What is a Healthy Diet? How Can We Know?

Dear Rose,

I don't want to make things worse for you, but I thought it might help if I explained the process by which I arrived at my current state of certainty about which diet is the best. Please note that the following is the truth only in my humble opinion....and I already know that I do not know everything!!

I know it's confusing.....I was in the same sort of state of confusion for a long time. Who to believe?

I have only recently figured things out (at least as far as I'm concerned).....this is how I came to think the way I do now. It was a three-step process.

The first thing that helped me is that, in the past, I followed the Atkins diet for a very long time (years) and I KNOW that I felt better on that diet than I have ever felt, before or since. So I had that personal experience to go by. That was step #1.

Then I started reading, both online and in books, about the theory that we should eat the way our ancestors ate. This makes sense to me, as a scientist....we should eat the way that man "in the wild" eats. So how did our ancestors eat? How do hunter-gatherers today eat!? Well, they weren't (and aren't) vegetarians, that's for sure! Or they would have died in one of the Ice Ages....no plants grew in Europe during those times. Please understand that farming (agriculture) is a VERY recent development; humans have only had agriculture for about 10,000 years. Our bodies did NOT develop eating the foods that we eat today.

The so-called Paleo Diet seems to be the right one; it makes total sense to me. And the proponents of this diet have proven to me that they've actually done their homework. For instance, they compare the gastrointestinal system of a carnivore (wolf or dog) to that of man, and to that of a herbivore (cow). Guess what? We are designed to be carnivores. But we CAN eat some plant foods without harm, just as dogs or cats can. It's just that MEAT (or eggs, nuts, fish) should make up a large portion of our diet.

That was step #2.

(I apologize for offending the vegetarians, but there it is.)

Recently I bought the book, The Vegetarian Myth, and I was simply blown away when I read it. The author (a former vegan) explains in great detail how agriculture is destroying our planet, because it is depleting the topsoil at an incredible rate, much faster than nature can replace it.

Now you must understand....one of my graduate degrees is in Soil Science, so this is a subject that I UNDERSTAND. And this woman is RIGHT. Many soils take hundreds or even thousands of years to develop, and we are destroying our topsoil at an incredible rate. And when it's gone, we will STARVE. Unless we change the way we eat.

So not only should we eat Paleo, but we need to stop purchasing our food from supermarkets and only eat what grows locally, and completely STOP eating grains.

That book was step #3.

Now I am convinced. I have now gone totally grain free (fortunately I have created a few recipes for biscuits and bread made with coconut and almond flours). I've started losing weight, even on PREDNISONE! And I need to lose weight.

I bet you would not lose weight on the Paleo diet, Rose. You would likely gain weight.

I hope this has been helpful, and has not increased the confusion level. I just wanted to explain how I decided on the "right" way to eat.

(((((((((hugs)))))))))))
JoAnn

Hi Rose,

Willowrose said...
Hi JoAnn. Thank you so much for taking the time to reply to my much-too-long and desperate plea. I will read about the Paleo diet. I was unaware of the soil issues with growing vegetables, but have heard a lot about why not to eat cows because of the environmental damage that occurs. I agree that buying local foods is best; we love going to the farmer's market where we can buy lots of organic and extremely fresh vegetables. How do you do this with meats? We are careful to buy only organic meats, and fish from the safest sources, when eating protein, but have not found a local source.

You're welcome. I relate very well to your feelings of desperation! My husband and I had been trying SO hard for so long to figure out what a truly, healthy, sustainable lifestyle is....it's very very difficult, because most of the info out there is wrong, and everyone has a different opinion!

And growing vegetables, as long as we do it in our own small plots in a sustainable way, is not what's causing the harm. It's the huge fields of wheat, corn, soy.....the "monocrops", which have destroyed so many of the complex and biologically-diverse ecosystems that used to exist on the Great Plains before the coming of the Europeans. These monocrops are depleting the soil at astounding rates....it's really frightening.

