An Odd Approach to Healthy Living
by Keare Smith
“An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” “You are what you eat.” These and many other similar adages serve as friendly warnings that the average American simply refuses to take seriously. They hint at the fact that ingesting healthy foods on a daily basis should be a high priority. Yet when you look at the alarming obesity statistics, it is obvious that many people are skipping out on that daily apple and most of us are a walking pile of pizza, soda, and french fries.
According to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, more than one third of adults (34.9%) and 17% of the youth in the United States are obese. Since the 1970’s, obesity rates have more than doubled in children and adults (National Center For Health Statistics, 2009). Scientists have conducted an unimaginable amount of studies, and although the mainstream media outlets continue to warn the public based off the results from these studies, the problem of obesity and unhealthful living has failed to decrease in America.
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Three years ago I stumbled upon a booked that changed my outlook on dieting and health. At the time I was in an awkward place in life. I was working at Target in Blacksburg, VA. Three months earlier I had been released from the Virginia Tech track and field team and I felt unsure about the direction my life was headed. Although I was no longer a part of the team, I still had a burning desire to continue hurdling. I began to look at all aspects of what it takes to be a professional track athlete and saw my lack of dieting knowledge as one of my weak points.
Around that time I decided it was time to take dieting seriously and gain the necessary knowledge on my own. My new interest in dieting led me to pick up a random book as I was walking through the aisles at Target one day at work. The name of the book was The Beauty Detox Solution by Kimberly Snyder.
Before reading this book, I had never considered how everything I consumed actually had an affect on my mind and body. I had always known there were many dieting gurus in our country who offered radical diets to go along with their books. I was familiar with the popular fad diets (Atkins, South Beach, etc). But I had no interest in dieting and lacked the knowledge of what it means to live a true healthy lifestyle. When it came to food, the only thing that mattered was how good it tasted. I was one of those athletes who was under the impression that it was okay to eat everything in sight. I felt as though because I worked out in the gym and ran track, I was healthy. I never paid attention to this healthy living counter culture. But as I continued reading, I found myself walking down a path that changed my mind about everything I knew about food.
In her book, Snyder lays out a foundation for a proper transition to a healthier plant-based lifestyle. She includes a number of excellent vegan recipes. What stood out the most was her knowledge of digestion and the positive affect of proper food combinations. She states that if we combine food correctly our bodies are able to easily digest food, absorb nutrients, and eliminate waste. Through consuming the proper foods and combinations, your body expends less energy on digestion and has more time to internally and externally heal itself.
Unlike some of the other dieting gurus I have encountered, Snyder has a way of making it okay to not be a health freak. Some books I’ve encountered have been on the extreme side. The motivational methods of some health gurus have a way of making you feel bad about yourself. But Snyder discussed the art of transitioning and laid out a legitimate plan to slowly change your way of eating. I know for a fact that the transitioning chapter gave me confidence in the ability to set a legitimate goal of changing the way I eat and live. I have her to thank for generating my interest in alternative healthful living.
In 2011, MyPlate replaced MyPyramid as the government’s primary food group symbol. When I was growing up, the food pyramid was the only health lesson we were taught in school. The old food pyramid recommended “servings” of various food groups.
The new MyPlate is basically the same as the pyramid but now in the form of a plate.
Although the government’s intentions are good, the average American more than likely doesn’t follow its food recommendations. The concept of food for the average person is simple. Most people just go with the flow, eat some of this, don’t eat too much of that, get in your protein to build muscles, take your vitamins, eat vegetables and fruits to be “healthy.” If you are overweight you are led to believe your genes are at fault. If you have a disease that is linked to the way you eat, it is still safe to blame your bad genetics. This is the way the average person thinks. It’s the way I used to think. But I now have a different opinion.
In the spring of 2012 I decided to conduct an experiment and put my new diet knowledge to the test. I challenged myself to go a full month on a vegan diet. This consisted of absolutely no meat, milk, cheese or any other animal products. During the first week I struggled with cravings of chicken chipotle burritos and pepperoni pizza. It took a lot of willpower, but I made it through the first week and completed the full month on the vegan diet. Watching my roommates grill and eat steak proved to be the greatest challenge during that month. But I did it. My diet consisted of vegetable and fruit smoothies and juices, and dinner was usually some whacky vegan recipe I’d find online.
It just so happened that a good friend of mine was graduating from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro while I was abstaining from consuming meat. After his graduation we all met up for a celebration meal at a restaurant. Due to my diet at the time, I didn’t join in on the celebratory meal. As soon as everyone realized I wasn’t eating anything, the questions ensued. Everyone (mainly his parents) wanted to know why I chose to do it, and what led me to go without meat. I told them it was simple: I had read some books and decided to see if vegan diets were what they cracked up to be. At the time I felt very clean, light, and clear-minded. It felt as though a fog had been lifted from my brain. I developed a new positive outlook on life and had an inner motivation to continue the healthy eating.
After that month I continued my healthy regiment and began working out daily. During this time I noticed radical physical changes and a new mental well-being that was described in the books I had read. By putting the books to the test, I had become a living example that these health gurus were on to something.
Taking an interest in my own health is one of the best decisions I have ever made. The best thing I’ve learned throughout my research is the fact that we all are accountable for our own health. No one can tell us what we can and can’t eat. But it’s clear to see America has more than just a “sugar,” “junk food,” or “fast food” problem. There are real issues when it comes to the way our current society lives, such as the amount of food we consume on a daily basis and the amount of livestock we kill every year. Our digestive system is more important than the average person is led to believe, our stomachs play a vital role in our physical and mental well-being.
It’s not my wish to tell anyone what to eat or what not to eat. I simply wish to spread knowledge that promotes the cultivation of seeds of an interest in one’s health and well-being. Stay tuned for more from the series of dieting articles entitled An Odd Approach to Healthy Living.
“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food” -Hippocrates
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