Here we are: at number three of this four-part series on the ancestral mismatch.
You can read, watch or listen to parts one and two here:
Here, in three quick tips, I’m going to give you some basic nutrition strategies that don’t involve a big detour to your local overpriced hippie grocer to buy wild salmon dipped in unicorn tears, and fill you in on the most amazing nutritional changes you can make right now, without necessarily breaking the bank.
First, avoid highly fried foods. If you were to walk up to me at the county fair and offer me a candy cane or a corn dog, which do you think I would choose? (Hint: the answer is not both or neither.)
I’d choose cotton wool ten times out of ten because I can ride the fairgrounds, get my blood flowing, do some thrill rides that get my muscles to absorb some glucose and burn or at least more easily metabolize the sugar in the cotton wool, but the rancid, heated seed oils in a cornmeal are still going to outnumber my cells.
This is because the harmful compounds in high temperature frying oils (called lipid oxidation products or “LOPs”) form metabolites in the body that can contribute to chronic disease risk over time, particularly when exposure is frequent.
Second, avoid highly processed foods in shiny, crinkly plastic packaging. These so-called “UPFs” are relatively nutrient-void, designed to be highly palatable (AKA addictive) and typically low in fiber and nutrients but high in additives, preservatives, sodium, unhealthy chemicals, oxidized oils, and plastics.
Yuk (and yes, based on this, maybe the answer to the cotton candy or corn dog question is actually “neither”).
In any case, avoiding those UPFs is easier than you think: start by shopping around the perimeter of the grocery store, where you’ll find most of the real, whole foods your great-grandparents would have recognized, including meat, eggs, dairy, fruits, vegetables, and bread.
Sure, occasionally hit the aisles for items like your extra virgin olive oil, vinegar, salt, or sardines, but generally avoid the heavily processed stuff.
Well, I travel a ton for work, and I have a simple grocery shopping list that I can use at almost any supermarket on the planet (even the non-hippie ones that don’t charge you $2.50 for a bag). Here is an indicative list:
-A whole chicken (a roast chicken can feed me protein for days, for ten bucks!)
-Frozen or regular blueberries or other berries
-Some avocados and cucumbers
-Mixed greens and a small bottle of salad dressing
– Some canned sardines or anchovies
– Macadamia nuts, almonds or cashews
-Yoghurt
-If I have money left over, a couple of bars of dark chocolate…
…and I’m ready to go. This is not expensive. And to save money on glass bottled water, I can just fill my water bottle at any hotel gym, where there’s almost always a fancy filter (this is also a sneaky way to get you to the gym).
Third, consider the source of your food. Modern industrial agriculture, chemical use and monoculture can lead to reduced soil quality and agricultural diversity, combined with low nutrient and mineral density in food.
Not to get too into the weeds here, but as a Christian, I believe that people have a biblical mandate to support responsible land stewardship, stewardship, and sustainable food growing practices. What I mean by this is that the Bible tells the story of the first man (Adam) who was created to be a gardener of the earth, and goes on to instruct people to protect the earth from harm and maintain its fruitfulness, to give the cultivated land periodic periods of rest, and to avoid polluting or “polluting” the earth.
But even if you’re not a Christian, you should care about how your eating habits affect animal welfare and the future of our planet.
Fortunately, you can do this without participating in a “Save the Snails” parade or throwing buckets of paint at anyone you see wearing a fur coat or leather shoes.
For example, from May to October, farmers markets give you plenty of access to local, sustainably grown food, and at these markets, you can also connect with farmers and ranchers to buy high-quality meat to freeze for fall and winter use.
It will also benefit you to learn basic life skills like canning, fermenting, soaking, sprouting, preserving, throwing all your leftovers into a cheap pot of bone broth, and even some window sill or backyard gardening tactics.
Finally, when grocery shopping, you don’t need to spend extra money on fluffy labels like “natural,” “farm fresh,” “humanely raised,” “green” packaging, or other emotion-based copy.
Instead, look for USDA Organic (especially useful for dairy), pasture-raised (for eggs), MSC-certified (for seafood), and humane-certified (good animal welfare standards). There are many more details about food labeling standards and what to look for this comprehensive article on my site.
Well, we’ve been through a lot on this ancestral mismatch: from hormesis to HVAC to chickens.
In the next article, I’ll wrap things up with what a simple “sample day” would look like when you follow these basic principles, but in the meantime, please leave your questions, comments, and feedback below. I read them all!
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