And apparently grass-fed cattle who are allowed to graze freely as God intended do NOT harm the environment. It's the modern dairy farms and meat factories that stuff their cattle with grain that do the damage. I got this info from a couple of different sources, including the book, The Vegetarian Myth. By the way, for anyone who may read that book, you have to have a healthy level of skepticism, because the author goes off on tangents (for example, she's very anti-male-dominance and her anti-male rants distract from her truly important messages).

I did an Internet search for local meats and since I live on the Central Coast of California, was able to find a website set up just for the purpose of directing people to local ranchers raising grass-fed livestock:

www.centralcoastmag.com/html/guides/wine_dine/locavore/meat.html

I hope you can find something similar in your area!

Willowrose said...
Like you, I spent years following the Atkins diet. I felt good except for having chronic constipation. I've also had two stints as a vegetarian, and both times I became anemic, though now that I've "gone through the change" that would most likely not be at issue for me again (maybe, also, because I'm finally getting treated for babesiosis). Unlike when I was on Atkins, when I was a vegetarian it surprised me that - excuse the delicate subject - my excrement did not smell bad. Not sure of the relevance of that; someone told me it was a result of a lower intestinal bacteria load. But somehow on Atkins I was able to maintain a healthy weight; when I was a vegetarian I had the same problem as now - too skinny.

The Paleo Diet is different from the Atkins diet in that you aren't counting carbs (unless you are really trying to lose weight!). Instead, you just focus on eating fresh, unprocessed foods (veggies, fruits, meats, fish, nuts, eggs), while avoiding beans and grains...because beans and grains are not edible (sometimes toxic!) unless they are processed and cooked. Also, the strict Paleo Diet does not allow any dairy. I'm on a variation of it where I do eat some dairy products (mostly cheese, yogurt and butter), but at some point I may give up dairy too. I think that the higher veggie and fruit intake on the Paleo diet will help you with the constipation issue.

Willowrose said...
I have two questions, if you don't mind. First, I am unsure what the difference between a grain and a seed is. Do you know somewhere that I can find a list? Second, would you be willing to share your recipes for biscuits and bread? In addition to eliminating grains, they sound lower carb, and that's a huge issue for me. I can't even begin to express how much I yearn for something like a biscuit! Haven't eaten anything in the genre for years.

Thanks again, JoAnn. Your post was very helpful and gives me a place to look. I need to find balance; I'm very stringent about my diet, so not knowing what to do has been hard on me. I appreciate you sharing the wisdom from your research and how you came to find the diet you now follow. I look forward to reading more about it. And, I hope this will help me gain some weight!

I copied this from Yahoo Answers: ".... a grain is a fruit with a single seed fused, while a seed is an ovule (think 'egg') with an embryo enclosed within."

That may not be very helpful though, LOL! I just know that wheat, barley, rye, rice, corn, etc. are grains and should be avoided. I know that some people who are "grain-free" still use quinoa and amaranth because they are technically seeds, not true grains.

Here are my recipes for grain-free bread and biscuits (the dough is basically the same for both, I just increased the amount of baking powder in the bread). They both require coconut products, so in that way they are not very environmentally friendly, because it is difficult to find local growers of coconuts unless you live in Hawaii, unfortunately. They are both low-carb and VERY high in fiber!:

Grain-Free Coconut-Almond-Flax Bread

Ingredients:

4 eggs
1/4 C coconut oil, melted
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 C coconut flour
1/4 C almond flour**
1 1/2 T flax meal
1 tsp baking powder
2 T coconut or agave nectar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly oil, or spray with non-stick spray, a small loaf pan (NOTE: I used a 6.5" x 4" glass loaf pan, which is an odd size....a bit smaller than most, so adjust your cooking time accordingly if you use a slightly larger one).

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, coconut or agave nectar, and coconut oil thoroughly. Combine the salt, coconut and almond flours, flax meal and baking powder in a separate bowl, then stir into the egg-oil mixture, blending well.

Spoon the batter into the small loaf pan, and smooth the top with the back of the spoon. Bake for approximately 30 - 40 minutes, until a knife inserted into the loaf comes out clean and the top is a dark golden brown.

