I fell down a rabbit hole this past weekend. Does anyone out there listen to podcasts? I love them. The only time I listen to music in my car anymore is when I’m with the boys (they know all the words to every. single. song. on Sirius Hits 1. It’s crazy). When I’m alone in the car I listed to podcasts, and- quelle surprise- they are whole body health based. I’m super exciting. It could be worse I guess.
There’s a guy that’s pretty well known in ancestral health circles named Chris Kresser. He has been blogging for quite some time, and has a podcast station called Revolution Health Radio. There are archives dating back to 2010, and he’s been blogging even longer. I think his perspective on health is one I agree with most- in order to achieve whole body health, we have to look at each person as a whole, and also recognize that each person is different. We are all biologically unique, and while he uses Paleo as a framework for healthy living, the details of what that framework looks like is different for everyone. Some people do well on dairy, some can’t tolerate it. Some thrive on sprouted grains and buckwheat, some are sickened and weakened by them. Some people do well with strength training and endurance activities, some do better with meditative movement and gentler exercise routines.
Here’s the basics for everyone though: Eat more like our ancestors did- no processed foods, no vegetable oils; focus on fresh vegetables, nutrient rich proteins, and healthy fats. Manage your stress. Move more. Get good sleep. Don’t eat toxins. Supplement wisely. Practice pleasure.
Makes perfect sense to me. So, where’s the rabbit hole?
For me, it’s the endless sources of information on health in the age of the Standard American Diet (SAD). Podcasts aside, there are an incredible number of worthy resources on health and wellness (and some that are completely backwards, like the USDA’s “My Plate”… here’s why). One eye opening article leads to a piece of research that blows my mind, which leads to investigation into another related topic… and so on and so on. This weekend in particular, I was wading through a mind-boggling amount of information on cholesterol and how our bodies need it to function properly. (What?!) I think part of what makes this all so interesting to me is that all the information I am learning about health is completely opposite of what I thought I knew. It’s a total 180 from what I am being told by mainstream media, government, and grocery store displays. It’s a lot to process. I was completely overwhelmed and got stuck trying to figure out just what to post.
So, while I process it all and prepare to give you the highlights here on Pigforkr, I want to recommend a few articles that help me keep things in perspective, for those who are interested. Easy reading!
Don’t Let Perfect be the Enemy of Good.
My boyfriend Michael Pollan always says it best.
My other boyfriend Mark Bittman recently wrote about feeding kids. Second to last paragraph is perfection.
And for those of you who want to take charge of your health and want to discover what works for you specifically, please read this. It’s also available on iBooks.
xo Andra
Mara says
Love these articles! Especially the one about being perfect. Eating well shouldn’t add to your stress load!
Aldene Atkinson says
Thank you for some perspective! I just spent the last two hours reading, laughing, pouting (I currently love sugar and flour – I am a baker what can I say!) and smiling at all that you have wrote about. Not sure I can follow the rules 100% of the time but I’ll try for 80% for the time being. Looking forward to more posts and more recipes! Can’t wait to try the baked stuffed potatoes and the granola! Hope to see you soon in Montana.