Do you feel like you're wandering through a confusing wilderness when it comes to food and nutrition? Fear not - you are not alone! The world of health, nutrition, exercise, and lifestyle management can be a perplexing place, filled with contradicting advice and overwhelming choices. Let's wade through the murky waters to see if we can settle into a clearer picture.
The Science of Food and Nutrition
Do you remember when there was a time when we believed the information that was provided about foods? We all stopped eating eggs because they were high in cholesterol and caused heart disease. And, instead, we ate low-fat carbohydrates touted as the best way to stay healthy. Ugh!! That is the reality of the science of food and nutrition - along with very strong marketing machines. You're told that a certain superfood will solve all your problems, and.... how does a food even become a super food?! It's enough to make your head spin!
But fear not, for all is not lost! Well.... maybe not lost, but it's certainly not crystal clear, either. The key to mastering this wild jungle is to understand that what works for one person may not work for another. It makes sense. We each have our own unique chemistry, so it's not a surprise that we each have our own unique preferences when it comes to nutrition, too. And, as we age, those preferences can change. Isn't that just great news? Let's see if we can tame this jungle a bit.
Embrace the Experimentation
So, how do we navigate through this maze of health advice and nutrition tips? The answer is simple - embrace the spirit of experimentation! Just like a mad scientist in the lab (minus the crazy hair), it's time to play around with different foods, diets, and recipes to see what keeps your body AND your tastebuds happy.
One day you might find that a plant-based diet makes you feel like a superhero, while the next day you realize that you're a carnivore at heart. And that's okay! Paleo, Keto, Intermittent Fasting, Vegetarian, Vegan, Mediterranean, Carnivore, Balanced, ... Okay, what?! Don't worry! That's all covered later. We'll get to see and understand the beauty of food and nutrition sciences has no one-size-fits-all solution. It's all about finding what works best for you - and that may include several different solutions.
Nutritionists Agree.... Or Don't Agree
In 2015 when a group of nutritionists all got together at one table, it did not start well. The plant-based enthusiasts didn't agree with the Paleo enthusiasts, who didn't agree with the Mediterranean enthusiasts. It was almost a disaster! Eventually, as they got down to business, there were some mainstays they all agreed on.
First, the more natural and less processed the food, the better. Experiment with colorful fruits and veggies, add in some whole grains and lean proteins. Eat them raw, eat them partially cooked, eat them thoroughly cooked. The point is to eat more whole foods.
They also agreed that there should not be the Butter is bad, no it's good, no it's bad messages that spread faster than, well, soft butter. Rather than the media jumping to hasty conclusions based on the latest shiny, new study, the message should remain consistent until more evidence is collected to prove the study as correct (or not correct).
The "Diet" Jungle
There have been a lot of diets mentioned in this so far, so let's take a moment to summarize each of them quickly:
Paleo
To put it simply, Paleo (aka Caveman diet) is a whole foods plan - meat, fish, fruits and vegetables. No grains, including legumes and beans. No sweeteners. No dairy. Basically, eating like a caveman would have back in Paleolithic times when processing options for food were primitive.
Ketogenic
Keto, for short, should not to be confused with ketoacidosis (a dangerous condition for diabetics). A ketogenic diet is a high-fat, low-carb plan with moderate protein intake. For example, 60-75% of calories are fat, 20-30% protein, and as low as 0-5% from carbohydrates. The popular Atkins diet follows similar guidelines. The premise of this plan is that the body will burn fat for fuel, rather than sugars from carbohydrates. When we burn fat, ketone bodies are produced in the liver, hence, the term "ketogenic".
Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent Fasting (IF) is not really a diet, but more of an intake plan. To keep it brief, IF is eating meals within a part of the day, and then fasting the rest of the day. So, eating meals between 10 am - 6 pm, and then not eating any food from 6 pm - 10 am the next day. This also includes beverages - so a large fru-fru coffee with vanilla syrup, whipped cream and oat milk would be off limits during your fast - just zero calorie coffee, tea and water. Generally, with IF fewer calories are consumed daily due to a short eating window.
**I have a whole blog post dedicated to the topic of fasting if you're looking for more in depth information, check out Feasts or Fasts - Part 2.
