We have this vessel, our body that needs certain ingredients in order for it to run properly. There is a basic concept that we all must understand. If you don’t give your body the proper fuel to allow it to run properly, it won’t! There it is simple as pie; just give your body the proper fuel. Sounds simple but I see book after book telling us what to eat, how to eat, in what proportions, if there should be carbohydrate if there should be saturated fat, every opinion under the sun about food. For the most part all of these books can be correct if you follow the plan, meaning that almost all reasonably healthy plans will work if you stick with them. I have realized that you can find studies and statistics that prove whatever you want if you are willing to take a narrow view of the facts and manipulate it to your liking. The way I decipher what is a good plan of eating or not in the vast realm of nutrition is by first using plain old common sense. If I feel that the guidelines in the book make sense and that I could follow those guidelines easily than I would give it a try. Now you could spend your life jumping from trying every plan available or the best advice you can follow is to find out one that works for you and stick with it. What do I mean by working for you? Well I consider a way of eating proper if it allows you to fuel your body enough to build muscle but not put on much fat and makes you feel good while eating that way.
So when it comes down to it, how do we feed these incredible bodies of ours? There are many different paths that we can take. Again there are many books out there that you can buy and try so that is an option.
For those that want the ultimate in simplicity, for those that can’t bear to follow any guidelines or plans. For those of you that want the magic pill, that just want to know the bare minimum I have this advice. First of all there is not now and never will be a magic pill so give up your search; and if anyone tells you that their pill is the new miracle pill on the market run the other way.
My advice to you is this:
Don’t eat anything that comes out of a box!
You wanted it simple there it is! Many of the problems of modern society have been caused by convenience foods. Yes the stuff that you eat that can last on a shelf for weeks or months or years at a time. The stuff filled with partially hydrogenated oils, trans fats, sugar, polyscorbate 80, red dye #4, and numerous other chemical additives, fillers,
by-products, and preservatives. If you just simply follow this rule your life will improve! You’re done! You now know how to help people with problems like diabetes and heart disease. Just remember just because you didn’t see it in a box doesn’t mean that it didn’t come from a box. Restaurants use boxed items also. That is a good basic rule but there are many exceptions to the rule, very often my frozen brussel sprouts come in a box and I am not about to give them up.
Now here are the general exceptions to the box rule. This is not a weight loss plan or a special needs diet. It is a list of the 2 most basic rules of proper nutrition that will enable you to become a healthier happier person. Here are my rules for what constitutes something to be called food. And if all you eat is food than you are on your way to becoming healthy.
- Food is not white unless it started off that way.
- Food spoils
Let me explain Rule 1. Food is not white unless it started off that way. That means that eggs, milk, fish, cauliflower, chicken, white beans…are all considered food because man/woman has not done anything to these things to make them white (except maybe cook them) they are basically unadulterated. What doesn’t belong on the food list? Sugar, white flour, Splenda, Equal, … all the things man/woman has placed in nice packages that sort of looks like food and sure does taste good but really is just a manufactured product not something that grows or once lived and provides nourishment.
Nourishment, now there’s a word for you. The main reason for these two main rules for food is to try to ensure that everything that you eat provides some nourishment. You should not eat merely to fill your stomach so the hunger pains go away. The purpose of eating is to provide the nutrients necessary to carry on the process of LIFE!
Now don’t get discouraged I love, love, love food. I love to cook, smell, shop for, and of course eat food. You can truly have delicious and nutritious things to eat all day long, day in and day out that are simple to prepare and still be able stick to these rules. Believe me I do it all the time. It just takes a little time to learn new habits.
I’ll follow up soon with ideas to help follow the eat food not junk rule in future Blogs.
Thanks for reading!!!!!!
Dr. Piken
