Why Did I Start This Blog?
Wondering what I’m doing here and why I think it matters? In this post, I attempt to answer those questions!
Summary
There’s a health crisis globally. Nearly 60% of the population suffers from at least one chronic illness [source]. Diet is the #1 cause of chronic illness. We’ve normalized sickness.
How much control do you think you have over your immune system, your mental health, your blood pressure, your gut and skin health? Diabetes, cancer, arthritis?
Connecting every day food choices to personal health outcomes is foundational to change.
Change doesn’t require perfection. It requires curiosity, an open mind, commitment, effort and even bravery. You don’t have to do it alone, there are resources.
The power of health can’t be understated. Health is mental and physical freedom.
Did I start this blog with the intention of you eating or living as I eat and live?
No! My goal is not for others to think or do exactly as I think and do. My goal is to help arm you with knowledge, and for those who want it, support you in lifestyle change.
I know that each of us will only do what works for us, and what we are motivated and committed to do. I want you to have options. I want you to feel empowered to prioritize your health and to make different choices.
I like results. I’m not keen to spend time on strategies my experience has shown are less effective.
I share what’s worked over 20 years of experimentation. I share what I continue to learn from reading and watching hours (because I enjoy it!) of nutrition discussion online from sources I trust. The problem is not that we don’t know what to do, it’s that we’re not doing it.
Do I believe there’s a body type diet? No, I don't. Though I won’t straddle the fence about plant-based — or moving steadily towards plant-predominant — as the solution, know that I’m also your greatest cheerleader and I’ll be vociferous about your success.
Is it my wish that you learn something new or decide to make a change based on something you’ve read here?
Yes! I spent 20 years of my career in hiring, 15 of those as a people manager. I learned that I like working with people. I like seeing people progress and reach their goals.
I love to hear from you when you’ve found something interesting or useful in a post, or have a question, idea, or comment. If you take a single thing from a post, across 10 things I’ve shared; and you try implementing that thing to see if it has an impact on your health, I’m joyful.
Change is hard. What’s required of change? Recognizing it’s hard and then deciding to do it anyways. Not once, but in every moment.
What steps or mindset shifts can we make to increase our odds in successful and lasting change?
Belief
Do you believe that your cells and immune system are impacted by what you eat? Would you choose a lifestyle change over illness, and medical interventions that don’t address the cause?
Your answer could be no. I’m simply offering an alternative path. Sometimes we need medical intervention because an illness has progressed. We can be thankful those treatments exist, but also strive to never need them. And most importantly believe that it is possible to never need them.
Whole plant foods don’t come with a litany of anywhere from unpleasant to dangerous side effects. They couldn’t carry a lower risk.
We can also believe that our health isn’t downhill once we reach 50. There are people disproving this every day. Did I mention he’s vegan? ;) This is just one example of many. Maybe you don’t want to run ultramarathons, but you want to play pickleball with your grandkids, go for long walks when you’re 80, or simply have mental and physical freedom for as long as you’re alive.
Identity
Lasting change may require a new identity. I eat for health.
Identity change of any kind is challenging at first, but you commit to it, and in time, that commitment becomes easier. It’s easier after the first year and it’s even easier after the fifth Eventually it’s who you are.
You build confidence sharing who you are with others. You know that what you eat is not a commentary on what those around you eat. Comparison is inherent and some may feel judged (consciously or subconsciously) by your food choices. Those you spend time with will adapt to what you eat. It may take 3 months, it may take a few years, but they will adapt.
Conviction
You believe you can control outcomes with choices. You’re willing to stay the course when it’s challenging and to align your time with your priorities.
We all have conviction about something in our life. We’ve all flexed this muscle. It’s available to us and can be channeled toward food choices.
Dare to be different
Social concerns may stand in the way of making the decision to eat for health. It may also stand in the way of staying on course. Is this the end of my social life? How will my family react? How will my friends react? How will my peers react? Is eating differently a burden to the people I want to spend time with? Will the restaurant server give me side eye when I ask them to confirm whether or not a dish is vegan?
I understand social pressure is real. Many of us feel compelled to go along with others, to do what the larger collective is doing. That’s human nature. Some of us have JOMO, but FOMO is more common (unscientific poll).
People may try and convince you to be more like them in the beginning, but the vast majority will stop trying once they see their efforts don’t work. That’s also human nature. Get your reps in and both you and those you spend time with will get comfortable with what you do and don’t decide to eat.
