What about smoothies the best way to get in all of your nutrition? Or is it a blood sugar nightmare when you're mixing all of these fruits together?

Bindi:

Hydration right, even with water, there's conflict out there. Drink loads of water. One person says you have to hydrate yourself. Drink three liters or more in a day, and then the next study says don't drink too much water, because you'll actually deplete your minerals and electrolytes and dehydrate yourself. You see, you know these horror stories of people dying from dehydration and then people dying from drinking too much water. So that is a lot, but all of this is to say how do you know what advice to follow in this ocean of information that's out there, and that's exactly what we get into today.

Bindi:

So my question has always been well, where does the truth really lie in this entire labyrinth of just wellness contradictions? And the answer that I have may actually surprise you, and that is that all of it is true. Every piece of advice that I just shared has its merit From coffee to gluten, to wine, to fasting, to paleo to vegan, it all has its value. But the twist is that good advice to the wrong person or at the wrong stage in that person's health journey can be detrimental. So then the million dollar question then becomes well, what advice is right for me? If it's all true, if it's all good advice, how do I filter through that and know what's right for me?

Bindi:

The reality check is is that there is no one size fits all when it comes to health, and this is really what I teach. I've always had this philosophy. I have tried all kinds of extremes out there when it comes to health Extreme fasting, you know, only eating an eight hour window a day. I've eaten all different kinds of you know diet and nutrition plans. I've tried every supplement under the sun. I've done all the different types of biohacking known to humankind.

Bindi:

But the truth is, and what I've come to find, is that there really is no one size fits all when it comes to health, and that's because every ounce of you as an individual is unique. Your genetics are unique, your blood type is unique, your elemental constitution in the context of Ayurveda or your body type is unique. Your lifestyle is unique. Your detox pathways, your family history, your entire physiology is unique. So what I think is crazy is to think that there should be one size fits all when it comes to health, when every ounce of you is completely unique.

Bindi:

So I feel like we really need to change this narrative that's out there that there's only one way to pursue health and that our health depends upon whether we drink coffee or not, or whether we're vegan or not, or whether we're carnivore or not, and we've kind of as a society, just made this statement that our health is a series of rights and wrongs that, when the truth is, is that our health is really so much more of a rainbow, and it's unique, right. Our health is unique, our body is unique, and so, of course, the health advice that we receive should also be unique as well, from the foods we eat to how we move our bodies and exercise, to the sleep that we get, how we care for ourselves and so much more. So all of this really comes down to a science, and the science that I've studied extensively in ancient Ayurveda and in more modern functional medicine, is the science of bio-individuality. And if you've never heard this word before, the science of bio-individuality is really this concept that recognizes and really emphasizes the unique biological and physiological makeup of every single individual in existence.

Bindi:

And this science isn't new. It actually comes from ancient Ayurveda, which is the oldest medical science known to humankind. It was the first form of medicine that I personally studied, and it really acknowledges that no two people are alike in terms of our genetics, our biochemistry, our metabolism and so many other factors. Our gender right. Men and women have very different needs when it comes to our health, so this really challenges this notion that there's no one size fits all when it comes to health, nutrition or lifestyle, and I really am cautious when I hear someone you know on Instagram or on YouTube, social media, health influencers even make really big, drastic claims of only there being one way right.

Bindi:

The approach that I always tend to take is unbiased, right. So, really, looking at the literature, looking at the research, even knowing that in the world of science, right, medical research and literature that you can find two equally true, equally honest studies on two different ends of the spectrum. You know, in recent years, like through the pandemic, we saw so much conflict come up from very real science on both ends of the spectrum when it came to how we should respond to the pandemic and the protocols we should be taking and, you know, the things that we should do for prevention. There was equally real and honest science and data and research on every end of the spectrum. And yet there's so much debate because there was this statement that there's one path for everyone and I just so challenged that notion. You know, I truly believe that it's so circumstantial when everything you know, when it comes to our health and we need to be looking at our health from this lens of bio individuality that no two humans are like, and so no two pieces of health advice should be alike.

