Fighting the Food Nazi

I mentioned previously about driving to the bookstore. That’s often where I start a thing…looking in a book. I like to get an idea to go off. The first couple books I bought were You are What you Eat by Gillian McKeith and Food Rules by Michael Pollan. Both have proved very valuable in jump starting my new outlook on eating, especially Food Rules. Though they share basic fundamentals with each other, the two books, and two authors are pretty different. For one, Gillian McKeith is a Holistic Nutritionist while Pollan is a journalist. I am not all the way through You are What you Eat but so far, it is terrifying…uh, in a good way. She is brutally to the point, but it’s good information. Pollan is more of caring, gentle teacher, telling you the facts and leading you to make your own decisions.

The difference between these two authors illustrates a struggle I’ve had in my mind since the day I decided to make a change. I do not want to become a food nazi! I want to enjoy the delicious abundance on earth! But I also do not want to sweep important health concerns under the rug. I tell you the truth, I got hung up on one chapter I was reading in Gillian’s book about food combining. All foods fall into certain groups. According to her, to ensure proper digestion and nutrient absorption, proteins shouldn’t be eaten with carbohydrates, vegetables are ok to eat with either, and fruit should always be eaten alone. This blew my mind. No really. I mean, this means no chicken and rice, no meat and pasta; it seems to go against so much of traditional societies' staples. I am open minded here, I am but the learner. However, I just don’t know if I can buy this. Is this scientifically proven anywhere else? And is it totally necessary? Because if it’s only “recommended” I feel just fine ignoring it.

Pollan suggests something a little different; he suggests following the food habits of a traditional food culture, the French, the Japanese, the Greeks, whoever! The key he explains is not only to eat what they eat, but to eat how they eat. For example, the French: they eat plenty of fatty foods and white flour, but they eat small portions at a leisurely pace with no snacking or seconds, and are generally healthier than most Westerners. Interesting.

I am not a hippy. The first time I went into Sunflower market, I felt the need to take a shower afterward. However, man, I loved that store! The reason I bring it up is because, why is it so counter-culture to be a healthy eater? Why was nearly every female in that store wearing beaded purse? Pollan brings up an interesting point in his previous book which I am currently reading,

It does seem to me a symptom of our present confusion about food that people would feel the need to consult a journalist, or a nutritionist or doctor or government food pyramid, on so basic a question about the conduct of our everyday lives as humans. I mean, what other animal needs professional help in deciding what it should eat? –In Defense of Food pg 2

So true! And yet, I consulted a journalist AND a nutritionist haha. It is so true though; there are so many different voices; I came to a bit of a deadlock last week because I was almost afraid to buy one thing or another because I didn’t know enough facts…is this actually “good?” When did eating become so difficult?! Interesting that we have SO much dialogue about food and diet in the States, yet we are the most unhealthy. This is where Pollan really comforted me… Eat FOOD.

The key for me, right now, is to remember that the “Western Diet” is the enemy. Pollan and McKeith can both agree on that. I am trying to eat whole, real foods, and actually cook them into meals myself instead of buying prepackaged things full of weird preservatives. Not everything I’m eating will be considered “health food.” I am concentrating on just eating FOOD as opposed to “edible foodlike substances” as Pollan calls them. I think that in so doing, my body will get the nutrition it needs. How do we know what's real? Pollan gives a couple great rules of thumb...don't eat things that your great grandmother wouldn't recognize as food. And, question things that have ingredients a normal person wouldn't keep in their pantry. This is where cooking comes in as a huge health benefit: you know exactly what is going into your meal. Another easy to remember tip he gives is,

"If it came from a plant, eat it; if it was made in a plant, don't."

I will be referencing Michael Pollan a lot in this blog. He writes in a way I can totally connect with and understand. I highly recommend Food Rules to anyone…it’s a very quick read that gave me a great basis for what to eat and how to shop.

Please do not consider me an expert on nutrition. (Seriously, I feel the need to give a disclaimer. Haha) Many things I will be making would probably be shunned by nutritionist. But I do know this: it is FAR better than anything I’ve eaten in the past five years. Real-food-tastes-good! Who knew.