Diet fads are an accepted inevitability in our food culture today. What’s right, what’s wrong, and why am I still unhealthy and/or overweight? Why am I tired? Why do I get sick all of the time? And why are my kids getting sick all of the time? And once you do try a diet trend, thinking you are finally on the right path, the doubt quietly creeps in, causing further questions on whether or not it’s working, or even good for you.
First, we must accept that what we eat, and how we prepare it, has separated from traditional norms and that this has a direct impact on rising health issues and a decline in life expectancy, especially in children. Second, we must gain information and an understanding on nutrition. Don’t hop into a diet fad without doing the proper research, research that we are each capable of performing regardless of your daily workload. If you don’t have a computer, the library is a great and thrifty resource.
Lastly, it needs to be made clear that Dr. Weston Price did not merely create a diet fad, but laid bare the reasons why our food isn’t nourishing us today. His findings on diet and nutrition was an unexpected by-product in his research on dental health. And while the eyes may be the windows to our soul, the teeth are the windows to our health.
In a nutshell, it was the introduction of the western diet, high in flour and sugar and low in dense nutrients and cultured foods, that led to tooth decay. Conversely, nutrient rich foods and and an absence of flour, sugar, and processed foods led to straight, healthy white teeth, and also affected healthy bone formation throughout the body.
Being vegetarian has a lofty purpose but will ultimately fail to heal the body if those vegetables are coated in pesticides and grown with foreign dna. Red meat, as long as it is ethically raised and processed, is not inflammatory as previous research suggests, if it is strictly grass fed. It was the introduction of grain, hormones, and antibiotics that caused the omega 3 to omega 6 fatty acid ratio to become wildly unbalanced and promote inflammation in the body.
The Weston Price Foundation, at Westonaprice.org has all of this information, and so much more, that will revolutionize the way you think about food. As for recipes, Sally Fallon Morell has written a cook book and nutrition guide called Nourishing Traditions, which has so much information packed into its margins that you really could learn something new every day.
Remember, Diet is not just a passing set of eating restrictions in order to meet a weight goal, it is literally what you eat every day. There is no end date, or goal to be met and be done with. So instead of thinking about doing whatever it takes to lose weight, think about nourishing your body first and forever, and the weight will drop off on its own.
To parents. A child’s health is more important than making them happy at meal time. You cook the meal, and they are given the choice whether or not to eat it. I promise, if you are consistent, they will stop complaining about their meals and what they do and do not want to eat. Cut down snack time and eliminate sugary foods and drinks, as these cause unhealthy cravings. Involve them in the new foods and cooking processes and you will see drastic changes in their eating habits, and more importantly, their health.
Health and Honesty 