Blog — Lizharroun.com

If only I took beautiful baths every night with flower petals and candles...

If only I found the right adaptogen and supplement regimen...

If only I drank enough green juice or bone broth or spring water...

If only I did enough yoga and breathwork…

If only I could sync my life and goals to the lunar cycle...

If I only I resolved my childhood trauma along with that inherited from my parents…

If only my partner would stare deep into my eyes while I shared my greatest fears…

Then, I would be happy and healthy and free. Then I would wake up every morning feeling light and energized and loving. At least that’s what the wellness movement seemed to promise...always along with a never-ending list of tools, tricks, potions, and programs to get me there.

This was an exhausting and expensive way to live. I did all the programs, saw the best functional medicine doctors, and paid coaches and “healers” to tell me how to live my life. I went to herbalism school then yoga teacher training then nutrition school so that I could become my own healer (which was the ultimate path, I was told). I sprouted my nuts, hunted my meat, and grew my own vegetables.

Through this education and self-exploration, I did find relief from lifelong anxiety, depression, and gut issues. I enjoyed most of these pursuits and felt really great sometimes. I was able to taper from psychiatric drugs and pursue physical and mental challenges with new found energy.

However, I also felt obsessed over my next meal or protocol. I stopped reading fiction books because I was always reading about health. My writing was reduced to a food journal and my art to cooking. These things are inherently beneficial and definitely have a place, but they can easily distract you from real life. After years of this, I realized that I was focusing so much of my time on trying to feel even better that I had neglected the activities and people I wanted to show up for in the first place.

Unknowingly, I also started to feel condescending of others who were not willing to make similar diet and lifestyle changes. Instead of using my newfound energy and mental clarity for empathy, I often felt entitlement and judgement.

I thought about the people I respected most - my heroes and mentors. All of them maintained good health, but none of them let the pursuit of health become their purpose. Instead, they focused on loving others, creating impactful work, and seeking meaningful experiences. I realized I did not want to sacrifice my life in search for the next thing that was going to finally make me whole.

So, just this year, I started to shed the fragile identity I had built up as a wellness-seeker.

I started to let go of the rigid diet and routines - releasing the fear that I might just fall apart. I continued to cook healthy food, move my body, and practice mindfulness every day. But if I wanted to skip my morning meditation or eat some grains or stay up later, I did. If I wanted a sip of coffee or alcohol, I took one. If I wanted to eat or stay on my phone past 8pm, I did.

I did not fall apart; in fact, I found myself connecting with others on a deeper level because I was not so caught up in my head about being “perfect.” If my energy or digestion got a little off, I did not immediately set up an appointment with a doctor or start searching for a new protocol.

I quickly realized that meditation and yoga and fancy detox protocols do not make us better humans. If they help you show up for yourself and others in a fuller way, great. But if you are attached to rigid routines or practices, take a look at why exactly you are doing them. Do you really enjoy them or are they just distractions that make you feel good about yourself? Most of us have some that fall into both categories.

When I asked myself this question, I realized I don’t enjoy indoor yoga or fitness classes. I like morning meditation and dancing in my kitchen and stretching in the sunshine after a run.

I realized that I don’t like how certain adaptogens taste or provide noticable benefit for me. I do like good matcha and dark chocolate.

I realized that I don’t care about the lunar cycle or astrology but do like tuning into the cycles of my own body.

I realized that smudging my house gives me a headache, but I love opening the windows during the day and turning the wi-fi off at night.

I realized that I do enjoy doing coffee enemas but also like painting my toenails and getting highlights in my hair once a year - even if those things are “toxic.”

I realized that turmeric doesn’t taste good on everything.

I realized that I was missing the whole point.

well·ness

/ˈwelnəs/

noun: the state of being in good health especially as an actively sought goal

health

/helTH/

noun: the condition of being sound in body, mind, or spirit

Considering these definitions by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, perhaps health and wellness are incompatible. Can we be sound in body, mind, and spirit if we are constantly seeking to be different and better in some way? For many, the modern wellness movement is not leading to peace but rather a perpetual cycle of wanting more, fueled by consumerism and self-proclaimed gurus. True health is only achieved when you are satisfied with your current state of mind, body and spirit - which is at odds with the active seeking of more associated with wellness.

While I continue to prioritize a diet and lifestyle that make me feel good, I’m not nearly as attached to specific external forces providing a certain outcome. Instead, I eat fresh food and move my body out of enjoyment. For me, the point of feeling good is to live this human life to the fullest - and not perfect health or enlightenment. So if I’m worried about my next meal instead of the conversation I’m having with my sister, I missed out. If I don’t enjoy the end of a great movie because I’m too worried about the blue light affecting my sleep, I miss out. If I end up spending most of my time alone because I am so worried about bettering myself, I miss out.

