Sometimes you read something that seems both groundbreaking and incredibly obvious.
Let’s see here.
Some foods are bad for you.
Conversely, some foods must be good for you. Right?
RIGHT!!!
In a recent issue of TIME magazine, an article focused on food as medicine.
“Food is becoming a particular focus of doctors, hospitals, insurers and even employers who are frustrated by the slow progress of drug treatments in reducing food-related diseases like Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, hypertension and even cancer.”
A persistent lack of Oxford commas notwithstanding, this quote from the article hit a gigantic DUH note with me. Science and our understanding of how the human body processes food are constantly changing.
Here are a few examples:
Eggs are bad for you!
Eggs are good cholesterol.
Too much alcohol is bad for you!
Red wine is healthy in small amounts.
(Ok, maybe that is a bad example, because honestly? Too much alcohol really is bad for you. Also this blog is called Wine & Wellness Wednesday. You get the point, though, right?)
Butter is evil! Olive oil is the best!
Olive oil is awful. Use coconut oil.
Coconut oil is evil! Use butter!
Red meat causes cancer.
Red meat has healthy proteins the body needs.
Anyone else getting dizzy? The spin, the redirection, the conflicting claims can all be enough to make a person say, “To heck with it, I’ll eat what I want.”
And people do. (At times, I do!)
Think about this. Every body is different. What works for me is going to cause problems for someone else, and vice versa. Genetic predisposition plays a role. Environment plays a role. Economics play a role. One person’s full-fat whole-milk latte is a lactose-intolerant person’s nightmare.
Use common sense. Use portion control. Eat fresh, local foods when you can, and be careful of the type and quantity of processed foods that you’re consuming. Check out the claims of different diets very, very carefully. Eat more vegetables than meat. Go for walks, or find exercise that works for you.
I would like to make it exquisitely clear that I do not advocate for changing your medication based on changes to your diet without consulting your physician. As I’ve said in the past and will continue to say, I am a health coach. I’m an advocate and an accountability partner, not a medical professional. I was able to make a substantial change in my own life and remove a medication from my arsenal once I went the gluten-free route. I talked with my doctor when I did. That is something about which I want to be very clear. I believe in the power of food for health, and in using all of your resources responsibly.
Cheers! Here’s to your health!