Why eat a healthy diet?

[pbmdel]

In the last few years, I've read six books on healthy eating, including two 500 pagers, watching videos, and podcasts. In the email to me below, Dr. Will Bulciewicz (Dr. B) covers in just a few minutes of reading what it is all about (genius?). In the briefest summary...eat more fiber, less ultra-processed food.

1. He completed his fellowship in gastroenterology at the University of North Carolina Hospitals from 2010 to 2014.
2. He obtained a Master of Science (MS) in Clinical Investigation from Northwestern University between 2008 and 2010.

He has contributed to over 20 published scientific articles and has given more than 40 presentations at national meetings.

He lived on junk food 14 years, including while in med schools, and beyond. It wasn't til he met his future wife that he started a turnaround. Despite the extensive education and prestigious credentials as a medical doctor, he realized he didn't know how to improve his own health. This realization, along with meeting his future wife who was vegan, eventually led to his transformation towards a plant-based diet and his focus on gut health.

------The email-----------

​ ​ ​ Hey Fiber Fam When it comes to changing up the types of food we eat, there’s a certain degree of risk involved. We’re often pushed to learn new things, and that can be daunting. We’re creatures of habit, so making dietary switches isn’t easy, and I get that. Unless you’ve got an unlimited pool of time, energy, money, and resources, it’s unlikely that you’re constantly trying out new recipes. That being said, more and more of us are at least willing to explore different possibilities to keep things fresh and interesting on the food front. I’m a big believer in a growth mindset. Being limited by our routines or past habits is no fun! When we adopt a growth mindset, we allow ourselves many more opportunities for self improvement. Applying this mindset to the food that we eat can have a huge impact on improving our overall health and wellbeing. ​ Take a past patient that I had, for example. They were keen to address an autoimmune disease so they first followed a hardcore Keto diet and were checking their urine for ketones daily. Then they tried the Paleo diet and followed it with the same kind of intensity. This patient was giving these diets their all, following the rules, and going after results with tenacity. I have so much respect for that level of dedication and willingness to change. Their positive growth mindset and adaptability made it much easier for me to orient them towards a plant based diet, which helped to restore their gut barrier. When you heal the gut, you repair damage to the gut barrier, which is anti-inflammatory in itself. With this particular patient, I also created a supplement protocol. There’s often a call for that, but to be clear: it always starts with food. It really comes down to setting reasonable expectations for ourselves, what we are willing to do, and what actions we are prepared to take to reach our goals. ​ The modern diet hasn’t made it easy for most of us to live quality, healthy lives, unburdened by chronic diseases. That’s because the current picture of the modern diet is so vastly different to what our ancestors consumed for millennia. As we've prioritized convenience, cut down on cooking and eating time, and grown reliant on overly flavored and sweetened foods, we've become deeply disconnected from the dietary habits that shaped our biology. This has all coincided with the rise of metabolic disease and chronic inflammation, but make no mistake: there’s no coincidence about it. While you might be thinking ‘Hey Doc, we’re living longer than most of our ancestors did,’ I’d counter that with the fact that we’re generally waaaay less healthy, and are actually propping up our health with drugs and healthcare to fix the problems created by our modern lifestyles. There are some specific foods/nutrients that I am most concerned about. So let’s take a look. ​ FIBER: The worrisome part of the modern diet isn’t just about what has been added, but about what has been taken away. Arguably, what’s been eroded over time is more important. Fiber is what fuels the gut microbiome. It’s the precursor of the most anti inflammatory chemicals that I know of: short chain fatty acids (SCFAs). People who consume more fiber live longer, with less heart disease, cancer, strokes, and diabetes.​ There’s an in depth study that details the proven benefits of fiber, which you can reference below, if you want to dig deeper:​ READ NOW ​ Given that all the research tells us how incredible fiber is, you’d think we’d all be eating the optimal amounts for health. And yet an alarming 95% of Americans are deficient in this essential nutrient. I firmly believe that if we do just one thing to improve our diets, it should increase our fiber intake and restore our gut microbiome.​ ULTRA-PROCESSED FOODS (UPFs): While I wouldn’t go as far as to say that all UPFs are bad for us, I do have some serious concerns about their safety. UPFs are those items that are made in a laboratory by a food scientist who deconstructs foods into building blocks, then reconstructs them with additives and preservatives. Unfortunately, these things that make the food attractive, convenient, or taste good can have negative consequences, including to our gut microbiome.