The other day, one of the teachers at school sent home a copy of the USDA Food Pyramid and asked if I could teach the kids a nutrition lesson based on the pyramid.
I haven’t responded yet since I’m still trying to figure out how to delicately inform her that the inaccurate, genetically incongruent, bought-and-paid-for, and outdated food pyramid is known by many in REAL health care as “the cancer diet” and the pro-inflammatory diet.
I’m thinking that that’s probably not the message she was looking for me to share! But, it’s the one that NEEDS to be shared.
What’s my challenge with the food pyramid? Mostly the top and bottom of it!
Currently, the base of the pyramid is formed by ALL grains. It is recommended that we, kids included, consume “liberal” amounts of bread, cereal, pasta, rice, potatoes, oatmeal, etc. Wow. Yes, these foods are typically the most convenient, the cheapest, the ones we tend to crave and the ones our kids complain about the least. BUT, none of that means that they meet the innate genetic requirements of the cell to express health.
In fact, there is extraordinary evidence to the contrary. Grains, especially the refined processed sort, have been shown to lead directly to the risk factors for chronic illness (cancer, diabetes, obesity, heart disease, arthritis, learning and attention disorders, depression, anxiety, infertility and reproduction system disorders, digestive disorders, etc.) The risk factors for these chronic illnesses are stress hormone production, increased insulin response, decreased sex hormone binding globulin, chronic inflammation and decreased immune response.
Many experts suggest that, based on our genetics, we should not be consuming grains at all. Others state that we should limit the amount we consume. Virtually ALL nutritional wellness experts agree that if we’re going to consume grains, we MUST upgrade our choices and decrease our intake. Improvements in grain choices means, as often as possible, selecting grains that are sprouted and whole grains. Gluten-free is an important factor for most of us to consider as well. Again, there’s some controversy here. Some experts are saying that we’re ALL gluten-intolerant… because NONE of us should be eating so many grains in the first place. Interesting and worthy of consideration.
I’d say that none of us should be eating “liberal” amounts of refined, processed grains that have been grown with toxic poisons. So, add “organic” to the list of upgrades I recommend.
On to the top of the pyramid. Fats, oils and sweets.
First, Fats & Oils do NOT belong in the same category as sweets.
We REQUIRE healthy fats and oils for optimal brain function and the optimal function and performance of ALL systems of the body. We do NOT require sweets and other junk food!
The image of the pyramid that was sent home to me included soda pop, cookies and butter in the same category! I can’t tell you what I REALLY said inside my head when I saw this, but it was akin to wondering where on earth the creators of this pyramid received their nutritional education and training! (A big assumption on my part, I realize!)
Let me clarify – we DO require fats for optimal mental, emotional, and physical health. We require untainted, naturally occurring fats… NOT man made, synthetic, highly refined, toxic fats that so commonly line our store shelves.
Some of the most highly beneficial fats and fatty foods are omega 3 fats found in marine oils, deep cold water fish and seafood; real butter, preferably from grass-fed cows – abundant in the fat soluble vitamins that our North American culture as a whole is gravely deficient in; the fats that naturally accompany proteins – e.g. the egg yolk along with the whites, the skin with the chicken/turkey meat, the whole fat versions of dairy products, etc. Then there are also many healthy “fatty” foods like avocado, almonds and other nuts & seeds and nut butters, olives and olive oil, coconut oils and other natural tropical oils, and so on.
To recommend that we strictly limit the intake of these healthy fats is ridiculous at best… criminal at worst. You simply cannot lump together the vitally important, physiologically required fats and oils along trans fats, hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated fats, (excess) omega 6 fats, man made fats, processed and refined conventional vegetable oils, AND all the sweets and junk… there’s no scientific accuracy there.
So, we’re teaching our population to:
1) eat abundant grains (without critical clarification of the quality), and
2) limit our intake of fats & oils (again, without any explanation of the differences in quality)
We end up with a population with obesity issues that are escalating at truly unbelievable rates in ALL age groups (And NO, I do not believe recent reports that we are no more obese now than we were a decade ago. What I DO believe is that, just like in so many other skewed reports like this, the parameters and measures for “obesity” were altered since the numbers were reported a decade ago. Happens all the time in health reporting and studies. ALL the time.)
We cannot eat grains ’til the cows come home. There are consequences.
We end up with a population that is suffering from chronic illness like we’ve never seen before in the recorded history of humankind. Again, we see it in ALL age groups.
We end up with a population that is more depressed, more stressed, more anxious, has more learning, attention and memory problems and more mental illness, as well as more issues with reproduction and fertility than at any other time in recorded history.
We cannot give inaccurate recommendations regarding fats & oils required for optimal brain health, emotional health and hormonal health. The results are devastating.
How’s the middle of the pyramid? Not as bad as the top and bottom!
Dairy, we need to be careful with. Just like grains, many would recommend we avoid dairy all together. Others urge us to limit our intake. ALL true health experts agree that our healthiest ancestors who DID consume dairy were consuming nothing like the chemical concoctions on store shelves today. Upgrade! Raw, unpasteurized (where available), organic and from grass-fed sources are your best choices for optimal nutritional benefit and safety.
The meat and “meat alternatives” category requires a bit of clarification as well… keep it clean! Look for the least toxic sources you can find. Organic, free-range, grass-fed meats, poultry and eggs are your best choices. Modern soy foods are considered highly toxic by leading experts. Peanut butter, other nut butters and beans are not sole substitutes for complete proteins like animal products. Keep that in mind if you’re looking to decrease your meat intake. Animal protein and fats are not the “enemy” in so many cases as we’ve been led to believe. Toxic animal proteins and fats ARE. (Animal products is a BIG subject – another article, another day!)
Eating abundant fruits and vegetables is a great recommendation.
Should be a fun nutrition lesson with the kids!!
(By the way, of COURSE I realize there are other foundational factors in our health that will determine our risk factors for chronic illness – our movement patterns and our mindset patterns and emotional “fuel” being the two most critical areas along with nutrition. It ALL plays a role. We require pure and sufficient nutrition, movement and mindset while simultaneously reducing our toxic and deficient input in these 3 areas. That’s the recipe for lifetime wellness!)
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