How to Use a Food Journal

What Diet is Best for Me? Which Supplements Should I Take? How Do I Choose the Right Brands?

These are questions I hear often, and they’re worth asking. The tricky part is, there is no one-size-fits-all answer. Each person has a unique physiology and what supports one person’s health might not work the same for another. This concept of bio-individuality explains why we see so many diet plans and a wide array of supplements—each has its place for someone, but it’s finding what suits you that matters.

So, how do you discover what truly benefits you?

The most reliable answers come from within. Your body, lifestyle, and history are unlike anyone else’s. From genetics to daily routines and stress levels, you have a distinct profile, and the only way to understand your body’s needs is to observe and experiment. This is often the first place I look for what's going wrong - and what's right.

Why Keep a Health Journal?

A health journal is one of the simplest ways to identify what works for you. By writing down what you eat, how you feel, and tracking it over time, you start seeing patterns in your energy, mood, and physical responses to food and supplements.

Think of it as a mini science experiment for your health! You’ll be able to track subtle changes, like a certain food causing an energy slump or mood swing, or a supplement enhancing your focus.

Getting Started with Your Food Journal

1. Start Your Day by Noting Your Baseline. When you wake up, before you eat anything, take a moment to note how you feel. Are you energized, sluggish, well-rested, or worn out? A quick check-in each morning helps you recognize how food and habits affect you. If you're concerned about your thyroid health, take your temperature before you get out of bed.

2. Record Each Meal and How You Feel Afterward. Log the time, what you ate, and your immediate feelings after eating. Are you satisfied, or craving more? Are you energized or tired? It’s especially helpful to note how you feel an hour or two after eating, as some foods may have delayed effects. As this photo suggests, you can also use your phone camera to track what you ate and when. You'll still have to make note of your moods with an app such as Cronometer or YouAte.

3. Track the Impact on Mood, Energy, and Physical Symptoms. Mood swings, energy dips, or symptoms like bloating may not show up until hours later—or even the next day. Watch for these patterns over time. A high school experience taught me the power of tracking: I discovered that a fight with my mother and ravenous hunger the rest of the morning nearly always followed Cap'n Crunch for breakfast. Eliminating that one food changed the whole tone of my day.

4. Include Supplements as You Would a Food. Track each supplement you take, noting the time and any changes in energy or mood. It’s best to test supplements one at a time or space them out over different days to understand how each one affects you.

5. Spotting Patterns and Making Adjustments. After a week or so, you’ll start noticing trends. Maybe protein in the morning helps you feel steady all day, or a smoothie sends you reaching for snacks soon after. Use this information to refine your diet and try new adjustments based on what you observe.

   
   

A Custom Guide for Your Health

Over time, this journal will become a personalized roadmap. You don’t have to keep it up forever—just long enough to understand what your body needs to feel its best. Keep in mind, as your life and health evolve, revisiting this process can help you adjust to new needs and stay in tune with what keeps you feeling vibrant and balanced.

This is the first journal I used for my son. Note how often we had bread in some form. It took years for me to correlate foods and moods because I didn't note the times of both. It still helped me find intolerances and develop a better diet for him. He's an adult now but still uses the information I learned right here to keep himself well.

Let me know if you try this, and what you find!!