….. for some people. And sometimes they are correct, for others. And sometimes they are so inconsequential that they are rendered completely benign. So why the big craze? Who is right and, more importantly to our Reality TV society, who is wrong?
Look, if I told you every single person in the world had the exact same cardiovascular system, the same gastrointestinal system, the same lymphatic system, or the same tendency to putting on weight you’d look at me like I had a second head. So take all of that indignation and point it at the way most “experts” talk about their chosen eating plans. Here is what you really need to know:
- Paleo works for some people and is terrible for others. Especially those prone to developing cysteine kidney stones.
- Vegan diets are fine for people whose bodies generally aren’t needing huge quantities of protein and are okay with lots of fiber. Not a great option for those with diseases like Crohn’s.
- Gluten-free is perfect for people with celiac disease, helpful for those with low processing capabilities of certain proteins, and in general ineffective for everyone else.
- The China Study was fantastic, except where it wasn’t. Something of a red-herring here because it focused on no animal protein and low starch rather than large quantities of vegetables. Similar pros and cons of the vegan diet.
- Are you a Raw person? Great, glad it is working, but not everyone can handle that much raw food. You have to cook food before it goes in or after. Sometimes people don’t have the resources to cook it after it hits the stomach.
- Dairy is the enemy for many people. But certainly not for the Weston A. Price foundation or the Swiss dairy farmers that they studied. Again, depends on the person.
The list goes on. The same logic can be applied to any eating plan that is aggressively promoted and defended: you’re right, expect for when you are wrong. There are outliers and atypical people to back up every one of these diets, and there are people who simply don’t feel good when they ascribe to an expert-recommended lifestyle. What everyone can agree on, however, is that the Standard American Diet (aptly named the SAD diet) isn’t good for anyone.
The beauty of Eastern Nutrition is that there is absolutely no one-size-fits-all recommendation. Your body, your constitution, and your physical experience helps us to determine the correct path for you, even if it isn’t considered “healthy” by some. Email me at AndrewBall.LAc@gmail.com to learn more about why you should be eating certain foods rather than labeling yourself with a certain diet plan.