​ Because of a loophole that was created nearly 100 years ago, we now have thousands of additives in our food supply, and we know very little about what they do to us or our gut microbes through years of consumption. In a way, we are the living guinea pigs.​ REFINED CARBOHYDRATES: There’s no doubt that flour and sugar based foods taste good. If you often reach for pastries, treats, or sugary beverages when you need a quick sugar fix, then you’ll know what I’m talking about. We have a natural drive to obtain energy, and that’s exactly what these items prey upon. The resulting blood sugar spike forces our body to release heavy amounts of insulin, which is hugely problematic for our metabolism, especially when repeated day in and day out. I’m not here to tell you to give up cake forever. There’s nothing wrong with indulging once in a while, but we shouldn't be making these foods part of our daily routines. ​ While it might seem kinda bleak out there in the grocery stores in terms of the ingredient lists, the counter to these problematic products is startlingly simple. Plant based foods have the goodness that we need, and that we are currently missing. They’ve got it all! We’re talking fiber, which is a complex carbohydrate that feeds and fuels our microbiome to produce SCFAs that have healing effects throughout the body. They’ve also got polyphenols, which are antioxidant compounds responsible for the natural colors of our plants, and which suppress inflammation in the body. They’ve got phytonutrients, which are special chemicals found exclusively in plants that often have medicinal qualities or in some cases are extracted and scaled by pharmaceutical companies to create new drugs. In a nutshell, plants have naturally occurring nutrients, and whether we’re aware of them or not, they’re absolutely going to provide incredible benefits, and even more so if we eat a diverse variety of plant based foods. It really is that simple! Despite knowing what’s good for us, it’s not always a piece of cake to make dietary shifts or start swapping out foods that we’ve been eating for so long. It starts with not just understanding but truly acknowledging that we will improve our health by replacing UPFs with minimally processed whole foods. Once we accept that, then it’s a matter of taking action. We’ve got to figure out ways to make this work within our modern lives, and make peace with the fact that change isn’t perfect and doesn’t happen overnight. ​ Making shifts and swaps that are delicious and ultimately sustainable is a great starting point. Here are a few of the techniques and tricks that I’ve used: ​ 1. Set a goal to try one new, healthy recipe per week. It’s overwhelming to think about overhauling your entire diet, so start with one new healthy recipe per week. Make sure it’s delicious, suits your tastes, you can get excited about eating it, and that it won’t take hours slaving over the stove to create. This might take some practice, but when you find something that you love, keep making it. In fact, you’ll probably find that you actually want to keep making it! This is how you shift your "usual meals" to include more healthy stuff. For some easy meals, I’d recommend you check out the Scrappy Cooking or Plant You cookbooks by my good buddy Carleigh Bodrug. These are fantastic resources that will help you elevate your cooking game easily and affordably. ​ 2. Opt for slow cooked stuff. I’m a huge fan of having a pot of something stewing for hours on the stove. It’s easy: just throw your ingredients in the pot and let the slow cooking work its magic. The results are always delicious. The flavors meld together and get even better. I love slow cooking because it’s easily scalable and highly adaptable. A big pot of chili, soup, or curry that you make on a Sunday can become a couple of different meals that your family can enjoy throughout the following week. ​ 3. Add targeted supplements. While we’re all doing our best to add more plant based foods, there’s no doubt that it’s a process. It takes time, patience, and effort, and it has its limits. That being said, there are certain nutrients that we should be absolutely sure we’re getting enough of, even if we’re having an ‘off day.’ Prebiotics are a prime example. These feed and fuel our gut microbiome. A premium supplement like 38TERA's DMN is formulated specifically to fulfill this goal every day. It’s not a replacement for eating healthy food, but it is an addition that will help you level up your diet and make it even better. ​ While the modern food landscape might not be in the best shape, I truly believe that we have a lot more to be optimistic about than we have to be fearful of. Prioritizing plants, knowing (and reducing!) the foods that don’t serve us well, setting sustainable intentions, and making sure we’ve got the right mindset to see us through are undoubtedly key to shifting our diets, and our health, for the better. ​ Until next time, ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

 

[1srelluc]

I had an apple fritter this morning. I enjoyed it.

