Thanks to the American diet consisting of highly processed carbohydrates in the form of breads, pastries, pastas, and many unexpected items containing chemical preservatives and artificial flavorings — things we may call “food” have actually made us sick as individuals and subsequently as a society.
“Foods” like those mentioned above have the untoward effects such as
- impairing the immune system
- damaging the digestive system
- crippling hormone balances
- harming our mental and emotional health both from struggling through the discomfort as well as directly impacting our neurotransmitters.
Eating better can make a significant impact on living better. Changing dietary habits can be a very long process, but when done conscientiously it is absolutely worthwhile. I always strongly advise avoidance of processed “junk” food as much as possible, other than for rare/special occasions.
By making this one (albeit challenging) change, most individuals living in the United States and throughout Western society can revolutionize their health in many ways they never realized, far above and beyond the expected impacts of reducing diabetes, cholesterol, high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease.
Overall, please continue to strive for a clean, balanced diet and regular exercise that includes cardiovascular activity and strength training to promote muscle tone.
Here is a blog post written in 2016 about my early journey towards clean eating: https://onthriving.wordpress.com/2016/02/25/confessions-of-a-carbaholic-part-iii-paleo-schmaleo/
Some of my favorite nutrition resources:
1) “It Starts With Food” by Dallas and Melissa Hartwig — also authors of “The Whole 30” — see https://whole30.com/itstartswithfood/. The Whole 30 is a very challenging “clean” diet but with good foundation of information about how diet affects health)
2) “The Obesity Code” by Jason Fung, MD describes the role played by insulin in human metabolism, and how misunderstanding it has led to an epidemic of obesity and Type 2 Diabetes. Through an intricate re-education on how metabolism works, it becomes clear how intermittent fasting and exercise are critical for losing weight and optimizing cardiovascular health.
3) “In Defense of Food” by Michael Pollan (book and PBS documentary, can easily be found online)
4) “Fast. Feast. Repeat.” by Gin Stephens — an easy-to-understand, easy-to-follow guide to intermittent fasting. Also the background and rationale to intermittent fasting is explained in more detail in another book by Gin Stephens, “Delay, Don’t Deny”.
5) “The Wild Diet” by Abel James (plenty of “clean diet” tasty recipes; follows “paleo” concepts)
6) “Carb-Loaded“, a documentary by Lathe Poland about the evolution of ill health in the Western World thanks to processed carbohydrates. Teachings of the “ketogenic” diet are described here. I am more in favor of the education although the diet program itself may not be for everyone. https://youtu.be/lBb5TFxj1S0
7) For those who prefer the vegetarian/vegan approach, I recommend:
- “Forks Over Knives” – documentary (www.forksoverknives.com)
- “PlantPure Nation” – documentary (www.plantpurenation.com)
- “How Not to Die” – book by Michael Greger, MD. (Plant-based diet advice for specific diseases supported by medical research) — also see nutritionfacts.org
8) Lectin sensitivity is a micronutrient-oriented principle associated with “nightshades” which are plant foods understood to be “pro-inflammatory.” While the science is still equivocal, many people have found relief from inflammatory conditions by following the program described in “The Plant Paradox” by Dr. Steven R. Gundry.
9) “Good and Cheap” by Leanne Brown.
To help with budget-friendly healthy cooking, this is an excellent resource developed specifially for people on the “SNAP” program (formerly known as food stamps).
Thrive Adult Primary Care 