I woke up in my happy place this morning. The hubby and I have a little log cabin in Valdez, New Mexico – our sanctuary in middle of nowhere. It borders the Carson National Forest, has a TV with five channels and is nearly 3 hour from Albuquerque, the nearest city.
I wouldn’t have it any other way. It’s where we go to recharge our batteries, reconnect with nature and step away from the hustle and bustle of life in Denver.
Not only did I open my eyes to a spectacular sunrise over Taos Valley, but it was also a lazy Sunday, my favorite day of the week, and I had nothing planned until Brunch with friends at 11:30. PURE BLISS!
Once fully awake, I headed downstairs, made myself a cup of jasmine green tea, grabbed my beloved iPad and climbed back under the covers.
Since it was Sunday morning, I decided to read the “paper” (aka Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google Reader, etc).
I stumbled upon a tweet leading to this excellent talk by Clay Johnson, author of The Information Diet.
The entire talk is about 20 minutes, but the first 3 minutes or so are what really caught my attention.
The bulk of the talk is about SEO responsibility and the case for conscious media consumption (fascinating stuff). However, the first few minutes focus on the rising obesity rates in the US over the past few decades.
Mr. Johnson says something that I’ve heard before, but he simplifies it beautifully.
“Human beings are wired for what WAS good for us, not what is good for us now.”
So what does he mean?
Salt, sugar and fat WERE good for us at one time. We yearn for salt because it’s an essential compound for our bodies to function. We long for sweetness because it means an instant boost and we crave fat because it’s an extremely dense source of dietary energy.
Our biological cravings once helped us survive the winter. With access to fresh meat, fish, nuts, fruits and veggies year round, we can survive the winter quite easily now.
Mr. Johnson continues to talk about how the big food companies are producing cheap, popular calories because they know it’s what we find naturally irresistible. And it’s true.
So what do we do? How do we override out own survival instincts?
1. I know just how delicious that Dove ice cream bar is. Companies spend millions making sure that we crave their product and that it has just the right combo of fat, sugar, salt and texture.
Don’t fall for the pretty packaging and bogus health claims (good source of calcium) and don’t buy the stuff in the first place. It’s easier to say no at the grocery store than resist it once it’s in your house.
2. Try new foods and start listening to your body. Eating real food most of the time absolutely DOES make you feel better. I spent 25 years eating crap and the last 13 consuming healthy, whole foods from the Earth.
What has changed?
I easily maintain a normal weight, my mood is better, I’m pain free, my energy is plentiful, I have excellent blood-work, I sleep well and I hardly ever catch a cold.
I’m sure I could list more, but those ought to convince you that the stuff from nature, not the factory is a better source of fuel. If you happen to give up pizza, beer and Doritos for grass-fed beef, almonds, broccoli and berries and DON’T feel better, you’re either a freak of nature or you’re lying to yourself. My guess is that it’s #2.
Still, not convinced. Give this a try.
Think about those well paid and savvy executives over at Cargill, Monsanto and Kraft, sitting around the table brainstorming how to further exploit your biological instinct in order to make oodles of moo-lah for their stockholders.
Thought that might fire you up.
So here we are, living in the land of infinite salt, sugar and fat, which happens to be horrible for us. Now what?
Start today by cleaning out the fridge and pantry. Get rid of the worst offenders. Ditch the Twinkie’s, gummy bears and Fritos. Search for anything with more than 10 ingredients or with names that don’t sound like food and toss them too – unless you can find me a Monosodium Glutamate tree or an Aspartame plant.
Now, head on over to the grocery store and replace the BBQ chips with a healthy new snack. Maybe a granny smith apple and some almond butter or fresh blackberries with real whipped cream, not the chemical concoction known as cool whip. Keep on making these small changes and over time you’ll stop craving the junk food and you’ll start feeling healthier and more vibrant.
Another option…
Wait 50,000 years until we evolve into beings who actually crave kale and cauliflower.
Good luck with that one.
