A Healthy Diet.
I have struggled to come up with a comprehensive concept of a healthy diet as there are so many different factors that come into play when deciding what type of diet to consume.
There is information all over the internet about the healthiest choice of diet. The list of diets that are out there are exhaustive and reading through them and making sense of it all is a daunting task.
The Mediterranean, DASH, Keto, Paleo, Vegetarian, Vegan, Whole 30, Low-Carb, Flexitarian, Zone, Atkins, Weight Watchers, Alkaline, Carnivore, FODMAP, Low-FODMAP, Gluten-Free, and Low-Fat. See there are a tremendous number of ideas out there.
My conclusion.
They all agree on one thing: they are all about eating “Natural Whole Foods.” Stuff made in a lab, “Franken-Foods,” isn’t what they are about. All those extra chemicals in our food are not good for us. They mess with our health, and getting rid of them is the best start to a healthier diet for a healthier body. I believe that we were not intended to eat the same food all year long but should instead vary our diet with nature. Eating all these foods that are in boxes, cans, and frozen foods are full of additives and chemicals to make them addictive to the human body. We instead should cook with fresh ingredients that are in season and vary our diet with nature. Like not eating carb heavy foods all year long.
Goals of a Healthier Diet.
Reducing Inflammation. Ways to reduce inflammation include omitting vegetable oils, getting rid of excess carbohydrates, and reducing foods with chemicals, pesticides, and herbicides.
Eating Nutritious food that is grown in sustainable and regenerative farming systems. Including animals that are raised in a natural environment with their natural diet.
Preventing Chronic Inflammation which leads to most of the Autoimmune Diseases.
Our ultimate goal is to give our body all the minerals, vitamins, and nutrients that are needed to live a healthy energetic life free of health issues.
How Did I Come to My Conclusions.
I changed my diet because I had arthritis to the point where I could no longer stand it. So, with the information that “sugar causes inflammation and inflammation causes arthritis”, I cut out all carbs and the arthritis went away. There were a bunch of other issues that went away too. And I had more energy, less health issues, and generally felt better. Read my article “My first journey into my health.”
Definitely what to get rid of.
“Vegetable oils”- These oils are not really vegetables they are in fact grain and seed oils. Most of them are high in Omega-6 fatty acids (pro-inflammatory) and low in Omega-3 (anti-inflammatory). And they are highly processed. These oils are added to much of the food supply making the products not a good choice. They say to try to eat enough omega-3s to balance out the high omega-6s in our diet, but it is difficult, so it would be better to eliminate as many of the omega-6s to obtain a better balance of omega6s to 3s.
“The importance of maintaining a low omega-6/omega-3 ratio for reducing the risk of autoimmune diseases, asthma, and allergies” explains the harm that a high omega 6 to omega 3 ratio can cause.
Sweetened Beverages- These drinks are high in unnatural sugars that are inflammatory and high in calories with no nutritional value. This includes the sugary coffees that they make now. They cause instant spikes in blood glucose and are full of artificial additives that make them addictive and detrimental to our health. This article “Beverages that Increase Inflammation in the body” discusses the damage that sugary beverages can cause.
All processed food like substances- These items include most of the items on the shelves in grocery stores that come in a box, can, or frozen pre-made foods. Look at the ingredient list. They are full of words that you can’t pronounce and most of those are produced in a chemical process. They are not natural foods. This article shows how ultra-processed foods are bad, “Our Hidden Enemy: Ultra-Processed Foods, inflammation, and the Battle for Heart Health.”
Foods that you may want to limit.
Carbohydrate Foods- Eating a diet high in carbs makes you hungry, eat more, raises your blood glucose, is inflammatory and makes you gain weight. Even whole wheat, corn, rice, and grains. Many of these foods are anti-nutrient and contain certain aspects that are detrimental to your health. Watch the documentary “What’s with Wheat?” on youtube.com.
Here is an interesting article that links insulin to longevity. “Insulin has previously unknown effect that has role in aging and lifespan.“
Fruits- Ones that are high in carbohydrates especially. The exceptions are the ones that end in berry. Examples include strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries but even these should not be eaten to excess or continuously.
Foods you want to eat plenty of.
Protein- A variety of beef, pork, chicken, seafood, eggs etc.
Fat: Beef tallow, Lard, and butter.
Article that states Saturated fat is not bad for you: “A short history of saturated fat: the making and unmaking of a scientific consensus.”
Another article on Saturated Fat the Myth: “5 studies on Saturated Fat-Time to retire the Myth?”
Leafy Greens- Lettuces, turnip greens, beet greens, etc.
Vegetables- The non-starchy ones that contain fiber. Broccoli, Cauliflower, Asparagus, Etc
Salt: unprocessed natural salt.
Salt is not the enemy. It is necessary for proper functioning of the body. We need to consume whole natural unprocessed salts that have no additives in them. Think Himalayan Pink, Celtic Sea, and Baha Gold Salts. These salts still contain the vitamins and minerals even if they are in small quantities and are less processed than “table salt”.
Liquid Consumption.
Water and plenty of it.
Unsweetened Coffee and Tea. There are a vast number of teas that can be made with herbs that have beneficial properties that promote health and wellness.
Conclusion:
If you get the best possible natural wholesome foods, and cook from scratch, you will be on your way to creating a healthier diet for you and your family. To get our diet to the healthiest point, we need to remove as many chemicals, additives, herbicides, and pesticides as possible out of our food. This “franken-food” is detrimental to our health and wellbeing.