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Grain Free Biscuits

Ingredients:

4 eggs
1/4 C coconut oil, melted
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 C coconut flour
1/4 C almond flour**
1 1/2 T flax meal
1/2 tsp baking powder
1-2 T agave syrup

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, coconut oil, and agave thoroughly. Combine the salt, coconut and almond flours, flax meal and baking powder in a separate bowl, then stir into the egg-oil mixture, blending well.

Drop by spoonfuls onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for approximately 16-20 minutes (start checking them at about 16 minutes), until beginning to develop golden-brown spots on tops. Makes 8 biscuits.

**Note: I am following Elana Amsterdam's suggestion and using ONLY finely ground blanched almond flour. Some almond flours on the market simply are not fine enough to give a good texture to baked goods. For example, Bob's Red Mill Almond Flour just doesn't work. The flour that I'm currently using is Honeyville's Blanched Almond Flour.

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There are lots more of these kinds of recipes on my Gluten Free blogs (the top one listed in my signature plus my Recipe Archive, the link to which may be found on the right-hand panel of the other blog). I do have lots of recipes that use rice, corn, potato and other such flours on these blogs as well, but I have stopped using those now and am focusing on developing more grain-free recipes. The other grain-free recipe blog that you would really like is Elana's Pantry. She too follows a Paleo Diet, and is completely dairy free. She has wonderful recipes for coconut milk ice cream!

I too hope that you will be able to start re-gaining some of the weight you've lost, Rose! I'm very concerned about you after your description of your anorexia issues. You're in my thoughts and prayers!

Blessings,
JoAnn

nasalady: thanks for the gluten free recipes! I've been experimenting with similar ones, but the ingredients in yours are well balanced!

Rose: I agree with the paleo diet. I eat a modified version. In the end though, i believe humans have been successful in the evolutionary game because we have been able to adapt to almost any climate and situation. When it comes to diet, the reason we can even eat highly processed and modified foods is because our digestive system is so adaptable. We can eat pretty much ANYTHING and get nutrients out of almost anything we ingest, which is an amazing feat in the animal world!

In the end, for me, it is about finding foods that fill me up, taste good, are as "clean" as possible (from pesticides, chemicals, modification, etc), and are going to provide vitamins, minerals, energy, protein, etc that I need. I find that I need to eat a balanced diet of fats, proteins, carbs, veggies, fiber, nuts and seeds, and certain vitamins and minerals in order to feel well. I believe strongly that prescribed "diets" are generalizations and guidelines, but in the end, you need to make up your own diet according to what makes you FEEL GOOD. I have to compromise too and I will eat things that may not be the healthiest as long as they are accomplishing something (like calories) and are counterbalanced by something that will help me digest that type of food (ie: potatoes and/or rice with something high in B-vitamins and fiber; salad or veggies with a good oil, or meat with something acidic like vinegar, fermented foods, or tomatoes), that way it makes it easier on your digestive system and your foods are doing much of the work for you!

I hope that helps and doesn't ramble too much.

There is a recipe magazine called "Living Without" which is for those who are living with food sensitivities & allergies. It contains recipes that are gluten free, or dairy free. They also have recipes to help avoid other allergies -like nuts. I get the on-line version;

www.livingwithout.com/

**I in no way receive any compensation of any type from this magazine. I just found it to be helpful & wanted to share.

I'd have to come back to this thread and take notes--I can't remember all this!

Nasalady, how cool that you are developiing recipes. Back when I did low gluten and could still eat some natural sugar, I came up with some wonderful scone recipes, and blueberry pancakes. Can't eat that anymore. I'm writing to ask you about agave nectar. I always thought it was a good and healthy food, but recently read The Belly Fat Cure by Jorge Cruise and in it he said:

