Mmm. Enzyme-rich sugar bombs.
A couple of years ago I was eating around 2 pounds of grass-fed beef every day in my quest for gainz. At one point I was walking through the produce aisle of the grocery store and a pineapple caught my eye. Now, pineapple is a top fruit for sure: incredible sugar content, super delicious, goes great with booze, etc, but I don’t usually think about it. And yet that day I had to have one.
So I bought it and ate it and felt great. I still thought it was a peculiar craving until I read up on pineapples and how bromelain separates amino acids. 2 pounds of beef is no joke, and probably hard on anyone’s digestive system. The unique pineapple hankering makes a lot more sense in the context of my protein consumption at the time.
Bromelain caught unawares.
Is it a huge assumption to think that my body “knew” it needed more digestive power than I was giving it, guiding me toward a pineapple remedy? Yes, absolutely. But I can’t dismiss it completely because I can think of many instances when my body craved certain foods that aren’t necessarily native to my diet: fermented foods, certain vegetables, and fish and shellfish come to mind.
The indicators are powerful: we’re all familiar with the woman on her period or pregnant who craves iron in the form of red meat.
Because steak.
Your unique mortal coil is constantly giving you signals regarding what it needs. That might be more or less food, sleep, fruits and vegetables, exercise, dietary fat, whatever. Pay attention. It is constantly evolving and it is your responsibility to make changes based on those signals.
Right now, no one knows better than you what your body needs. I don’t think the technology is too far away, but for now you must assume the role of being an expert on you.
Be kind to your wholly unique organism. Figure yourself out now so that you don’t need to rely on strangers to fix you later.
Hasta luego,
–Thomas