How to Eat

You might be wondering what exacrly I am talking about. Don’t we just take the food we choose, chew and swallow it and our bodies do the rest?

Am I over-complicating this simple process?

Maybe I am, but it seems to me that in this world of social media and ‘influencers,’ we have lost our ability to reason and pay attention to facts, especially about eating.

There’s a lot of noise out there in the world, telling us about eating and how to do it. Somehow, eating has also become political, with people like Billie Eilish catching grief for saying that you can’t love animals and then eat them. A bit extreme, but also a bit…true, right? Not totally, but there’s a kernal of truth to what she said which is why so many people lashed out at her. The truth can be rough, especially when we are not ready to face it.

And then we have the half-naked body builder dude running through the grocery store telling us that peanuts are not a great source of protein (well, duh…) but apparently, in his world, there’s a Big Peanut conspiracy trying to sell us on bad facts so we will lose all our muscle. Not only does this dude need to put on a shirt in a grocery store, but he needs to learn to read and understand facts.

Has TikTok murdered critical thinking? Our ability to see nonsense when it’s right in front of us?

Let’s start with our obsession with protein. Do we need it? Well, its one of the essentlal macronutrients we need to live, along with fat and carbohydrates, but our obsession with it has left reason at the station. Influencers are peddling the idea that we are mostly ‘under-proteined’ (Their word. Is that like under-babied? Are we just making words up now?)

From the scantily clad, raw butter and raw offal eating women and body builders to the influencer telling us that you can make Ozempic from coconut, to the ‘experts’demonizing seed oils, blueberries (looking at you Dr Gundry) and oatmeal, you can find one thing in common.

One of them said it out loud: “Let’s not get bogged down in the science,” not when fear and science-y sounding sound bites make a great social post. I guess real science would show them to be the charlatans that they actually are (or simply fame obsessed looking for their fifteen minutes…or just imbeciles).

As a nutritionist, it’s exhausting. I feel like I live in an alternate universe. We have men sunning their testacles to increase testosterone (it doesn’t; just increases their risk of skin cancer). We have people eating lard, unpasteurized milk, slathering beef tallow on their skin. Do they not realize that all of that sat fat, external or internal increases their risk of heart disease significantly? Do they care or just wish to creatr fear?

Here’s an actual scientific fact backed up peer-reviewed studies. Ninety five percent of Americans do not get adequate fiber in their diets. Dietary fiber is linked to cardiovascular health, gut health, balances blood sugar, helps maintain a healthy weight to state general fact. Where do we get this elusive fiber? In plants, my friends. Whole grains, vegetables, legumes, seeds, nuts, fruits all provide us with the fiber we need.

We worry about cognitive decline as we age, so we look for the latest hack, like drinking smoothies made from lard, when in fact our brains need glucose to thrive (and rest). Glucose comes from…you guessed it…plants. Whole grains, vegetables, legumes, seeds, nuts are the best sources of glucose our brains can use.

We have demonized seed oils when in fact, omega essential fatty acids are exactly that, essential. Every single legit study on seeds oils has found them to be heart healthy and linked to better cardiovascular outcomes. While processed, but all oils are somewhat processed, and rich in Omega-6, there is not one conclucive study that lniks these oils to heart disease or harmful inflammation. At…all. In fact, both Harvard and Stanford Universities have released studies that show that consistent replacment with one of these oils for saturated fats results in a healthier cardiovascular system and less chronic inflammation.

Good Lord, people.

I think my hero, Arnold is right. The truth, the real hack to wellness is so simple and boring that we look for any extreme measure to serve as today’s magic pill.

The true health hacks are timeless and simple…and yes, they involve how to eat.

Here you go. How to eat…and rest…and stay fit.

Eat plants: whole grains, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, fruit. Get plenty of leafy greens for the minerals you need and eat a wide variety of foods in many colors. Try to eat at the same times each day so your metabolism gets used to the consistency of nutrition. Stop eating 2 hours before bed so your liver can rest and not spend the night metabolizing. Your body loves routine.

Sleep: consistent sleep, 7-9 hours per night as you need is the surest bet for preserving your cognitive health and sanity. Set a time to go to bed and try to stay with it as often as possible. Your body loves routine.

Move your body: every single day needs to include activity, as important at brushing your teeth. Walk, jog, hit the gym (as we age, hit the gym; we need to strength train to age well). 3-4-5 days per week, consistently, train your body and train it like your life depends on it because it does. Do the reps. Your body loves routine.

Boring, I know. Your body loves to be taken care of, routinely, consistently and with care. It loves routine.

That’s not exactly a TikTok hashtag; no outrage to be had, no ‘maxxing’ involved, no screaming in a supermarket about conspiracies while shirtless…but you’ll be a healty human if you do these simple, boring, natural things.

It all begins in the kitchen with how to eat.

Stay tuned for the best and yummiest foods to keep you healthy and feeling young. I think you’ll love these!