 

[JGalt]

Good healthy food is all well and good. But in this crappy Biden/Harris economy, we can only eat what we can afford and what's available.

I started out my day at 2:30 AM with some cold leftover Chinese food, followed by 6 cigarettes and a Monster energy drink, followed by a couple bites of marinated herring in sour cream sauce. Then a good swig of cheap vodka to wash down the herring.

Now we're having sausage patties and low-carb pancakes. I'd rather have pancakes made out of real flour, but the wife is diabetic. So it's almond flour instead of real flour.

 

[Woodznutz]

I had an apple fritter this morning. I enjoyed it.

I have a Kwik Trip donut every morning with my coffee. Other than that, I eat pretty healthy.

 

[Woodznutz]

In the last few years, I've read six books on healthy eating, including two 500 pagers, watching videos, and podcasts. In the email to me below, Dr. Will Bulciewicz (Dr. B) covers in just a few minutes of reading what it is all about (genius?). In the briefest summary...eat more fiber, less ultra-processed food.

1. He completed his fellowship in gastroenterology at the University of North Carolina Hospitals from 2010 to 2014.
2. He obtained a Master of Science (MS) in Clinical Investigation from Northwestern University between 2008 and 2010.

He has contributed to over 20 published scientific articles and has given more than 40 presentations at national meetings.

He lived on junk food 14 years, including while in med schools, and beyond. It wasn't til he met his future wife that he started a turnaround. Despite the extensive education and prestigious credentials as a medical doctor, he realized he didn't know how to improve his own health. This realization, along with meeting his future wife who was vegan, eventually led to his transformation towards a plant-based diet and his focus on gut health.