Know that anyone who says “no, thank you” to the cake or the cheese or the homemade dish your sister loves to prepare has been exactly where you’ve been. They’ve gotten through it. Their family loves them nonetheless. Their parents and siblings are thankful for their good health — though they may need help making the connection. Their friends remain their friends.
Habits
Emotional eating
Our brain is wired for survival. When we eat, signals are sent to the brain enforcing the behavior. We need food to survive. One signal is homeostatic — consume enough calories to meet energy needs. The other is reward — hormones like seratonin are released so the brain will link food consumption to positive mood and emotion. Read more here.
Physiological response to high fat, sugar and salt foods
Foods high in fat, salt, and sugar are hyperpalatable. Instead of feeling satiated, we want more. Are you eating the cheese because it’s good for you, or because it’s addictive? My friends remember how much I loved going out for wine and cheese, especially at Hotel Biron in San Francisco. I liked cheese just as much as anyone else. It’s salty, it’s high in fat, both pleasure stimulators.
Do I miss cheese? I don’t. Was it hard to say no at first? Probably. I had conviction in my decision to eliminate cheese on my side. Cheese became a distant memory. I like how I feel too much to go backwards.
It’s also helpful to recognize the role of instant gratification in our food choices. Which foods satisfy short-term cravings and which foods support long-term health?
In modern life, food is everywhere. We’re not dying of starvation, we’re dying from overeating.
Do I still eat foods high in fat, salt and sugar?
Yes, every time I dine out. There’s no way around this when dining out, if you’re ordering from a standard menu. I enjoy eating at plant-based restaurants, and other restaurants that offer thoughtful plant-based options. Restaurant food is not the majority of the food I consume in a week. Most importantly, I’m able to make this decision because I’m healthy. If I was dealing with a health issue, I would choose an oil, sugar, processed food-free diet until I regained my health.
I counter the effects by doubling down on my vegetable intake (raw, steamed, or stir-fried in water) earlier or later in the day.
I also buy chocolate and kombucha. I don’t think either of these are contributing to my health, but I enjoy them and I opt for lower sugar ratios.
Alternatives
First, we can recognize that if we are eating foods that are harming our health, it’s not because we lack self-control. Then we can put strategies in place to short circuit the wiring.
Find your why.
You won’t eat what’s not accessible — don’t buy it.
Recognize that calories are finite. Most of us eat about the same amount of calories per day — I’ve tracked this for myself in Cronometer. So when we choose foods without fiber, foods low in a variety of vitamins and minerals, we are consuming fewer high nutrient calories.
Spend time getting proximate (very near, close) to fresh food. Not just that chosen or prepared by others.
Taste rules
I’m concerned about talking about this because the person who’s looking for an out will read this as: plant-based food doesn’t taste good. That’s not what I’m saying. I’m confident I can make you something delicious, and I’m not even a good cook. What I’m saying is, sometimes I eat the kale or I rally the energy to chop the vegetables when I don’t feel like it; for no other reason than I’m fueling my body and I know I’ll be rewarded later, tomorrow, next week, in my mood, in my workout, in my immune system response, in my productivity at work.
You don’t have to love the broccoli to eat it. Eat it anyway. Add it to a plate with foods that fall on your ‘healthy foods I love’ list.
Healthy eating is no different from practicing anything else you want to get good at it. Spend time on it. Do the thing. Get your reps in. You get better at it. You reap the rewards in time.
Tune in
I’ll only touch lightly on this for now. We’re busy, we’re caught up in life. How often do we associate what we ate in a particular day to how we feel?
But what about…fun?
If you’re not convinced it’s possible to have fun AND enjoy food plant-based, personal stories of success are not hard to find. Last I heard, we’re nearly 4% of the population or 320,000,000 people. I’m pretty sure we’re still having fun.
All-in vs. slow progress
Those who go all-in experience more noticeable results, faster because they’ve removed inflammatory foods from their diet to such an extent that their body can spend more time on building and less time on repairing. The clean-up crew doesn’t have to come out en masse every night. By going fast, they’ve put more time into breaking old patterns. This is tangible and it gives them confidence to keep going.
Another reason to go all-in? I can’t know what running 10 miles feels like if I’ve only run 5. If you don’t test something, you can’t know what the experience will be, and how you will feel after you’ve done it.
For the record, I removed meat from my diet in my 20s and eggs/dairy in my 30s. Finally, I removed fish in my 40s. It was a slow progression. Would I choose the same slow progression if I’d known then what I know now? I’ll never know, but I don’t think so.
