Nutrition for Musicians

 You need to take two major points in consideration before you start reading this article. 

• Your body perceives any stress as a life threatening situation and acts accordingly 
• Your body categorizes any sort of stress as either a famine or a fight or flight situation 

This means that whether you are stressing out about the gig next week, running away from a lion or lost in the desert, it is the same for your body. It will work on using the best option to make you survive longer. 

Luckily for jungle people and UNFORTUNATELY for us, the body will decide between only 2 options depending on the individual’s environment:

1. There is food scarcity/famine (arctic and Antarctic areas, deserts, etc..). The decision will be to shut down unnecessary systems! Reproductive system is the first in line, fatigue, sleepiness and maybe some disease in the limbs to limit movement, but MOST importantly, whatever food that comes in STAYS IN. The body will get extremely careful and efficient using energy coming from food and priority will be given to save the energy in form of fat reserves. Basically a human being can live on 600-800 calories per day if its body decides to turn on the saving power mood! The person in this situation will gain weight so easily and it becomes impossible to shed those extra pounds. 

2. There is a life threatening situation that requires running away or fighting (territorial wars, wild animals, hunting, etc..). The decision will still be to shut down unnecessary systems and GUESS WHAT! Reproductive system is still the first in line, digestive system is locked down, and blood is rushing to the limbs in preparation for a fast run or a ruthless fight. In this situation, the body will decide to shed all excess fat and reach a minimum level necessary for survival in order to make the body as light as possible to run faster and it becomes impossible to gain weight. The person is usually underweight.

In our modern time there is no famine and it is not likely that you will need to run from a lion to avoid getting eaten! But your body doesn’t give a SH*T. It has a job to do and that is to keep you surviving. 

No one knows why some people's body will choose the famine survival mood and others will choose the fight or flight survival mood. It could depend on genetics or generational (ancestral) epigenetics.

But we know for sure that our bodies are totally out of rhythm under stress and that stress is the first step to developing disease. Our ancestors did not get sick because stress was acute (this is actually healthy). They will be under extreme stress for a short time then it stops and they rest and recover. Once back to normal, the body will shed or gain the extra pounds needed for optimal weight.

But nowadays our stress is chronic which means it is continuous and will lead to disease starting with the shutdown systems and eventually the collapse of the body’s general health. 

Trying to lose or gain weight when you are under stress is impossible, because you are fighting against a very strong and controlling software inside your body. It will not let you! 

Moral of the story, relax and you will reach your optimal weight effortlessly! Relaxation is not a luxury it is a necessity for good health. 

Note on the side, especially for the artist ladies out there. DO NOT get too excited that you are underweight. The fight or flight survival mood is literally burning down your body one cell at a time. Ask yourself what is your priority? To be healthy or to conform to society’s standards that might change tomorrow to the opposite! 

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