Confused about food? Ask yourself this question.

The biggest concept that I have been learning through my nutrition studies is that true health is a foundation that must be built upon. Not unlike that of a structurally sound building. The body is an amazingly complex system that relies upon a cascade of processes, starting at the cellular level.

But like a poorly-built house during a hurricane, the body will collapse if not built with quality groundwork. Nutrients will not be absorbed, digestion will not be optimal, and mental health will be subpar if the body isn't given what it needs. So what does a solid foundation look like when it comes to the human body?

It all starts with food.

Food is what fuels the body, it contains all the miraculous micro-nutrients and macro-nutrients to aid the body to function at its best. The body wants to work correctly, it does not want to be diseased or fatigued. But it is our duty to honor our body and prioritize food quality and quantity.

However as I have seen with myself and many others, all the mainstream information about food just leaves us confused and discouraged. There seems to be a new study everyday about how we should eat that contradicts the last one.

We find ourselves asking so many questions that it leads to disempowerment.

Is meat healthy?

Wait, now we need to eat fat?

Gluten-free is the only way to be?

With all the new data swirling around it is easy to fail to find a path to our own health. But the more we rely on food fads and what everyone else is telling us, the farther we get from listening to our bodies.

This is why I believe that with one important question, people can start their journies to health. So what is the question?

How much of the food you eat is prepared by you?

This may seem like an easy question but it is so important. When we cook the food we eat, we are empowering ourselves to greater health. Not only can you control what goes into the food, but you truly get closer to your food and in turn increase your gratitude for it.

An alarming trend that is emerging with this generation is that people are not cooking anymore. They are relying on fast food, take-out lunches, and delivery apps to fuel their bodies.

It makes sense, considering the "I need it now" culture that has taken over. But food is not something that should be included in this trend.

Restaurant food is almost always prepared with damaged oils that wreak havoc on the body. Trans-fats are fats that have been chemically altered to preserve shelf life and cut costs for big food businesses. But more studies are showing these fats damaging the body at a cellular level, possibly causing cancer.

Aside from unhealthy oils, restaurants use copious amounts of salt and sugar to increase the taste of their food. Sure, restaurant meals are something to be enjoyed, maybe once a week or less.

That is exactly what going out to eat is meant to be, a special occasion.

For thousands of years, food was an honored process that required time and concentration. Now this is not to say we need to spend all day in the kitchen, that isn't realistic.

But I believe we need to be allowing more time for food preparation. With that said most all my meals are made in 30 minutes and I don't even cook everyday. I batch cook on the weekends to enjoy leftovers all week.

Cooking needs to be reframed as a necessity and something that takes us away from our technology. After a long day of work and staying at the computer, I relish the time I get to spend in the kitchen and relax.

What I hear a lot from my peers is that everyone would love to be more creative in their life, well start in the kitchen!

The internet is an amazing place with thousands, if not millions, of free recipes to try. Your skills will increase quickly the more you get comfortable in the kitchen. And the best thing of all? The amount of money saved eating at home will be a pleasant surprise, especially if you are used to eating out multiple times a week.

Ask yourself this question and aim to eat just a little more food prepared at home every week. You will find yourself craving a simple meal made by your own two hands in no time.