Common Sense Nutrition

 Typical for any professional that works in an industry that is riddled with confusion and contradictions, whenever I meet someone and they ask me what I do, the questions start pouring in. I know this is normal, so I’m not complaining. I actually find it quite amusing. I try to guess in my mind which of the common questions they will ask. I admit that I have fallen into this very same trap when I meet, let’s say, a Pediatrician. I try to slide a concern I have into the conversation very slyly. I have 4 kids so trust me , there’s always a question. I don’t want to be that person though. I mean, I know what it feels like. You’re at a dinner party just trying to relax and have fun on your one night out in 2 weeks and there you are stuck talking about your work all night..again! But it’s like I can’t help myself. There’s some kind of weird gravitational pull. This person has information that I want and need! I could make an appointment and go the traditional route, but why? I have instant access right now.  

So this explains why I am empathetic to the questions I’m asked everywhere I go about food, diets and nutrition. My profession revolves around a necessary commodity (food) and everyone wants to learn how to eat better, lose weight (as quickly as possible) or fight a food allergy. Speaking of food allergies, it’s quite baffling to me how the last 5 years has introduced nearly the entire population to a food allergy, namely gluten. Okay, yes, I am exaggerating, but only because it’s so common these days that it seems to have become the norm. I have explained many times in many forums the concept of a food sensitivity vs. a full blown diagnosed allergy. Yet I still hear, more often than not, that the person I’m speaking to is “allergic to gluten”.

   The reality is that this is a trendy topic right now. The media has put it front and center, portraying gluten as the bad guy and that omitting it from your diet is the miraculous solution to a multitude of issues. So the magic answer for many people is to simply cut gluten out of their diet. Wow..I wish it really was that easy. This goes in line with how things tend to be in our society today. “How little can I do but still get amazing results?”. Minimal effort with maximum results is the recurring theme that I encounter. “Do you think if I cut this one thing out, then everything will be good?”. No, I don’t think so, because the truth is that only a small percentage of us truly cannot consume gluten. For that narrow population, gluten free is important, actually vital, to their overall health and well being. For the rest of us, including me, we need not worry about it. Contrary to popular belief, it’s not a weight loss tactic or a “healthier” alternative. It’s simply an ingredient in food. I’ve researched extensively about this and consulted with medical and GI experts. I wanted to make sure I was on the right track before answering people, because this is definitely in the top 3 most common questions I’m asked, “Is gluten free better for you?”.

  Better for who, and better than what I always answer. Because the answer for some is yes, but for others, it’s no. There are too many variables and there’s no one right answer for the masses. For me, more information is always needed to form an educated opinion. What I do always make clear is that gluten free is not a “diet”. Cutting it out of your diet won’t make you lose weight. In fact, many gluten free products are loaded with calories. It may help you feel better...but it may not. Any book, expert or article out there that promises to be a cure all for the masses should be disregarded in my opinion. There’s no plan out there that is right for the entire population. We are all so different, in too many ways to detail. But the bottom line is this: One’s diet must be individualized in order to be sustainable, thus effective. What do I mean? Allow me to say this in a simpler manner because this is the best piece of advice I can offer. You should only follow a diet or eating plan that you can commit to for the long haul or it will not work. You may lose weight in the short term but will end up putting it right back on. This is precisely why so many of you out there are serial dieters, hopping from one plan to the next because most diets are so restrictive that they can’t be followed for more than a short period of time.  I’m always baffled by just how restrictive these fad diets are, with some omitting entire macronutrient categories. That’s just a fancy word for types of food, i.e. protein, carbohydrates and fats. An example of this is the Keto diet (another common topic I’m asked about) which allows absolutely zero carbohydrates. Now, how would this seem like a long term plan that anyone could follow? In my opinion, it’s just setting the dieter up for bitter defeat over the long term. Sure, you could follow it for a few weeks or possibly even months, but it won’t be your long term solution. Quite simply, it’s not sustainable which ultimately translates to gaining the weight back once you quit the plan. It’s not a lifestyle change. It’s just a diet. 

  There must be a better way, right? I believe the answer is emphatically YES. Where things tend to go awry is when the solution offered is the same for everyone. As I mentioned, nutrition must be individualized. It is absolutely impossible for the same diet to be good for every human across the board. Here is the simple truth: As with many things in life, the answer is simple but not easy. By “not easy” I mean that it will require a certain level of discipline. By “simple” I mean that the plan should not be highly restrictive, complicated, expensive or time consuming. Remember, the diet industry is a billion dollar industry. A lot of money is made banking on the fact that many of you will try countless diets looking for “the one”. I’m suggesting that there is no “one”. I simply cannot stress this point enough, there is no one size fits all model for everyone!  I wish the answer for everyone was cutting out one ingredient like Gluten. But it’s not. If you really want to learn what’s best for your body, then commit to the journey, knowing that you ultimately need to make a lifestyle change, not just try another “diet”. There really is no quick fix to optimal health and nutrition, and although someone can guide you, only you can take the first step! You are the master of your body and can take charge anytime you choose. No one should feel powerless. The resources are there, you just have to use some common sense and ask a professional that you trust to point you in the right direction. You can do it!

If you are ready to make that change and need further direction, I’d be happy to help you. Please drop me an email: amy@teamhargett.com