Food journals are a tool I use with every client in my practice because they help tell a story. Through analyzing food and symptom journals I’m able to get a view of what my client’s relationship is like with food, how much they’re eating, and see patterns of how food and lifestyle is correlating with symptoms.

Some symptoms we look out for:

• stomach cramping

•  bloating,

• diarrhea

• constipation

•  anxiety

•  depression

•  acne

• rashes

•  brain fog

• sleep disruption

•  fatigue

•  headaches

•  itching

•  joint pain

• undigested food in stool

• heartburn

Symptoms can happen immediately or take a few days to present themselves.

Some things I have my clients focus on:

Nutrient density – I encourage my clients to eat the rainbow and include lots of fruits and vegetables in their meals throughout the day

Eating balanced meals – We work on a good balance of fats, carbs and proteins

Stress relief – There’s a strong link between the gut and the brain, and constant cortisol release can be taxing to the entire body. I ask my clients to implement stress relieving techniques (otherwise known as “self care”) like positive self talk, meditation, and gratitude journaling.

Water intake – Water is essential to our everyday function and dehydration can cause lots of symptoms in our bodies. In order to determine the proper amount of water you should be drinking, take your body weight and divide it by two. That number is the amount of ounces you should have each day. If you’re drinking diuretics (like coffee) then you multiple the amount of ounces of that drink by 1.5 and add it to the total water you should be drinking.

Movement – Depending on my clients physical abilities, I’ll encourage them to stretch, go for walks, and engage in 30 minutes of mildly rigorous exercise 4x/week to help reduce inflammation and improve digestion.

Even if you aren’t working with a nutritionist you can still look out for correlations between your food and symptoms.

I put together a food journal template for those of you who aren’t working with me, so that you still have access to one of the tools I’m using in my practice. The best thing about this printable, 7-day food journal template is that it provides space for meal planning, creating a grocery list, tracking your symptoms, supplements, exercise, water intake, and self-care, and has a spot for you to reflect on how the week went for you.   Plus, as a little special Rooted in Healing touch, there are encouraging messages at the bottom of each page.

Ready to get more in touch with your body through your very own food journal? I put a lot of love into this template and I can’t wait to see you using it out in the real world! Enter your email below to put your health back in your own hands.

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