What is Bio-individuality?

The idea that each person has unique needs, which change over the course of one’s life. When it comes to diet, lifestyle, and what makes you happy, what works for you won't necessarily work for your family members, your friends, your co-workers. In fact the founder of IIN Joshua is fond of saying, “one person's food is another person's poison”. For example, dairy really works for some people but does not for others. Likewise, there may be a food or drink that's energising for you yet draining for me. Take coffee. Some people respond really well to a daily cup, while others feel jittery, anxious, or even physically ill. Bio-individuality also applies to our lifestyle. When it comes to our careers, finances, physical activity, and relationships we all have vastly different ideas of what feels satisfying to us. Some people recharge with alone time while, others feel energised being around a group of people. Some people feel healthiest with gentle movements like yoga, while others prefer the intensity of HIIT workouts.

So why is that? Why are needs so different?

It's because we are all unique and health is multi-dimensional. There are so many variables when it comes to our health that it's impossible for all of our needs to be the same. So, what are some of these? For starters, there are factors that you begin life with... Your genetics make you different from anyone else, and that alone makes your health needs different from the person next to you. Then there are factors like your mother's pregnancy, what foods you were fed, the place and circumstances you were born into, and so forth. And then there are the things that you eventually can control as you get older, such as your diet and lifestyle choices.

The way all these factors come together for you and the way that they change overtime affect the state of your bio-individual health.

So what does this all mean in everyday life? It means that, No one diet or lifestyle works for two people… It means that, health is complex, it's not as simple as executing a healthy. Diet or exercise regimen. If it were that easy, everyone would be healthy. It's understanding that because of the complexity and diversity of your health needs, there's a lot more to it than just making the right choices. It's figuring out through coaching and experimentation what the right decisions are for you as a unique individual, the right environment, diet, workout that makes you thrive right now at this point in your life. And it means creating awareness around what is getting in the way of you taking action on what you know is best for you.

Now this seems pretty straightforward, but as I'm sure you've observed there are messages all around us telling us what to do. Every few weeks, a new dietary approach becomes popular, and they often contradict each other making it confusing to know which approach actually works. From low carb to high carb and low fat to high fat, it seems like everyone knows someone who swears that a different dietary approach really works for them. It's not that one theory is right and the other is wrong. It’s that we are each unique when it comes to our dietary needs.

Science and studies have given us a lot of information about what seems to be healthy for large groups of people and how the body works. But it's important to remember that studies are controlled. They don't account for the variability of all people, and they don't always account for the variability of real life.

As you explore your own health, it's helpful to start by experimenting with an existing diet. Start with what you know and what has been studied. From there, you can begin to notice which aspects work for you and which don't. Take what’s useful, then throw out the rest. These modifications are bio-individuality in action. Through the process of educating yourself and trying different diets, you will most defiantly begin to see what works best for you holistically.

Recap:

1. Each person has different needs

2. Our needs shift over time

3. Health is complex

4. Think critically, experiment, and trust what works for you