This is the most common question I get when people find out that I am a Dietitian. The answer is more complicated and contains more information than most people really want to digest.
Food is complicated and all around confusing for most people. In one sense it is easy to say as long as you eat a mostly unrefined,natural diet you will be healthy. As Michael Pollin says,“Eat food,not too much,mostly plants”. Yet,if you are in a mental/emotional state of deprivation because you feel an underlying resistance to the way that you are eating it may do more harm than good. For example,the person who defines themselves as a “raw foodist” begins craving cooked foods and starts to feel guilty and may even subconsciously resent their way of eating. I am not implying that raw diets are unhealthy but I do believe that taking anything to the extreme is. Any rigorous plan or program that claims to be the answer to your body/health woes in my eyes is dangerous. Some of the most unhealthy people I have met are the ones that subscribe diligently to a specific way of eating that they believe is the only way to eat. There are absolutely benefits to following a specific diet for a certain time period in order to rebalance the body and then transitioning into a more liberal plan that incorporates your own desires and preferences is really the optimal diet. A raw food diet may be incredibly beneficial for someone who is obese for a specific time period to jump start their body’s cleansing and weight loss. Then it is important to continue to modify the program in order to continue to progress on healing the body while providing the proper nutrition to support the individual’s health.
Food is complex in the sense that your ability to thrive and feel good from what you eat stems from the health of the body/mind connection and your ability to absorb,digest and assimilate your food. We are so focused on finding the perfect diet in this culture and mostly from a superficial standpoint while ignoring the most important piece of the puzzle. In other words,you can put high octane fuel in an old car but it still won’t run like a new Mercedes.
The body is very similar. If all the parts of the body are in good condition and running smoothly and efficiently than you have much more wiggle room with your diet. This does not mean that you can live on Twinkies and thrive,it only means that you have much more freedom and flexibility when choosing and creating meals that work for you.
Raw food diets,paleo programs,Ornish,Atkins…there are people who end up benefiting enormously from following specific protocols outlined in these plans. If you take anyone who has been on the SAD diet and switch them to a diet that eliminates processed foods,sugar,excess starch and preservatives they are bound to experience an increase in health and energy with some weight loss. The problem arises when this way of eating becomes compulsive.
The body is designed to produce energy from the foods that you consume. We may think that we are controlling how the body uses this energy by counting our macros and adhering to strict rules. However,once the system is balanced it will take the energy you consume and utilize it in the way that is most beneficial for you at that time. I am not saying that these programs are not healthy,what I am saying is why do we feel the need to follow such rigid rules that may be hurting our ability to thrive. There is an enormous variety of diets consumed by cultures throughout the world and no one diet or plan that is better than another. It is very individual and defined by multiple variables.
If you are healthy,active and don’t suffer from digestive issues than you can be confident that as long as you are consuming a balanced diet derived mostly of whole foods and enjoying the meals (stress free) that you are consuming you have found your perfect diet.