Do you have to go all-in? While I think it’s the most efficient path from poor health to OK health to great health, no, you don’t. Only you can make this decision. Any step in a direction that crowds out inflammatory foods in favor of nutrient-rich foods is a great step forward.
Healthy eating is not complicated. If you see complicated formulas and protocols in a book or on a podcast, move on.
Time
What I eat, whether or not I move my body, whether or not I’m using my brain, connecting with people, these are all fulfilling. I think there’s space for each of these in my day. Food and sleep are the foundation for being my best at everything else — including connecting with people, using my brain, and moving my body.
Time (lack thereof) comes up often as a constraint for choosing and preparing healthy food. While time may not be easy to find at first glance, it’s there, we’re just spending it on something else. I don’t have to tell you this, but it’s not a bad reminder. There are lots of folks who share tips for finding more time.
My days are by no means optimized, but I recognize that aligning my time with what’s most important to me and what makes me feel best not just in the moment, but the next day and the day after that, is valuable. Not just valuable, but necessary to achieve my goal. What’s my goal? Mental and physical freedom.
Connecting to food
Growing, choosing, preparing, and eating are all connection points to food. The more connection you feel to whole, natural foods, the more likely you are to choose these foods. Time fuels connection. Try adding 30 minutes to whatever amount of time you currently spend choosing or preparing food. Commit to that time consistently 5-7 days per week. Then add one hour. I’d challenge myself and anyone else who believes they don’t have an hour in their day that can be re-purposed to focus on health.
What do I mean by choosing? I replaced buying with choosing because there’s a difference between ordering groceries online and buying prepared food, and picking out your own produce and preparing your own meals. I buy packaged food too. It’s not realistic for most of us to cook every meal from scratch because of the time we spend working, but try spending 30-60 minutes every day preparing your own meals, and see what changes. Consider your work ROI vs. your health ROI. Which is most important across your lifespan?
Do I think there are dire consequences to continuing down the path of sick-care and pharmaceutical solutions with little-to-no focus on causation?
Do I think there are dire consequences to eating foods that nutrition research demonstrates cause inflammation in all systems of the body, including the brain and nervous system?
Yes. If you look at the stats, we’re doing something wrong. “The United States trails far behind other high-income countries on measures of health care affordability, administrative efficiency, equity, and outcomes.”
It’s no single person or entity’s fault, but we must see this situation for what it is if we desire to live in a body that was designed to be highly capable well into old age. These are not just our own decisions and consequences. Our health has an impact on everyone around us, most of all loved ones, but also people who rely on us at work or in our community.
Does it matter what you eat in your 20s and 30s, or even earlier, in childhood?
Yes. While the body may be more resilient earlier in life, doctors and researchers studying the pathways for disease have found that many of our most common chronic diseases develop in stages over long periods of time. It’s not a switch, it’s a slow drip. Disease can progress in the body for years before it’s diagnosed [source]. Our brain health can also be impacted by diet as early as our 20s.
It’s easier to continue down the path of least resistance, but what are the consequences?
I’ve come across a number of doctors who aren’t plant-based, but are for diet change and eliminating processed food. I’ve read their books, or I’ve watched their interviews online. They state that while a plant-based diet is viable and even preferable for optimal health, it’s just “too hard” for people to adhere to and maintain. People won’t do it, they say. I’ve seen that statement a number of times, and I disagree. Is it harder than planning any other healthy meal? For those who love to cook, is it more time consuming than preparing any other recipe? I don’t think so.
Will it require retraining on how you shop and cook? Yes, there’s time and effort involved. Time and effort directed towards eating is no different than learning any other new skill. We’re motivated to learn the new skill, so we put the time in.
While I believe there is reputable research demonstrating a diet that is 80-85%* whole plant foods has similar health outcomes to a diet that is 100% whole plant foods, there are consequences to the planet, and the animals. There are animal sanctuary videos all over the internet if you’re wondering whether or not cows have cognition, are adorable, and loving. Animals are not being treated well at factory farms.
*I believe the diets of the centenarians studied in the Blue Zones was closer to 95% whole plant foods.
Feeding the planet
Let’s put the feelings of animals aside for a minute. When we consider eating animals, we must also consider not just what we buy, but the demand for meat and fish across the globe — >8 billion people and growing. It’s simply not possible for each of us to get our food from local, family-operated farms that don’t abuse their animals or the soil, or the water supply. Many people have written about the impact of factory farming and over-fishing on the planet, and on the people who live and/or work near factory farms. I’d be happy to share links to resources with anyone who is unsure and would like to learn more.