If our purpose is only to feel good, then we are missing out on the human experience. We are not creating anything worthwhile or loving fully because we are always just managing our states of being.

So I’ve dropped the never-ending wellness pursuit. Now, more than ever, I really am happy, healthy and - most of all - free.

Mental illnesses are the biggest cause of disabilities worldwide. In fact, depression alone ranks as one of the top five leading causes for disability. Antidepressants are now the most commonly prescribed class of medications in the U.S. with—according a recent report from the National Center for Health Statistics—nearly 13% of Americans are taking these drugs.

Despite reputable nonprofits like Mental Health America (MHA) and government research on this epidemic, rates of depression and antidepressant use continue to rise at astonishing levels. With more awareness and research, we’d expect to see the trend to reverse. So, what’s the deal? More stressful and sedentary lifestyles, more environmental toxins, or less stigmatization of mental illness? Well, while we aren’t here to put the blame on any one single cause, we do believe that prevention of any disease is key. And that includes diet—something that is often overlooked in the treatment of mental illnesses like depression.

The MHA publishes guidelines for a diet that supports mental health on their website:

“A healthy diet includes a full range of vegetables, fruits, legumes (lentils, chickpeas, beans), fish, whole grains (rice, quinoa, oats, breads, etc.), nuts, avocados and olive oil to support a healthy brain. Sweet and fatty foods should be special treats, not the staples of your diet.”

Without discrediting the extensive work this organization has done since it was founded over a century ago, I was surprised to find no specific opinion on any meat products besides fish. They do note the importance of omega-3 fatty acids, B-vitamins, and vitamin D for mental health and list beef, lamb, poultry, and eggs as good sources of some of these nutrients.

My two most severe bouts of depression were also times when I was eating a vegetarian diet. When I added meat back in (out of desperation), I felt better almost instantly. My sleep and mood improved within 24 hours. Since then, I’ve been intrigued by the role that pastured and grass-fed meats can play in a mood-supporting diet. Many agree that the complete amino acid profiles and b-vitamins found in animal products can be highly beneficial to mood. The high-quality protein alone serves as an important macronutrient that helps keep our blood sugar stable and our bodies nourished.

One of my personal heroes, Kelly Brogan, M.D., is a holistic psychiatrist who has dedicated her life to helping women get off antidepressants. She writes:

“In a study entitled Red Meat Consumption and Mood and Anxiety Disorders, they looked at a sample from a cohort of 1,046 women aged 20-93 and found that those who ate less than 3-4 servings of beef or lamb a week were TWICE as likely to be diagnosed with depression and/or anxiety.”

After years of clinical experience herself, Dr. Brogan now requires all of her female patients who want to get off antidepressants to eat pastured red meat (including beef, lamb, and pork) at least three to five times per week. She says she has had astounding results since using this in her practice. In fact, she has found that her patients’ conditions have only improved with the inclusion of red meat. Dr. Brogan also notes the importance of conscious consumerism and having a sacred relationship with one’s food. She has found that a paleo template (void of legumes, grains, and dairy) coupled with an awareness of food sourcing and integration reconnects patients to their sense of intuitive eating. From there, many begin to heal and crave the foods their bodies needs, which always includes some sources of grass-fed red meat.

A typical meal for me—local grass-fed lamb with a huge, flavorful salad

Professor Felice Jacka, Ph.D., who led the aforementioned study by Deakin University, notes that the diet of the ruminants one eats is key:

"We know that red meat in Australia is a healthy product as it contains high levels of nutrients, including the omega-3 fatty acids that are important to mental and physical health. This is because cattle and sheep in Australia are largely grass-fed. In many other countries, the cattle are kept in feedlots and fed grains, rather than grass. This results in a much less healthy meat with more saturated fat and fewer healthy fats."

As a former vegan/vegetarian, I understand that the idea of eating beef, lamb, and even pork for healing can be a huge paradigm shift. If eating bacon as a part of an intense healing protocol sounds crazy, I urge you to not discount until you’ve tried it.

I still recognize that we are absorbing the energy of ANY food we eat (plant or animal), so prioritizing the quality of meat is paramount for this approach to work. Personally, I’ve found that the inclusion of grass-fed and organic meats brings me a consistent groundedness and energy that was rare in my vegetarian days.

The current medical model is discounting the power of food in general, and especially certain unfairly demonized foods like red meat. If inclusion of grass-fed meat can help people reduce or avoid antidepressant use, it’s certainly worth consideration.

The information in this publication is not medical advice, and should not be treated as such. Please consult your doctor before making any diet, lifestyle, or medication changes.

Source list:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: http://www.cdc.gov/

U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health, PubMed: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed

Psych Central: https://pychcentral.com