Bindi:

So I'm going to share with you now five tips on how to navigate this ever expanding sea of information out there when it comes to health advice, and how to make the best decisions, most empowered decisions, for you, for your body and your wellness. So tip number one is to learn about your body right. Learn about your genetics, learn about your unique sensitivities, your gender and how that difference from other genders right when it comes to health advice. Learn what your blood type is, learn about your metabolic type, and a lot of this we can learn through lab testing, and that's exactly what I do with my clients. We do genetic testing so we can see what genetics are at play and you know if oxalates are an issue for them or not. We do an organic acids test and we check their oxalate levels. We check their nutritional status to see is vitamin D wise to supplement or do you have enough vitamin D and it's not worth it for you to supplement right? And one of the best ways that I've really learned about my body, my health and this science of bio individuality is through Ayurveda. So I highly, highly recommend.

Bindi:

Everybody needs to learn what your body type is in the context of Ayurveda and, if this is something that would be interesting to you, you'd like to know what your unique mind body type is, what your elemental constitution is. In the context of Ayurveda, we call this our Prakriti, or our birth constitution, which is the combination of the five elements that our body and mind is made up of from the time of birth, as well as there's the Vikriti, which is our unique state of imbalance in today's day, right Beyond just what we were born with. If this is something that would be interesting to you, I feel inspired. I think I'm going to do a series on Ayurveda and discovering your body type and we'll do like a little assessment through the episode or a little quiz to help you understand. Are you a more fire body type or a pit a body type we call it? Are you more of an air body type, known as Vata, or are you more of an earth body type, known as Kafa in Sanskrit, their original language of Ayurveda. So let me know if this would be interesting to you.

Bindi:

More than happy to do a little series on that and help you understand that, one of the best tools I've ever done to understand that my constitution is I'm pit a Kafa, so I have a lot of fire element and a lot of earth element and so a lot of the things that will come up health wise for me will be in symptoms related to the fire element and the earth element. Now, of course, this isn't biological. There's not an actual fire burning in you and there isn't like soil or earth in you. But these symbols that they've used in ancient times in Ayurveda, the symbols of the five elements, refer to different processes in the body, different biological and physiological processes, different organs in the body right their metaphors for very real, very scientific, very valid biological structures and physiological processes. So my, you know, health issues that will tend to come up tend to be very earth. Right, I was just had like a virus or something and for me it really goes to the lungs, like I'm still having like a little cough at night because my lungs will just like always be where things go for me. And genetically and family history there's a lot of lung related things and asthma and allergies and, yeah, all of these things. So that's just my unique body type.

Bindi:

So health advice, you know, for one person and for the next is going to be very different based on our body type. So you know, for example, let's take coffee, and coffee for an earth body type or a Kafa body type can actually be a superfood, right, it can actually bring energy, it can bring stimulation, it can help clear a sluggish digestive system and it can be a superfood for that particular body type. But for an air body type that's already so dry and tends to be more on the side of depletion, you know, tends to be more airy and like overstimulated and anxious coffee is going to be really depleting and it's going to be too stimulating so it's going to burn out their adrenals more quickly. It's going to, you know, cause crashes in their blood sugar. It's going to cause, you know that, afternoon fatigue if they're having that coffee in the morning. Right, dairy is another one. Dairy for an earth body type is really mucus forming and really inflammatory and causes water retention and bloating and gas. But for a more air or fire body type of Vata or a pitta, it can actually be quite nourishing and cooling right, if it's prepared in the right way, which is a whole other bio individual thing.

Bindi:

Raw food, right. Raw food is great for people with excellent digestive capacity. You're getting all the enzymes in the raw food. You're getting all kinds of nutritional benefits. The nutrients are very alive and bio available. But on someone with gut issues, that raw food is going to cause complete havoc on the gut and can be a source of parasites. For someone that doesn't have enough stomach acid to break down that raw food in the stomach and kill any parasites before they can proliferate inside of the small intestine or the large intestine.