------The email-----------

​ ​ ​ Hey Fiber Fam When it comes to changing up the types of food we eat, there’s a certain degree of risk involved. We’re often pushed to learn new things, and that can be daunting. We’re creatures of habit, so making dietary switches isn’t easy, and I get that. Unless you’ve got an unlimited pool of time, energy, money, and resources, it’s unlikely that you’re constantly trying out new recipes. That being said, more and more of us are at least willing to explore different possibilities to keep things fresh and interesting on the food front. I’m a big believer in a growth mindset. Being limited by our routines or past habits is no fun! When we adopt a growth mindset, we allow ourselves many more opportunities for self improvement. Applying this mindset to the food that we eat can have a huge impact on improving our overall health and wellbeing. ​ Take a past patient that I had, for example. They were keen to address an autoimmune disease so they first followed a hardcore Keto diet and were checking their urine for ketones daily. Then they tried the Paleo diet and followed it with the same kind of intensity. This patient was giving these diets their all, following the rules, and going after results with tenacity. I have so much respect for that level of dedication and willingness to change. Their positive growth mindset and adaptability made it much easier for me to orient them towards a plant based diet, which helped to restore their gut barrier. When you heal the gut, you repair damage to the gut barrier, which is anti-inflammatory in itself. With this particular patient, I also created a supplement protocol. There’s often a call for that, but to be clear: it always starts with food. It really comes down to setting reasonable expectations for ourselves, what we are willing to do, and what actions we are prepared to take to reach our goals.​ The modern diet hasn’t made it easy for most of us to live quality, healthy lives, unburdened by chronic diseases. That’s because the current picture of the modern diet is so vastly different to what our ancestors consumed for millennia. As we've prioritized convenience, cut down on cooking and eating time, and grown reliant on overly flavored and sweetened foods, we've become deeply disconnected from the dietary habits that shaped our biology. This has all coincided with the rise of metabolic disease and chronic inflammation, but make no mistake: there’s no coincidence about it. While you might be thinking ‘Hey Doc, we’re living longer than most of our ancestors did,’ I’d counter that with the fact that we’re generally waaaay less healthy, and are actually propping up our health with drugs and healthcare to fix the problems created by our modern lifestyles. There are some specific foods/nutrients that I am most concerned about. So let’s take a look. ​ FIBER: The worrisome part of the modern diet isn’t just about what has been added, but about what has been taken away. Arguably, what’s been eroded over time is more important. Fiber is what fuels the gut microbiome. It’s the precursor of the most anti inflammatory chemicals that I know of: short chain fatty acids (SCFAs). People who consume more fiber live longer, with less heart disease, cancer, strokes, and diabetes.​ There’s an in depth study that details the proven benefits of fiber, which you can reference below, if you want to dig deeper:​ READ NOW​ Given that all the research tells us how incredible fiber is, you’d think we’d all be eating the optimal amounts for health. And yet an alarming 95% of Americans are deficient in this essential nutrient. I firmly believe that if we do just one thing to improve our diets, it should increase our fiber intake and restore our gut microbiome.​ ULTRA-PROCESSED FOODS (UPFs): While I wouldn’t go as far as to say that all UPFs are bad for us, I do have some serious concerns about their safety. UPFs are those items that are made in a laboratory by a food scientist who deconstructs foods into building blocks, then reconstructs them with additives and preservatives. Unfortunately, these things that make the food attractive, convenient, or taste good can have negative consequences, including to our gut microbiome.​ Because of a loophole that was created nearly 100 years ago, we now have thousands of additives in our food supply, and we know very little about what they do to us or our gut microbes through years of consumption. In a way, we are the living guinea pigs.​ REFINED CARBOHYDRATES: There’s no doubt that flour and sugar based foods taste good. If you often reach for pastries, treats, or sugary beverages when you need a quick sugar fix, then you’ll know what I’m talking about. We have a natural drive to obtain energy, and that’s exactly what these items prey upon. The resulting blood sugar spike forces our body to release heavy amounts of insulin, which is hugely problematic for our metabolism, especially when repeated day in and day out. I’m not here to tell you to give up cake forever. There’s nothing wrong with indulging once in a while, but we shouldn't be making these foods part of our daily routines.​ While it might seem kinda bleak out there in the grocery stores in terms of the ingredient lists, the counter to these problematic products is startlingly simple. Plant based foods have the goodness that we need, and that we are currently missing. They’ve got it all! We’re talking fiber, which is a complex carbohydrate that feeds and fuels our microbiome to produce SCFAs that have healing effects throughout the body. They’ve also got polyphenols, which are antioxidant compounds responsible for the natural colors of our plants, and which suppress inflammation in the body. They’ve got phytonutrients, which are special chemicals found exclusively in plants that often have medicinal qualities or in some cases are extracted and scaled by pharmaceutical companies to create new drugs. In a nutshell, plants have naturally occurring nutrients, and whether we’re aware of them or not, they’re absolutely going to provide incredible benefits, and even more so if we eat a diverse variety of plant based foods. It really is that simple! Despite knowing what’s good for us, it’s not always a piece of cake to make dietary shifts or start swapping out foods that we’ve been eating for so long. It starts with not just understanding but truly acknowledging that we will improve our health by replacing UPFs with minimally processed whole foods. Once we accept that, then it’s a matter of taking action. We’ve got to figure out ways to make this work within our modern lives, and make peace with the fact that change isn’t perfect and doesn’t happen overnight.​ Making shifts and swaps that are delicious and ultimately sustainable is a great starting point. Here are a few of the techniques and tricks that I’ve used:​ 1. Set a goal to try one new, healthy recipe per week. It’s overwhelming to think about overhauling your entire diet, so start with one new healthy recipe per week. Make sure it’s delicious, suits your tastes, you can get excited about eating it, and that it won’t take hours slaving over the stove to create. This might take some practice, but when you find something that you love, keep making it. In fact, you’ll probably find that you actually want to keep making it! This is how you shift your "usual meals" to include more healthy stuff. For some easy meals, I’d recommend you check out the Scrappy Cooking or Plant You cookbooks by my good buddy Carleigh Bodrug. These are fantastic resources that will help you elevate your cooking game easily and affordably.​ 2. Opt for slow cooked stuff. I’m a huge fan of having a pot of something stewing for hours on the stove. It’s easy: just throw your ingredients in the pot and let the slow cooking work its magic. The results are always delicious. The flavors meld together and get even better. I love slow cooking because it’s easily scalable and highly adaptable. A big pot of chili, soup, or curry that you make on a Sunday can become a couple of different meals that your family can enjoy throughout the following week.​ 3. Add targeted supplements. While we’re all doing our best to add more plant based foods, there’s no doubt that it’s a process. It takes time, patience, and effort, and it has its limits. That being said, there are certain nutrients that we should be absolutely sure we’re getting enough of, even if we’re having an ‘off day.’ Prebiotics are a prime example. These feed and fuel our gut microbiome. A premium supplement like 38TERA's DMN is formulated specifically to fulfill this goal every day. It’s not a replacement for eating healthy food, but it is an addition that will help you level up your diet and make it even better.​ While the modern food landscape might not be in the best shape, I truly believe that we have a lot more to be optimistic about than we have to be fearful of. Prioritizing plants, knowing (and reducing!) the foods that don’t serve us well, setting sustainable intentions, and making sure we’ve got the right mindset to see us through are undoubtedly key to shifting our diets, and our health, for the better. ​ Until next time, ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

