How to Optimize Your Body’s Natural Efficiency
THE UPSHOT
This isn’t about dieting, it’s about efficiency. A low-fat vegan diet can support a more alkaline, less inflamed body. When digestion flows, stress is managed, and movement is intentional, your body becomes more naturally balanced, energized, and able to let go of what it no longer needs be it toxins, water, or weight. The path to flow begins with awareness and alignment, not restriction.
____________________________________________
As many of you know, I follow a low-fat vegan diet. I encourage most of my clients to try a plant-based diet, too, because it’s so good for you, and helps your body’s systems be so much more efficient. Often as a side result, many clients lose or gain weight, as needed, as a result.
A recent study found that a low-fat vegan diet may actually be more effective for weight loss (i.e., body optimization) than the Mediterranean diet (1). The researchers in this study linked this to something called dietary acid load, which is essentially the acidic or alkaline response in your body as a result of the food you eat. Their findings suggest that the alkalizing effect of a low-fat vegan diet may play a key role in improving the body’s natural ability to release excess weight.
While more research is needed to fully understand these effects, especially in people with chronic conditions, the results are encouraging. Alkalizing foods help support a body that’s less inflammatory, more metabolically efficient, and more hormonally balanced. And that’s where the body begins to shift in energy, clarity and flow, and, subsequently, in size and/or shape.
Real transformation doesn’t start with restriction. It starts with regulation, balance, and presence.
The Gut
Your digestive system does more than process food, it regulates everything from inflammation to immunity to mood. When digestion is running efficiently, nutrients are absorbed, toxins are eliminated, and the gut-brain axis can communicate clearly. But if you’re eating foods your body is sensitive to, whether that’s dairy, eggs, soy, gluten, or even certain plant foods, your gut becomes inflamed. This slows everything down.
Food sensitivities can be subtle. And they can develop over time. You may not feel an immediate reaction, but eventually they can lead to chronic bloating, fatigue, skin flare-ups, brain fog, and water retention (2). Your immune system stays on high alert. Your hormones start to misfire. And your body, quite literally, holds on.
Optimizing digestion starts with awareness. Tune into your body’s cues. Eliminate inflammatory foods. Choose meals that support your detox pathways and gut lining. When your digestion flows, everything else follows. Eating the rainbow is an excellent starting point in reclaiming your digestive balance.
Stress and Emotional Weight
Stress affects your body on every level. High cortisol, your primary stress hormone, tells your system to store energy, slow metabolism, and conserve fat. It interferes with digestion, blood sugar regulation, and hormone balance (3). But stress isn’t simply physiological.
When we’re overwhelmed, it’s natural to reach for comfort foods. Carbs, sugar, and fatty foods give us a temporary energy hit, and that, in turn, creates a dopamine response to the very idea of these foods. But quick fixes often create a cycle of spikes and crashes, leading to more cravings, more fatigue, and more stored weight.
There’s no shame in comfort eating. The invitation is to become more mindful. Small rituals like pausing before meals, practicing gratitude, chewing slowly, or taking a few deep breaths can reconnect you with your body’s true needs. Often, it’s not more food we need. It’s more peace. Or it’s more water…
Hydration
Most people walk around dehydrated, confusing thirst for hunger, or fatigue, or even anxiety. Remember, though, your body is composed mostly of water. Every cell, every organ, every function depends on hydration to work efficiently.
So it’s important to hydrate adequately. I recommend to clients that they aim to drink 1 ounce of water for every pound of body weight, and drink more if they are active or in detox mode. Hydration helps flush toxins, support lymphatic flow, regulate appetite, and fire neurotransmitters. Even mild dehydration can impair brain function and mood, and make it harder for your body to release excess fluid or fat (4).
Start slowly, working your way up to this goal. Also, begin your morning with warm lemon water and trace minerals. This simple ritual helps activate digestion, hydrate tissues, and support your body’s natural detoxification pathways.
Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent fasting has gained popularity as a method for optimizing metabolism and energy. Done with intention, it can improve insulin sensitivity, support cellular renewal, and give the digestive system time to rest (5).
But fasting isn’t one-size-fits-all. In fact, how well it works depends on your biology. And your hormones.
Men tend to respond well to longer fasting windows, such as 16:8 or 18:6, meaning fasting for 16 (or 18) hours and observing a window for eating of eight (or six). These schedules align with stable daily hormone rhythms and can support sustained energy and focus.