Bindi:

Okay, same goes for fasting, right. Fasting is great for men in many cases, but should be taken care of with women of reproductive age in particular, because our hormones are so dependent on blood sugar. Right, and keeping our blood sugar really stable. So that's the first tip. Right. Learn about your body, from genetics to your metabolism, to your Ayurvedic body type. Learn about health advice for your unique gender. This all makes a big difference. Okay, tip number two for you is to bring balance and bring moderation to your health. So balance and moderation is a wonderful thing.

Bindi:

Oftentimes, these extremes that I see, right, extreme only, carnivore only this extreme diet, right, first of all, extremes are rarely sustainable in the long term and of course, you know, subscribing to a really rigid health philosophy can cause anxiety. And is that good for you, right? So consider it, adopting a more balanced approach when it comes to our health, incorporating a wide variety of nutrient dense foods and proteins and vegetables, you know. Engage in a mix of physical activities. Find a routine that supports you and your well being, right?

Bindi:

I have such conviction that health is never about extremes. Health is about balance, right, and if we are taking really radical and extreme approaches to our health, we might create radical change, right? If let's say we need to get a result and we want results fast, right, okay, then we can do maybe a more ketogenic or a paleo based diet for three weeks, let's say, to really like balance things out and get ourselves into a more, you know, fat burning state. Sure, but that in the long term, will lead to depletion. It's not a longevity diet by any means. It's a body transformation diet. In the short term it can be used, and therapeutically used, and there's research to back that up, but I'm yet to find a piece of research that shows us long term sustainable health benefits and longevity benefits from a ketogenic or paleo based diet. What's our health goal, right? Is it to lose weight, burn fat, or is it longevity and anti aging and mental clarity and mental energy and living longer? Right, that's a very different nutritional plan and it's much more balanced. So health is about balance, never extremes, and balance and moderation is just a wonderful filter to look through and skim through this information with, and live with more balance.

Bindi:

Okay, tip number three for navigating the ocean of health information and conflicting advice is, of course, to use critical thinking and to question all of the sources that you're getting this information from. So it's essential to approach health advice with a critical mindset. We always want to be questioning the sources of our information, right. Check for scientific backing, of course. Be cautious of these like sensationalized claims that make really big claims for something that just like, intuitively doesn't make sense or logically doesn't make sense, right. Also, understanding the nuances of studies and science right. So, like I said and the pandemic was a great example of this there was very impressive studies and real science and data and research on one side of the spectrum you know what I'm talking about and then other really valid, helpful, you know, scientific evidence and research over on this side, right, and they're both universities and they're both excellent health advice and make logical claims and kind of make sense and stuff. But that was just a great example that science is not fact right. It's looking at facts through a lens that can point us in the right direction. But we should always be questioning, and always questioning sources right and motives. If somebody's making a great claim and making science on, you know think of a nutrition company right, milk right, of course the milk factory is going to put out all the benefits and show all the research and all the studies on the benefits of drinking cow's milk. And then the next person for this pharmaceutical drug or this supplement is going to show the claims on the benefit of taking their thing and paying them money for their product.

Bindi:

I always like to have this really unbiased approach when it comes to health and really open-minded, really looking at both sides, looking at all sides and really making the educated, empowered decisions and informed decisions about our health from that place. So, questioning our sources. I recommend everybody should have a few unbiased sources right. So I have my mentors, I have the studies that I look at, I have the schools and the bodies of knowledge that I refer to when I need health advice or have questions. I have the specific websites you know that I trust and am happy to receive advice from, and I invite you to know what yours are Like. Who are your health mentors that have a really unbiased approach that you can ask these questions to and get individualized advice? Because, again, just making singular claim for everybody is not good health advice. That's just my two cents. Okay, so that was use critical thinking. Question your sources.

Bindi:

The fourth tip is to experiment and trust your intuition. Listen to your body. So, of course, our health is this ever evolving journey and what works for you now may need to adjust over time. We see this all the time. People that, like I personally, eat a predominantly plant based or vegan diet, I guess people would call it and for some people they've been vegan for 12 years and they found in time like, no, my body needs meat, right, and they've done lab testing and they've noticed improvements in their health when they start eating meat. Then there's the health advice the other way, where somebody's been eating meat their whole life and they've been feeling really unwell and they start eating more plants, they start adopting a more vegan diet and they start feeling amazing and their energy levels improve and their skin improves.

