If I hear one more person, say “too healthy for me” I’m going to scream!
Eating poorly, not incorporating movement and not having a purpose in our daily lives, contributes to a lifestyle that requires medical interventions for survival! How is society influencing us to make poor decisions with our health?
What is with these people? I recall not long ago, my husband and I were out of town and would eat breakfast in a nearby restaurant every morning. I ordered a sweet potato hash bowl with chorizo sausage, a poached egg and avocado. It was so good I ordered it the next day. When I told the server how much I liked it, she replied “too healthy for me!”
Do you realize that this is our culture? Us, doing exactly this thing, is the default. Eating poorly, not incorporating movement and not having a purpose in our daily lives, contributes to a lifestyle that requires medical interventions for survival! How is society influencing us to make poor decisions with our health? Do we realize that a very large component of our lifestyle is our social network? Family and friends who don’t support us when we try to make healthy changes, or worse yet, intentionally sabbotage our efforts, because the default is to make the easy choice. Ultra-processed foods, drive-thru meals and sugar-laden treats are “yummmmm” but we don’t talk about vegetables in such affectionate terms.
In fact, most of what we think works for a healthy lifestyle is either ineffective or just wrong. Most of what is spent in the U.S. on health care is for chronic conditions that are avoidable. Only about 15% of our longevity is dictated by our genes! The remaining 85% is based on lifestyle choices. Did you know that in the Blue Zones (where people forget to die) it’s not because they try, it’s a result of their environment, where everyone lives the same, and they make the healthy choice the easy choice.
Research shows if your family is overweight, you are 40% more likely to also be overweight. Even better, if your friends are overweight, you have a whopping 170% chance of also being overweight! It’s like a domino effect. Our social connections can either lead us to a healthy lifestyle or an unhealthy one. We tend to do what our friends and family do. (Is your friendship circle hanging out at the smoothie bar or the wine bar?) Our community is the real medicine. Food is real medicine. When we hear about the Blue Zones, we hear about the longevity of its inhabitants, their healthy, whole foods diet, how they eat, and how they garden, walk everywhere, etc. But it also involves their social circles. The people in these small communities live the same way. The result is that their lifestyle leads to longevity. They experience next to no dementia, heart disease, diabetes or other co-morbidities, and they’re just happier. Most die in their late nineties, usually in their sleep. The Blue Zones are known for more octogenarians per capita than any other part of the world. So then why do we “poo-poo” making healthier choices over pizza and ice cream? Our society leads us to believe that indulging in excess is living our best life, otherwise, we’re missing out.
Recently I heard about a study called the SMILES (Supporting the Modification of lifestyle in Lowered Emotional States) trial, which was conducted in New Zealand:
“…the available evidence from observational studies suggests that diets higher in plant foods, such as vegetables, fruits, legumes and whole grains, and lean proteins, including fish, are associated with a reduced risk for depression, whilst dietary patterns that include more processed food and sugary products are associated with an increased risk of depression”. “Similarly, another meta-analysis reported that higher adherence to a Mediterranean diet was associated with a 30% reduced risk for depression, with no evidence for publication bias. The Mediterranean diet is recognised as a healthful dietary pattern and has been extensively associated with chronic disease risk reduction.”
In another similar study, the subjects were minors in a juvenile detention home. Most suffered from depression and were on medications. Many had suicidal tendencies or had attempted suicide. All were given a diet rich in whole foods. (Due to their incarceration, they didn’t have a choice of what to eat, or access to a refrigerator or pantry, so they had to eat what they were served.) By swapping out the unhealthy, processed foods for healthier options, they realized a 97% reduction in violence and a 75% reduction in use of restraints. And 100% reduction in suicide rates (which is the third leading cause of death in teenage boys).
I could go on and on about studies and trials, but if you don’t find a way to save your own life and surround yourself with people who support your choices, you’re going to end up miserable, most likely dying by age 74 (80 if you’re a woman) on a minimum of 10-12 prescription drugs. And that’s the truth.
Recently while speaking to a client, she remarked that cooking was becoming time consuming. I asked what sort of time-savers did she think she could incorporate? After coming up with several ideas on her own, I commented that she knew what to do, she just needed to brainstorm with someone. Inherently, we all know what to do. Why don’t we just do it? Is it too healthy for us? Are we above making choices that benefit our health? Are we intimidated by our family and friends’ terrible lifestyles? Will they think we are snobs for making better choices? Or are we just creatures of habit? Do we believe that healthier options are restrictive, or take all the fun out of life? I’ve heard all of the excuses. But until we find the resolve- internally - to make the changes that become healthier habits, we all know how this ends. So what are you doing to buck this system and make lifestyle changes that last a lifetime?