I don't think this guy understands his audience. While some heed good health advice most are heading for a health crisis. And while his intention is to simplify good health he is actually contributing to the confusion.

 

[JGalt]

I have a Kwik Trip donut every morning with my coffee. Other than that, I eat pretty healthy.

I'd starve if it weren't for Kwik-Trip.

 

[Woodznutz]

I'd starve if it weren't for Kwik-Trip.

They always have the best prices on milk, eggs, and butter. I also buy their vanilla ice cream by the gallon.

 

[JGalt]

They always have the best prices on milk, eggs, and butter. I also buy their vanilla ice cream by the gallon.

Tell me about it. After 20 years of being retired, I went to work for one of the KT stores here in town last week.

 

[1srelluc]

Well I figured I deserved my fritter given I but in more work in the couple hours before than most sit at home .gov workers do in a day.

 

[Woodznutz]

Tell me about it. After 20 years of being retired, I went to work for one of the KT stores here in town last week.

Interesting. There is a help wanted sign in my store complete with wages and benefits posted.

 

[gipper]

It’s difficult to eat healthy in the US, because our food supply is contaminated. Going vegan hardly means eating healthy when those plants you eat are covered with herbicides and pesticides, and genetically modified. Too say nothing of the high levels of Oxylates found in many of those so called superfoods.

Many Americans like their doctors, know almost nothing about eating a healthy diet.

Prior to 1900 in the US, heart disease and cancer were almost unheard of. Something caused this.

 

[Woodznutz]

It’s difficult to eat healthy in the US, because our food supply is contaminated. Going vegan hardly means eating healthy when those plants you eat are covered with herbicides and pesticides, and genetically modified. Too say nothing of the high levels of Oxylates found in many of those so called superfoods.

Many Americans like their doctors, know almost nothing about eating a healthy diet.

Prior to 1900 in the US, heart disease and cancer were almost unheard of. Something caused this.

Doctors may pay a little lip service to health, but their bread and butter is sickness and broken bones.

 

[pbmdel]

I had an apple fritter this morning. I enjoyed it.

Terrific...a great start?

 

[pbmdel]

Good healthy food is all well and good. But in this crappy Biden/Harris economy, we can only eat what we can afford and what's available.

I started out my day at 2:30 AM with some cold leftover Chinese food, followed by 6 cigarettes and a Monster energy drink, followed by a couple bites of marinated herring in sour cream sauce. Then a good swig of cheap vodka to wash down the herring.

Now we're having sausage patties and low-carb pancakes. I'd rather have pancakes made out of real flour, but the wife is diabetic. So it's almond flour instead of real flour.

 

[pbmdel]

Just a comment, or so...the link below goes to another thread I posted in this Health & Wellness forum. In a short scroll down, the document displayed lists four different prepared meal delivery firms on the web that deliver to your home...freeze-dried, frozen, etc. All are plant-based, and mostly organic. Since I don't want to eat 100% Vegan, I supplement most meals with grass-fed bison meat, pre-cooked cut-up chicken strips, fish, or dairy.