Women, on the other hand, need to take into account hormonal fluctuations. During the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle (days 1–14), moderate fasting can enhance energy and clarity. In the luteal phase (days 15–28), the body naturally needs more fuel to support progesterone and prepare for menstruation. Fasting during this time can raise stress hormones, disrupt sleep, and even slow metabolism.
The answer? Try a month of intermittent fasting and track your energy levels against your menstrual cycle. Be sensitive to the fact that you may have less energy (or should shorten your fasting window) during the luteal phase. Listening to your body and syncing with your cycle is key. The goal is flow—not force.
Movement
Exercise isn’t only about burning calories. It’s about circulation, lymphatic flow, and nervous system balance. Movement helps your body clear toxins, regulate hormones, activate fascia, and shift emotional energy (6).
Some examples of this type of movement include walking, rebounding, stretching, dry brushing, dancing, hot-cold contrast therapy, even breathwork. These gentle practices help transfer energy and support detoxification without pushing the body into a stress state.
The goal is to move with intention and consistency. A more efficient body is your reward.
This is About More than Weight
When your body is inflamed, overloaded, or misaligned, it holds on to water, to toxins, to stress, and to weight. When you begin to regulate digestion, lower inflammation, sync with your natural rhythms, and move from a place of flow, the body no longer needs to hold on.
This isn’t about dieting. It’s about body intelligence. It’s about aligning biology with intuition. This is the path to true health—a body that is clear, calm, and efficient. A body in rhythm with itself.
It’s also the path to longevity. And it begins with nourishing not just your cells, but your soul.
Xo – Serena
FAQ
Q. How do I know if my body prefers a more alkaline diet?
If you feel better—lighter, clearer, more energized—after eating lots of fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains, your body may thrive on a more alkalizing, plant-based diet. You might also notice fewer cravings, better digestion, and reduced water retention.
Q. What are some signs I might be confusing thirst with hunger?
If you often feel fatigued, moody, anxious, or crave sugar, you might actually be dehydrated. Try drinking a glass of water and waiting ten minutes before eating, especially between meals. Starting your day with lemon water and trace minerals is also a helpful habit to restore hydration first thing in the morning.
Q. Are there risks with over-fasting or fasting too often?
Yes. Over-fasting can elevate stress hormones, disrupt sleep, and lead to fatigue, especially for women or individuals with thyroid or adrenal issues. Fasting should feel supportive, not depleting.
Q. Can emotional stress show up as physical symptoms even if I’m eating well?
Absolutely. Even with a healthy diet, unresolved emotional stress can lead to fatigue, digestive issues, hormonal imbalances, and stubborn weight retention. Mental and emotional wellness are key to physical flow.
Q. What’s the best way to identify hidden food sensitivities?
Start with a short elimination diet, removing common triggers like dairy, gluten, soy, eggs, and processed foods for 2–3 weeks, then reintroduce one at a time while tracking symptoms. Functional testing can also help, but tuning into how you feel is just as important.
Q. How long does it typically take to notice changes from these practices?
Many people begin to feel shifts—like improved energy, digestion, or sleep—within one to two weeks of consistently supporting their gut, hydration, and stress response. For longer-term results, consistency over several months is key.
CITATIONS
- Kahleova H, Maracine C, Himmelfarb J, Jayaraman A, Znayenko-Miller T, Holubkov R and Barnard ND (2025) Dietary acid load on the Mediterranean and a vegan diet: a secondary analysis of a randomized, cross-over trial. Front. Nutr. 12:1634215. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2025.163421
- Tuck CJ, Biesiekierski JR, Schmid-Grendelmeier P, Pohl D. Food Intolerances. Nutrients. 2019 Jul 22;11(7):1684. doi: 10.3390/nu11071684. PMID: 31336652; PMCID: PMC6682924.
- Thau L, Gandhi J, Sharma S. Physiology, Cortisol. [Updated 2023 Aug 28]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan-.
- Riebl SK, Davy BM. The Hydration Equation: Update on Water Balance and Cognitive Performance. ACSMs Health Fit J. 2013 Nov;17(6):21-28. doi: 10.1249/FIT.0b013e3182a9570f. PMID: 25346594; PMCID: PMC4207053.
- Wang Y, Wu R. The Effect of Fasting on Human Metabolism and Psychological Health. Dis Markers. 2022 Jan 5;2022:5653739. doi: 10.1155/2022/5653739. PMID: 35035610; PMCID: PMC8754590.
- Patel PN, Horenstein MS, Zwibel H. Exercise Physiology. [Updated 2024 Oct 6]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan-.
by