Vegetarian and Vegan
A Vegetarian diet consists of, yes, you guessed it, vegetation. It's consuming just plant foods, including legumes and beans, whole grains, nuts and seeds, fruits and vegetables, as well as soy products, such as tofu and tempeh. Some will allow eggs and dairy (lacto-ovo-vegetarian), while a Vegan diet is strictly all plant-based foods. Some choose this as a lifestyle due to the use of animals for food, while others may choose it because it is the one thing that's helped alleviate whatever is ailing them.
Mediterranean
This diet arises from how people eat around the area of the Mediterranean Sea - Greece, Italy, Turkey, Spain, etc. This population has been found to have some of the longest life expectancies on earth. The Mediterranean diet is considered heart healthy and consists of mainly vegetables and whole grains with fish and healthy fats, mainly olive oil and nuts. Dairy is limited to yogurt and cheese, while red meat and sweets are kept to a minimum.
Carnivore
Very popular with men, the carnivore diet is basically the opposite of a vegetarian. This diet plan focuses on eating meat, cheese, eggs, animal-based fats, such as tallow and butter, with no fruits, vegetables or grains. Carnivore enthusiasts say this diet reduces inflammation and nutrient deficiencies. Much like vegetarians, some choose this diet because when nothing else worked, it has eliminated symptoms of whatever ails them.
Balanced Diet
A Balanced Diet is where we eat the calories and nutrients needed for our body to function appropriately. The USDA (US Department of Agriculture) depicts this using their My Plate illustration. Where a full plate is a complete meal with half of the plate being fruits and vegetables. and the other half being grains (whole-grain flour, cracked wheat, oatmeal and brown rice) and protein (such as meat, poultry, beans, nuts, and soy). Dairy, low-fat and no-fat versions, are set to the side as the glass. The USDA suggests that whole foods are preferred and processed foods should be avoided.
And... there are so many more, but, uffda, this is plenty, don't you think?!
Health is Comprised of More Than Just Food
It needs to be said that health comes from taking care of the whole self. It's not just about what you put on your plate but also how we nourish both our body and our soul. A healthy lifestyle isn't just about eating kale salads and hitting the gym five days a week (although kudos to you if you do!). We all know those - diet and exercise - are important, but so is feeding our soul. Are there people you associate with that make you feel renewed? How about things you do or places you go that give you a sense of peace? That is feeding the soul, and we need it!
I have a 3-day Challenge - the Out in Nature Challenge - which can really brighten the soul. You can find that here - and it's free! I'm so thrilled who read this far! LOL
In addition, we need a positive outlook. So, rather than a limited thought process where we say we're cutting out sodas, think of it as adding in water. Or, no sugar becomes eating a variety of nutrient dense fruits to satisfy my sweet tooth. And, I have to go on a walk today to I'm thankful I can enjoy the outdoors on my walks. It's an attitude of finding balance, joy, and satisfaction in every bite and every move we make.
Let's Do This Adventure Together!
I know... the jungle seems no less tame than when we started. So, my fellow jungle explorers, are you ready to dive into the thrilling world of food and nutrition with me? The jungle of food and nutrition sciences can be wild and unpredictable! Together we experiment with a dash of curiosity and a sprinkle of courage we will navigate through it gracefully - and with a few laughs mixed in! Remember, the best expert on what works for you is... you! Complete this application to start an exciting, sometimes bumpy adventure to become energized, confident, and full of zest!
In Courage my friends,
Dani
Sources:
Ajmera, Rachel, MS-RD. Healthline. The Vegetarian Diet: A Beginner's Guide and Meal Plan, December 22, 2021.
Mawer, Rudy, MSc, CSSM. Healthline. The Ketogenic Diet: A Detailed Beginner’s Guide to Keto, November 7, 2023.
NutritionEd.org. Types of Diets - Plenty of Diets to Choose From in the Present Day, November 16, 2023.
Oldways Common Ground Consensus Statement on Healthy Eating, November 17-18, 2015.
O'Reilly, Anthony, CPT, NASM-CNC (updated by Rosie Borchert). Bar Bend. 9 Types of Diets — How They Work and Pros & Cons, July 29th, 2024.
Scudellari, Megan. STAT. Food fight erupts as top nutritionists gather to define healthy eating, November 24, 2015.
USDA. My Plate. What is my plate? December 2020.
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