I make decisions all day long. At least three of those decisions are about what food to eat. These decisions used to be hard. I struggled with what I “should” eat versus what I “wanted” to eat. My dietary decisions were driven by cravings and habits. Not too mention food labels that claimed more fiber added to a box of sugary cereal or no fat in the cookies I was craving. One poor choice led to another. I had a clean bill of health from the doctor so as far as I was concerned, I was “healthy.”
The leading causes of disease and death can be boiled down to ten behaviors, the top three of which are tobacco use, poor dietary habits and lack of physical activity. And so, Dr. David Katz, Associate Professor at Yale University School of Medicine and author of Flavor Point Diet, delivered his lecture – in poetic prose – to students and graduates of IIN at this past weekend’s Fall Conference.
Several years ago I relied on nature to keep me healthy while I pretty much did what I pleased. But, Dr. Katz suggests that the age-old debate of nature versus nurture doesn’t exist. He says, we can nurture nature using the three F’s: Feet, Forks and Fingers.
In a nutshell, it means that pretty packaging with lofty health claims can lure us into making poor food choices, but informed decisions can enhance our health with more nutritious food and have little impact on the pocketbook.
Eventually, I figured it all out and today I stress a lot less about what to eat. Not only do I know that I am healthy and will live a long life, I feel it too.
Thinking about a career in health coaching? Enroll at IIN between now and September 29 and a $500 scholarship can be yours. Just mention my name!
Catch up on what I learned at IIN’s Fall Conference:
In Praise of Fat and Cholesterol
For Super Immunity Count Nutrients, Not Calories
Leave a Reply