"Agave nectar is a sweetener made from the agave plant, a common succulent found in Mexico. It's a bit like honey, but thinner. It's been labeled a healthy sweetener and said to be good for diabetics and '100 percent natural.' But here's why it's landed on my list of wrong sugars: it is actually highly processed and has even more fructose in it than high-fructose corn syrup - agave nectar can be up to 90 percent fructose. According to Dr. Ingrid Kohlstadt, a fellow at the American College of Nutrition, 'It's almost all fructose, highly processed sugar with great marketing.' And Dr. Joseph Mercola, author of Sweet Deception: Why Splenda, NutraSweet, and the FDA May Be Hazardous to Your Health, says that 'agave nectar is neither a natural food nor organic.' Don't believe the hype and the labels that claim this to be a 'healthy' alternative to sugar. It will actually trigger the same responses as white sugar and high-fructose corn syrup. I recommend avoiding it entirely -- my personal doctor believes that it's worse than any other sweetner available!"

(Source: The Belly Fat Cure by Jorge Cruise)

He goes on to recommend Stevia and sugar alcohols (xylitol, maltitol, and erythritol).

I'm wondering if one of those would be a workable substitution for agave nectar in the recipes you generously shared here. I'm planning on a Sunday morning biscuit fest!

Rose

The biscuit fest was a great success! I used just a sprinkle of stevia and it seemed perfect. Whole Foods was out of almond flour, so I got hazelnut. It's not as fine as I'd like, but it still was very good. What a treat to eat something baked; my husband was very happy, too! Thanks again for the recipe, nasalady.

Rose

I need to find your blog - pot pie? Chicken and dumplings? Mmmmmmm, sounds like real food!

Rose

Rose, OK, so here I am another person sharing. As I read your post I was quite touched and wanted to share what has worked for me.

Food????

There is sooooooo much information...and contradictory information...it IS difficult to know what and who to believe. Many voices are screaming at us--telling us what to eat and what not to eat.

I've thought to myself, "Eating should not be rocket science!!

I've read many books, googled various websites, and read lots of info...then using my mind, common sense, and intuition, came to my own conclusions. I have found it is important to trust my gut sense (no pun intended) so that I will not be tossed to and fro by every new, right, revolutionary way of eating/dieting that comes along. It feels good to be set free!

So, in one sentence--I eat food, pure/organic, as close to the way God made it. By pure I don't necessarily mean raw...although I eat my salad raw. I mean foods without additives (hormones, antibiotics, pesticides, sludge, and other yuck–that you already know about) or processed foods where the label "nutritional value" is an oxymoron.

Rose, have you read "The Maker's Diet"? The author, Jordan Rubin, shares about his journey to healing. Here he was a young man (only 19 years old), sick, suffering terribly, trying everything to get better, and only getting worse. The book is very hope-giving. Hope goes a long way in life and in healing from Lyme Disease! Following is a link to his website; you'll notice the navigation options at the top of the page. I specifically chose this webpage as there is a condensed version of his story for you to read.


www.makers-diet.net/storybehindbook.htm

After all my research, it came down to (you can google them) three people whose writings resonated within me. The three people are:

Weston Price
Jordan Rubin, "The Maker's Diet"
Sally Fallon, "Nourishing Traditions"

Get foods as close to the way God makes/grows them...after all, the food is for the body that He created...so this concept really makes sense to me...and on top of that, eating this way is simple, plus it's not restricting.

A person who eats this way will get to their ideal weight: if they need to lose weight-they do, and if they need to gain weight-they do. That too just makes sense. Also it makes sense that eating highly nutritional foods gives the body the "tools" it needs to not only survive, but thrive, and as the integrity of the body is built up the body is able to conquer illnesses and diseases.

At first I was concerned that eating "real food" (not processed) like whole milk products instead of nonfat, real butter, olive oil, chicken and meat, cheeses, avocados, kalamata olives, vegetables, fruits, salads, soups, etc. I'd gain weight. I did not. I thought my cholesterol might go up. It did not. I feel really good in my skin and am my healthy weight for me. The natural oils I'm eating have done wonders for my skin, hair and nails.

Worrying about--what to eat or what not to eat--does not do the body, mind, or spirit good. Relax, take a few deep breaths, think about what makes sense to you, and I encourage you to trust your gut.

You're in my thoughts and prayers.