Focusing on Real Food
It’s been a while since I last posted! Life got busy, but I haven’t slowed down on reading and research! I’ve read two really great books that are eye openers and I highly, highly recommend reading them. They will change the way you think about food and our food system. They are: Ultra-Processed People: The Science Behind Food That Isn’t Food by Chris van Tulleken and Feeding You Lies by Vani Hari.
Ultra-Processed People by Chris van Tulleken is a fantastic read and you will not look at ultra-processed food the same way again. It really blew my mind and also disgusted me, and I think you will agree once you read it. Ultra-processed food (UPF) goes far beyond just what we have commonly coined “junk food”. It’s not just the ingredients that make UPF so poisonous but the processing of those ingredients; basically, all UPF is the same, just with different flavor additives and chemical slurry to make it, for example, ice cream vs. chicken nuggets. It is startling how these big food manufacturers put so many harmful toxins, ingredients we often find in our hygiene products, in our food, and that we have now come to accept as normal. We feed our kids this stuff on a daily basis! Our schools feed them this stuff daily! Precious growing bodies we are loading up with junk we don’t even know how will affect them once they are older. We are seeing the immediate effects in children manifested as behavioral issues, metabolic disorders, and ADHD. You will read Chris’ own experiment of going on an 80% UPF diet (the standard American and UK diet and growing worldwide) and through his own account and backed by lab tests he highlighted his brain changes on MRI after only four weeks of eating this ultra-processed diet. In only four weeks, Chris had substantial brain changes on a diet the majority of Americans eat daily!! Luckily, with diet change they were reversed. But how incredibly scary. We have got to do something. With the growing awareness of the hazards, it is my sincere hope that change does begin to happen at a much higher level than just individual food activists. Wide-scale change has been needed for decades, and now might be that turning point of change.
Some people will argue, to some degree, that all food is processed. That is not what I am talking about. From Chris’ book, you’ll learn exactly what UPF is in incredible detail. I’m not going to spoil it for you, because trust me, you need to read his words for yourself. I really like his definition of UPF and it is super easy to remember: if it contains one ingredient you wouldn’t find in your kitchen, it’s UPF. If you have any doubt, it probably is UPF, sadly. Become a label detective. Flip the product over and take a good look at the ingredients list. I’m teaching my own sons to do this. If it’s filled with a bunch of chemical names you cannot pronounce, put it back and choose something that’s come out of the ground, or off a tree or bush! Vani echoes this in her book, Feeding You Lies.
Not surprisingly, the main goal of Big Food is to get us hooked on this “food” so we will keep buying it. It’s hardly food; it’s food-like substances made in a lab to look like food, and it’s also making us sick. It’s far from what our ancestors ate. In Vani’s book she ends with this powerful statement: “Big Food spends hundreds of millions of dollars every year persuading us that it’s okay to drink toxic sodas and eat foods made out of chemicals we can’t pronounce. And then, when we get sick, they invest in propaganda that tells us it’s just our fault for not exercising enough. It’s time to stop believing them. It’s time to take back control.”
I’m no food police, but if you are having health problems, looking at what is in your pantry and refrigerator is a great place to start and make some changes. Eating real food takes a bit more time and preparation, but it’s so much more rewarding. You’ll probably do lots of dishes in the process, but real food is always worth the mess. For me, it’s where my true creativity shines. Get a good cookbook, check out recipes in Pinterest, or just start experimenting. You’ll know exactly what’s in your food and more importantly, what isn’t in your food. Maybe we will inspire you to grow your own fruit and nut trees, berry bushes, plant a big garden and have a small flock of chickens. I do hope you’ll get back into the kitchen and experiment with all sorts of delicious ingredients to prepare wholesome meals for you and your family.
Taking back control sounds easy. I know it is not. But our children deserve it. Everyone deserves to eat healthy food – if we don’t buy the junk, eventually the companies will cease to exist, or they will evolve and change. Vote with your dollars. You do have a choice where and what you spend your money on. Make it count.
Until next time.
Love, Dr. Amanda
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