The meal packages are big enough, that I can prepare the full package, and save half in the refrig for another day. It satisfies my appetite (cost $4-6 per half, plus whatever I add noted above)...not too bad for a meal that involves minimal prep/cleanup, and they taste great (in the many selections, I haven't found one that I've turned up my nose at). Dr. B talks about the importance lots of fiber variety...these meals have 15-30 in each, and you're eating different ones every day (unless you choose only a few you like).

I started eating this way three years ago at 85, and now at 88, feel the best ever in my life.

MAHA (Make America Healthy Again) Could this be a new movement?

 

[gipper]

Just a comment, or so...the link below goes to another thread I posted in this Health & Wellness forum. In a short scroll down, the document displayed lists four different prepared meal delivery firms on the web that deliver to your home...freeze-dried, frozen, etc. All are plant-based, and mostly organic. Since I don't want to eat 100% Vegan, I supplement most meals with grass-fed bison meat, pre-cooked cut-up chicken strips, fish, or dairy.

The meal packages are big enough, that I can prepare the full package, and save half in the refrig for another day. It satisfies my appetite (cost $4-6 per half, plus whatever I add noted above)...not too bad for a meal that involves minimal prep/cleanup, and they taste great (in the many selections, I haven't found one that I've turned up my nose at). Dr. B talks about the importance lots of fiber variety...these meals have 15-30 in each, and you're eating different ones every day (unless you choose only a few you like).

I started eating this way three years ago at 85, and now at 88, feel the best ever in my life.

MAHA (Make America Healthy Again) Could this be a new movement?

I don’t bother to eat much plant food or fiber. A nice juicy steak is all I need.
The establishment claims my cholesterol is high but I had a CT Heart Calcium Scoring test, which indicated I had clear arteries of a 30 year old. I’m in my 60s.

 

[pbmdel]

Certainly, a good number there (am not a doc). I feel a little funny blowing my own trumpet (trombone, in my case) about stuff like this, but....in my every three month checkup with blood tests a couple of weeks ago...the doc said my LDL cholesterol was 100, and had blood work of a 40 year old...am 88.

 

[Carl in Michigan]

I'd rather have pancakes made out of real flour, but the wife is diabetic. So it's almond flour instead of real flour

And almond flour is expensive! But really, there's no difference in taste, and it's MUCH better for you

 

[JGalt]

And almond flour is expensive! But really, there's no difference in taste, and it's MUCH better for you

It is better for you, but cooking with it is tricky, as it doesn't thicken up. A little xanthan gum helps that, but too much of it makes everything gummy.

 

[Mister Iggy]

Everyone is different, you have to trust your own body with what feels right and where you are in life.

Intermittent fasting works for me, 4pm to 6am fast. Rest of the time i try and keep it low carbs and as healthy as possible. Half the time or sometimes all the time vegetarian/vegan meals, the other time i add beef or chicken to the mix. (i make a killer Indian, beef curry) Love organic eggs in the morning. I find dairy milk works better for me, almond milk tastes like water, i hate it. You have to be careful with soy too, i do have tofu a few times a week though but no soy milk. Last time i had soy milk after not having it for 6 months, my tongue had big lumps all over it.. it’s toxic stuff. If your can get the green, colored soy milk from a china town in your city, if your live in one, its a lot better.

I have a shot of organic, aloe Vera juice just before 4pm and a whey protein shake with milk and a mix of berries. Then the fast starts. I do break it on the odd occasion with an apple or a handful of sultanas. If you have ever done a meditation retreat, it’s always vegetarian and you only get breakfast and lunch. Dinner you can have a piece of fruit if you have to, you know the body doesn’t need dinner.. break fast in the morning, is just that.

supplements, a scoop of glutamine, heals the gut lining and is amazing, in my protein shake. twice a day a good quality fish oil capsule. morning men’s multi vitamin and super magnesium. evening Ayurvedic herbs, neem, ashwaganda and triphala.

if i have aches and pain i take high dose curcumin which is turmeric. ice packs on any aches and pains or inflammation also is a must. ice is a potent healer.

natural is best.

nature provides.