What If You Knew Why That Happens?
The Empowerment of Knowing Your Triggers and Regaining Control Over Your Health
Have you ever felt like your body was a mystery—sending you signals you didn’t understand, like fatigue, joint pain, or digestive issues? For years, I felt trapped in this cycle. Symptoms would appear seemingly out of nowhere, leaving me frustrated and powerless.
But everything changed when I discovered the power of knowing my triggers. By understanding how my body responds to food and lifestyle choices, I took control of my health in ways I never thought possible.
This isn’t about perfection or instant fixes. It’s about gaining clarity and using that knowledge to make informed, intentional choices. Here’s how understanding your triggers can empower you to reclaim your health.
Step 1: Listening to Your Body’s Signals
Our bodies are always communicating with us. A headache after a meal, bloating after a snack, or an afternoon energy crash are all signals—but they’re often ignored.
For me, it was joint pain in my hands. I assumed it was just from years of physical work or maybe even arthritis. But when I started paying attention, I noticed patterns. Certain foods would trigger the pain, while avoiding them brought relief.
This realization was a turning point. My body wasn’t broken—it was simply responding to what I was putting into it.
Actionable Tip:
Start a symptom journal. Record what you eat, how you feel, and any symptoms that arise. Over time, patterns will emerge that can help you identify your triggers.
Step 2: The Freedom of Clarity
Once I identified my triggers, a sense of freedom washed over me. Instead of wondering why I felt terrible, I now knew the cause—and better yet, I knew how to prevent it.
Knowing my triggers gave me control over how I feel. For example, if I indulged in a food I knew might cause joint pain, I wasn’t surprised or frustrated when the symptoms appeared. It was a choice I made consciously, and that made all the difference.
There’s immense power in moving from confusion to clarity. When you know what’s causing your symptoms, you no longer feel like a victim of your own body.
Actionable Tip:
Work with a health professional, like a nutritionist or coach, to help interpret your patterns and test potential triggers.
Step 3: Making Informed Choices
Understanding your triggers isn’t about cutting out everything you enjoy or living a life of restriction. It’s about making choices that align with how you want to feel.
For me, certain processed foods, sugars, grains, and a number of “healthy foods” are my triggers. If I want to feel energized and pain-free, I avoid them. If I decide to have a treat, I do so knowing what the trade-off might be.
This level of control is empowering because it gives you the ability to decide what’s worth it—and what isn’t.
Actionable Tip:
Focus on foods and habits that support how you want to feel. Instead of thinking about what you can’t have, emphasize the abundance of options that work for your body.
Step 4: The Ripple Effect of Empowerment
Understanding your triggers doesn’t just improve your symptoms—it transforms your mindset. When you see the direct connection between your choices and your well-being, you start to trust your body more.
This mindset shift creates a ripple effect in other areas of your life. You may find yourself making better decisions about exercise, sleep, and stress management because you understand how each choice impacts your health.
Actionable Tip:
Celebrate your wins. Every time you avoid a trigger and feel better as a result, take a moment to acknowledge the progress you’ve made. Small victories add up to big transformations.
Your Body Is Your Partner
Your body isn’t your enemy—it’s your partner in health. When you take the time to understand your triggers, you’re giving yourself the gift of clarity, control, and empowerment.
Health isn’t about being perfect. It’s about being informed. By learning what works for your body, you can make choices that align with your goals and values.
The empowerment of knowing your triggers is a lifelong tool. It doesn’t just help you manage symptoms—it helps you live a life that feels better every single day.
Did you know my Simply Sapien wellness journal is designed to help you uncover possible food sensitivities?
Using the meal planning pages along with tracking your symptoms can help you pinpoint possible food sensitivities.
“But Jen, I’ve already had a food allergy test. I’m not allergic to anything.”
Allergic and sensitivity are two different things. Plus, a food allergy test won’t give you a result if you haven’t eaten that food in the last 6 months.
Things like bloating could be a sign of SIBO which wouldn’t show up on an allergy test. Similarly, autoimmune symptoms won’t likely show up on a food allergy test.
This is why I created this journal. I saw a loophole that modern medicine overlooks. You might go through your week thinking you ate well, you ate enough, your sleep was ok, etc, but I bet you can’t remember what you had for lunch last Wednesday.
When you write it down you have a record. Save yourself the mental effort of trying to remember it all. And your data isn’t trapped in an app on a tiny screen. You can easily flip back and forth to see if you’ve made progress.
This journal will work for anyone because whether you want to lose 20 lbs of fat, gain 20 lbs of muscle, or uncover a food sensitivity the actions required are the same.
What you eat
How you move
Sleep
Stress
Sunlight
Nature
Community
Share your data with your healthcare provider to give them details beyond blood work. You might be in the “normal” range (usually based on a sick population) but if you still don’t feel well then that normal likely isn’t working for you.
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