1. Added Sugar is a Disaster
Sugar, mainly due to the high fructose content, is being implicated as a leading cause of obesity, cardiovascular disease and type II diabetes fructose makes our brains resistant to a hormone called leptin, which effectively makes our brains WANT to get fat.
2. Omega-3 Fats Are Crucial and Most People Don’t Get Enough
Being deficient in Omega-3 (very common) is associated with a lower IQ, depression, various mental disorders, heart disease and many other serious diseases (14). Therefore, it is best to get Omega-3 fats from animal sources… including fish, grass-fed meat, Omega-3 enriched or pastured eggs, or fish oil. This can help prevent many diseases.
3. There is no Perfect Diet For Everyone
We are all unique… and subtle differences in genetics, body type, culture and environment can affect which type of diet we should eat. (blood type diet? Hmmmm) Bottom Line: The best diet for YOU is the one you get results with and that you can stick to in the long term.
4. Artificial Trans Fats Are Very Unhealthy and Should be Avoided
Trans fats raise the bad cholesterol and lower the good cholesterol, cause abdominal obesity, inflammation and insulin resistance. Bottom Line: Trans Fats are chemically processed fats that cause all sorts of damage in the body. You should avoid them like the plague.
5. Eating Vegetables Will Improve Your Health
They are rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants and an endless variety of trace nutrients that science has just begun to uncover. Bottom Line: Vegetables are rich in all sorts of nutrients. Eating vegetables each day is associated with improved health and a lower risk of disease.
6. It is Critical to Avoid a Vitamin D Deficiency
Vitamin D is a unique vitamin. It actually functions as a steroid hormone in the body. The skin makes Vitamin D when it is exposed to ultraviolet rays from the sun. Even where there is sun, people tend to stay inside a lot and use sunscreen when they go out, but sunscreen effectively blocks Vitamin D generation in the skin. 10-15min a day of sun exposure is recommended without sunscreen. If you’re Vitamin D deficient, then you’re actually deficient in a major hormone in the body, and a deficiency is associated with many serious diseases, including diabetes, cancer, osteoporosis and others. The best way to know is to see a doctor and have your blood levels measured. If getting more sun is not an option, taking a Vitamin D3 supplement or a tablespoon of cod fish liver oil each day is the best way to prevent/reverse a deficiency.
7. Refined Carbohydrates Are Bad For You
Unprocessed whole grains are the way to go though there are other healthier and more nutritious foods in greater amounts. Bottom line: Refined carbohydrates like processed grains are unhealthy. They are lacking in nutrients and lead to rapid spikes in blood sugar and insulin, which can cause all sorts of problems down the line.
8. Supplements Can Never Fully Replace Real Foods
It is a trap that many nutrition enthusiasts tend to fall into. Nuts, for example, aren’t just shells loaded with Omega-6 fatty acids in the same way that fruits aren’t just watery bags of fructose. Now I will admit that supplements can be beneficial, especially for nutrients that are generally lacking in the diet like Vitamin D and Magnesium. But no amount of supplements will ever make up for a bad diet. Not a chance.
9. “Diets” Don’t Work, but a Lifestyle Change is Necessary
“Diets” are ineffective. That is a fact. They may lead to short-term results, but as soon as you start eating junk food again you will gain the weight back. And then some. This is called yo-yo dieting and is extremely common. For this reason, the only thing that can give you actual long-term results is to adopt a lifestyle change this will ensure long term weight loss and a lifetime of improved health.
10. Unprocessed Food is Healthiest
During food processing, many of the beneficial nutrients in the food are removed. Not only do they remove healthy nutrients like fiber, but they also add other very harmful ingredients like added sugar, trans fats and refined wheat. Additionally, processed foods are loaded with all sorts of artificial chemicals that have absolutely NOT been proven safe for long term human consumption. Bottom line: Eat real food, and try eating raw vegetables when able.