Forever chemicals
Are there forever chemicals in fish? I haven’t spent time researching this because I don’t eat fish, and it’s not the diet I recommend. If fish is an important part of your diet, I’d consider spending a few hours looking into it.
What I’m recommending for each of us is to be aware of the three issues of factory farms, feeding the planet, and forever chemicals.
Can we maintain the status quo and still expect a positive outcome?
We don’t need to eat animals to be healthy in 2023. I say this by way of the many board-certified plant-based doctors who are choosing this lifestyle for themselves and also using this diet to treat their patients. I emphasize this here because it’s easy to find articles online (and many more will come) focused on the benefits of animal products. This can be a confusing message. It doesn’t have to be. We have a north star — clarity on what hasn’t been working and what led us to this point: sky rocketing disease rates and healthcare costs, concerning changes in climate.
If you’re diet is already 80-85% whole food plant-based, that’s fantastic and it’s making a real impact on your own health and the health of the planet. If you’re at 80-85% and still experiencing health challenges, I suggest going all-in at 100% and seeing what changes for you.
Do I think that a leader in government or the medical establishment is going to save us?
No, I don’t. There’s no profit in healing our bodies with supermarket foods. The U.S. spends 3.8 trillion per year on healthcare. We are those taxpayers. This is our problem to fix.
Why did I make the decision to try plant-based?
My health. I’m not an animal activist and I’m not an environmentalist. Having lived this way for 8 years, I’ve found that I appreciate and understand the impact of what I eat on animals and the environment more than I did previously, and it makes me feel good to think about the part I’m (not) playing in harm to animals and the planet. I’m sure I harm the planet in other ways, it’s possible to do more, but evidence shows being plant-based helps. I often interchange the words plant-based and vegan. I support veganism 100%, but I’m not technically vegan because of animal products I buy like leather and honey. With the exception of honey, 100% of my diet is from plants.
I’ve been more conscious recently of describing myself as plant-based, and more specifically (mostly!) whole food plant-based AKA WFPB (yes, there’s an acronym for that).
Requirements for success on a plant-based diet
Being thoughtful about what we eat is required of any diet, including plant-based.
Supplementation
Vegans must supplement vitamin B12 for brain health. B12 comes from organisms in dirt, eaten by animals; animals don’t make B12. Both vegans and omnivores should check vitamin D levels annually and supplement as needed. Most of us aren’t getting enough sunshine on clean skin (no sunblock) to reach required vitamin D levels without supplementation. Vitamin D (technically, a hormone) has significant implications to immune system health.
Also see my previous post on omega-3 fatty acids. Similar to B12, fish don’t make omega-3 fatty acids. Fish feast on the algae that makes omega-3 fatty acids.
Keep an eye on volume
It’s likely you’ll need to increase the volume of food you eat on a whole food plant-based diet. Why? Unprocessed plant foods contain fewer calories than animal-based or processed foods for a similar size serving.
Plant diversity
I think this is important. How important, there seems to be mild disagreement amongst plant-based doctors. What we know for sure is there is zero disagreement that eating a variety of fruits and vegetables has only upside. If the choice is adding two different vegetables to your diet or none at all, of course start with two!
Junkfood vegan
I don’t need to say much here, this is not the same as an anti-inflammatory, high nutrition diet.
Why did I write this post?
I’m not trying to appeal to your emotions, as much as your rational brain. I’m not trying to challenge your belief system. I am hoping that each of us can make food choices from a place of knowledge and choice rather than habit or path of least resistance.
Rather than feeling sad or depressed by the current state of health in the U.S. and globally, I feel energized because I know first-hand that it’s possible to take control of our own health. It’s possible to avoid an illness or disease your parent experienced. It’s possible to reduce the spending on sick-care in this and other countries, and to channel this spending into things like education, infrastructure, social and personal savings.
Sickness is not required of us. There is another path. There are so many examples, whether personal stories or published nutrition studies, or data from plant-based doctors working with patients, of people who have reversed and avoided disease by being open to, and then committing to significant dietary change. Plants are the lowest risk intervention available. I’ll take those odds, with no regrets.
Maybe something here resonated. I hope so. I’ll be back to tips & tricks content next week if you missed that!
Thanks for reading!
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Photo credits via Unsplash
@ashleywedwards, @annapelzer, @scottiewarman, @drugwatcher, @profwicks, @tegan, @nasa, @mockupgraphics, @julianwallnerphotoworks, @coopery, @tamanna_rumee, @iamchang, @ca_creative, @cstembridge. Cover: @amyhirschi
