From birth until death and in-between there is this time called life and the question is how should we live a good, meaningful, healthy life not only for ourselves but also for the people and the environment around us? In this article which you can watch as a video, we explore some simple healthy habits and systems that help you make better choices in regards to food and nutrition.
Thinking, speaking and talking about everything that is important to live a good life, nutrition needs to have its place. Even if I am not a nutritionist, I am not a health professional (although that’s in some sense debatable), I need to tackle these issues. If not for you then for me. I rely on my own experience and on literature to find useful information and share something that is helpful. It should be helpful even if you don’t have time to read or watch, but just are scrolling through.
Why is this question in a box? In Pandoras Box?
It’s there because in our times there is a censorship on everything that we can’t agree upon together. Nutrition is one of these topics. We are so polarized that we can’t even talk about food. No matter what we say, there will be a different opinion. No matter how healthy, clean or organic the food advice might be, someone will have a problem with it and will be offended by it. If I recommend a carrot, there will be someone having a problem with it. It feels like opening a box, starting a discussion about something that seems nice but will be the source of all evils. Pandora’s box of nutrition – organic, healthy, bio, local, raw, free-range, fresh, cooked, preheated, pre-cooked, frozen, only meat, less meat, no meat, lifestyle, religion, related, hated, climate problem, killing, factory meat and production.
But I dare to open it not only because I know that currently there are just a few people reading this so the danger is not as high, yet. I do it because I think it can and will be helpful. It’s at least helpful to me, bringing order into my thoughts and views about this topic.
Different aspects
- Food and nutrition are interesting from different points of views. For example the connection between Religion and Food. There is a strong connection in different religious traditions between food and faith. I will explore this topic more in the upcoming posts.
- Food is an important aspect of culture. Not only connected to religion but also heritage, tradition and identity. Cultural commons and exploration are, in a global world like ours, one of the most interesting journeys we can embark on.
- Daily food and nutrition advice. That’s the boring routine? The kind of food we should eat day in day out? That can’t be that hard to answer? Food that keeps us fit, helps us to stay healthy and strong, there must be some kind of easy receipt?! A system.
- On the opposite food can be an experience. Even a special and unique one. Going out to dine in a gourmet restaurant can be a life-changing moment. I think we should plan ahead and regularly experience food in a new way, perhaps at home but especially in a special restaurant with a great chef.
Two Tips to start with
1. Eat less and exercise more
In “Humanology”, Luke O’neill has a chapter about this. In his second book after giving a long and in-depth insight into the topic of nutrition, how the body works and what kind of genes might have an influence on how we digest and store or burn certain foods, he comes to a simple but powerful conclusion: Eat less and exercise more.
Of course, we can add to eat a balanced diet, a lot of vegetables and grains, some meat although due to climate change and food production, no meat might be the ethical choice. Perhaps the conclusion would be: Eat less and eat balanced. But less is important. Because most of us today eat too much. There is too much food. Such a privilege. And we are animals from a time long gone driven by instincts and desires. How can we control ourselves in such a context? Eat less. No, you won’t die. You won’t get sick. You will not fall off your bones. You are much better equipped to survive with less food than with lots of it. Just eat less. And keep your diet balanced.
2. Eat food as raw and fresh as possible
And stop eating anything that comes in a package and is precooked, ready to eat or readily digested food with who knows how many conservatives, preservatives and chemical treatments inside. It is not normal that you can eat that food even in 25-years because it is never going bad, isn’t it? No. The better choice, eat as much raw food as possible. And the food that needs cooking should be cooked by you, preferable right before you eat it.
I think that this simple way of thinking about nutrition will make it easy for you to choose what you eat.
Next time when you go to a Supermarket just skip 90% of the raws and lanes and stay in the area where the fresh food is. Buy some veggies, buy some fruits and grains, perhaps some fresh meat, from a local farm and that’s it. You don’t need to satisfy your curiosity by exploring all other lanes. What’s there is not for you! Only modern poison. Because you eat food as raw and fresh and local as possible.
Hope these tips are helpful. And until next time when we open Pandoras Box of Nutrition advice.
Need more Information? Check out these videos:
Peter Demuth 