I don't know if it was always like this, or maybe it's just that nowadays we have everything within reach of a click, whether it's information or products. The whole world is interconnected thanks to technology, but lately, human beings have been questioning much more about what is the best diet for us. Some people claim that the vegan diet is ideal, or the vegetarian diet, the macrobiotic diet, or the raw vegan diet. There are those who say that we should only eat fruits or meat. There is the paleo trend, the famous cabbage soup diet, the ketogenic diet (which is super trendy right now), and we can mention many other trends. But, just as lions eat meat, dolphins eat small fish, and giraffes eat leaves and flowers, what are we humans supposed to eat for our bodies to function optimally?
We can see through history that we have always experimented with different foods and products. For example, at one time, it was thought that smoking was healthy; doctors recommended it, and everyone smoked at home, in front of children, and even in hospitals. In another era, the idea that fats were bad was popular, so the consumption of sugars and carbohydrates was promoted. Whatever the fashion trend, there have always been two things behind them: first, the search of human beings for answers about their health and longevity, and second, the intentions of the food and pharmaceutical industry pushing what is ultimately convenient for them.
If before our doctor told us that smoking was healthy, that margarine was better for our heart, and that a box of colored cereal was the healthiest breakfast for children, how can we know today that the information we receive is the best for us? For this, I think we should start from here:
If we eliminate any type of product from the equation, that is, let's imagine for a moment that the food industry does not exist; we do not find any ultra-processed products in the supermarket, only ingredients in their purest expression. Say, vegetables, fruits, meats, grains, seeds, nuts, etc. And let's imagine that all this comes directly from nature, that is, from the cleanest form of cultivation there is, without GMO, without Roundup, without fertilizers or pesticides. The meats come from farms where the animals eat what they should naturally eat, and we only find seasonal products depending on the area where we live. We do not have additives or microplastics; our vegetables are not sprayed with bleach; we only find real food.
Now, let's start from the premise that each and every one of us is different; our bodies react differently to different foods. There are people who are more sensitive, let's say, to fiber, so they can't digest raw veggies very well. There are people whose genes make them prone to having higher cholesterol; people whose immune systems need a little more help and require more of certain nutrients. We can say then, that if we have access to the best (and cleanest) foods in nature, even there, we should choose a personalized diet according to what our body needs, right? So how can we know what is best for us in a world where we are bombarded by so much information and variety of food?
- Choose foods, not products.
- Investigate, and find out about the origin of your food, how it is grown, where it comes from, do they put additives in it, does it have ingredients that you can't even pronounce?
- Listen to your body, try different foods to see which ones feel good to you, and which ones cause discomfort and inflammation. You are unique; your body is unique.
- Pay attention to the environment around you, how much pollution reaches your house, your body, your water?
- Use your intuition. If someone tells you it's good for you or not, use your intuition to filter that information. That voice inside you is always the wisest; learn to listen to it.
- Scientific studies are good, but many times there are interests behind them. Never settle for just one side of the story; do your own research so you can correctly decide what is best for you and your family.
- And remember that human beings are not an isolated species; we are part of nature, we coexist synchronously. What our bodies need to function properly is there; we are part of the ecosystem, we are part of this huge living being called Earth.