Bindi:

So the gist of this is to experiment and trust your intuition. Learn how to listen to your body right. Whether that's with different health approaches, different dietary choices, different exercise routines or wellness practices, our body often communicates its needs to us if we listen closely. So our job is to pay attention to how we feel physically and mentally and emotionally, and start to trust our intuition and be mindful of how different choices impact our overall health and well-being. So we just start to pay attention. How does your body respond to this type of nutrition? How does your body respond? How do you feel after doing that form of exercise? How do you feel about you know cold plunges Like just check in, right and really develop that muscle and that skill of checking in with yourself and trialing things when it comes to your health and just see, how did I feel right. Start to be your own scientific experiment, of course with caution, and that's all important as well, but I'm such an advocate for people developing that skill of self-awareness. Lab testing is amazing, science is amazing, and I so trust your intuition to know what your body needs. I trust that your body is an intelligent, intuitive vessel of wisdom and if we can cultivate that skill, then we can hone into that and have greater insight into what we need and what's right for our body.

Bindi:

Okay, and then the last tip for you, tip number five, is, of course, to work with a practitioner. So getting guidance, you know, from a qualified health professional, an integrative health practitioner, an integrative doctor, a functional doctor. You know who are the health practitioners that you truly trust, that hold that unbiased view, that have this lens of looking at health from a very bio, individualistic viewpoint. They're not saying that there's one diet for everyone, they're not saying that there's one exercise that's best for everyone, one supplement that's going to change everyone's life they're not making these big claims but that really understands that health is bio individual, that is able to look at you as a whole person, not just lab tests but the whole you right, the person behind the lab tests and the lifestyle that you live and the emotional states and the experiences that you've had, and you know your nutritional status, your relationship to your health and your body right, your lifestyle. So, of course, working with a practitioner that you trust and that you know knows their stuff is so invaluable because it helps us kind of filter through health advice and takes into account your individual needs and sift through just all the conflicting information and create a wellness plan that truly suits you and will help you as an individual thrive.

Bindi:

Actually, this whole podcast episode is inspired by a past client that I worked with at. I got a message from the other day of being like, hey, I'm, she's just in the space of like there's so much conflicting information out there and you know some people are saying you drink all the green juice but then they're saying no, don't, because of oxalates. And she wants to start eating more plants and going more plant based. But you know, no, don't do that because you're where are you going to get your B12? And yeah, just this whole episode was really inspired by this woman. I'm like, yeah, it is confusing out there and the good news was was knowing her health history, having worked with her previously, it was really easy to give specific custom advice to her because I know, you know her genetic tendencies, I know her body type, I know how her metabolism operates and we could customize and kind of filter through whether oxalates would be a big deal for her or not, where she would source those nutrition, how much she would need, because we have that data and we have that relationship. So can't recommend working with a qualified practitioner huge for creating these shifts in our health. So that is all for today.

Bindi:

In this world where, of course, conflicting health advice is just the norm, it's so important to empower ourselves with this knowledge of just critical thinking and these individual approaches, this willingness to trust our intuition, to experiment, to adapt.

Bindi:

You know this is so key and just navigating this whole maze of information, you know, to really carve out a path that resonates with you and is going to be sustainable and valuable to you in the long term.

Bindi:

So, of course, if there's anything that I can ever do to support you in your health, I would always love to hear from you over on Instagram. If you have any questions for me from today's episode, I would love to have that conversation with you. You can find me on Instagram. My handle is at bindi stables that's B I, n, d, I and stables with a B, and let's have a chat. If there's anything I can do to support you in your health journey, we'd love to start that conversation and I will see you back for another episode real soon, take care. Thanks so much for listening. If you loved today's episode, please spread the love by subscribing and leaving a review, or if there's someone in your life that you think could benefit from this conversation, please share this episode with them. I would love to hear from you over on Instagram at bindi stables, or visit my website bindi stablescom to connect and work with me. Thank you so much again for being here, and I'm celebrating you in this journey of becoming the happiest, the healthiest, most vibrant you.