Welcome to my blog. Today we are going to discuss what it is exactly that we are supposed to follow to eat healthy, lose weight, have a healthy heart, and so on. It might surprise you! I remember back in the day when I was knee high to a cricket, toad, grasshopper thingy, I used to see the pyramid on the back of cereal boxes or some other packaged food talking about what we needed to eat to live a healthier life……..What in the world were they thinking! I guess they didn’t get Jane or Richards memo. Anywho, Let’s dive right into the Fruity pebbles and see what we need to do.
So back in the day there was the food pyramid. We all remember because it was posted about everywhere, in schools, grocery stores and doctors offices. The base of the pyramid, which was the biggest section, was covered with colorful drawings of cereal, bread and a loaded plate of pasta. Yummy! If you think back to the 1990s and early 2000s, ok it wasn’t that long ago people! The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) created the food pyramid in 1992. It placed grains at the base of the pyramid (the largest section), with veggies and fruits on the next largest section. These were the foods that we were supposed to consume most of all. The next section was split in half, with the dairy portion on the left and the proteins on the right. The very tip of the pyramid was reserved for fats and sweets, with a recommendation to eat these sparingly.
This classic food pyramid was replaced in 2005 by the pyramid with a figure climbing up the stairs on the side, it wasn’t around long so don’t worry if you don’t remember. In 2011, the new food pyramid was replaced by the USDA’s MyPlate. This colorful plate is divided into four sections — one for fruit, veggies, protein and grains, and has a circle for dairy in the corner. Every five years or so, the government updates the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. This update includes a set of recommendations for healthy eating. I will be curious to see what it looks like next time.
Food Pyramid. Is it Relevant?
Basically. No
So as stated earlier, one thing that you will notice is that Fats is at the very tippy top clumped together with sweets. Well, research today suggests that you need to eat more “healthy” fats like avocadoes, nuts, and olive oil and that fats are actually good for you. So, research has shown us that you can’t exactly put olive oil in the same category as a soda. Also, this “old” pyramid way of eating suggests people eat 6-11 servings of grains per day. Number one, that is a big gap (6-11), and number two, we live in a carb-o-phobic world now and not very many people are going to have 11 servings of grain per day!
My Plate. Good or Bad?
So, the USDA’s MyPlateis getting better to what is healthy, but it too has some flaws. For example, the plate does not recommend healthy fats or focus on any whole grains. Also, they suggest half of your plate is fruit and veggies, but what does that mean? Even fruits are high in sugar and some veggies are high in oxalates which are known to cause kidney stones. So, I believe there isn’t a “one diet fits all” type of thing, it’s an individual basis but the USDA is trying to come up with some guideline for Americans to follow. Anything is better than nothing!
My Recommendations
This is a pie chart that I came up with based on research, experience, and what people need to live a happy, healthy life. If you notice fruits and dairy are not on there. I believe fruit is a personal thing and should be consumed sparingly and based on needs and taste. Also, some fruits do not mix well with some medications. So, fruit is something you might have to either talk to your doctor about or you might have to avoid some specific ones all together, especially if you’re diabetic. Dairy is another thing that I would like to see people get rid of in their diets. Why? Well, dairy products are at the top of the sources for saturated fats that contribute to heart disease, type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and it has been linked to an increase in breast, ovarian, and prostate cancers. This has all been scientifically proven. Believe it or not research also has shown that dairy products have little to no benefit to bone health. According to a study published in the British Medical Journal, dairy products and calcium do not prevent stress fractures, or broken bones. Check out this article below for more information about the dangers of dairy products.
I hope this help you to make better choices and get on track to living the life you want-more energy, less stress, lose weight, and live a happier, healthier life. Until next time.
Take Care, Darren
Harmony Shift 