The Lazy Diet
An unorthodox approach to nutrition.
Nutrition is not as easy as googling, “what should humans eat?” and then proceeding to habitually follow whatever the top result showed. Instead, the study of nutrition presents a volatile, often heated environment (literally since climate change is a frequently discussed topic in nutrition) with varying opinions.
So the question is, how do people combat this? I mean let’s be honest, not many individuals will take the time to study countless medical journals or build up the courage to navigate through the divisive atmosphere of nutrition.
While I do not encourage avoiding learning about the function of food and the nutritional requirements of humans, there exists an acceptable lazy approach to nutrition.
What have humans consistently ate throughout history?
This very question is actually quite powerful. If one looked at most of human history and replaced the newly incorporated foods of the human diet (plant-based meat alternatives, vegetable oil, artificial sweeteners, and many more) with foods humans have always enjoyed, I guarantee society would be much healthier.
Yeah, I disagree with some foods that have been prevalent for awhile now but overall, the “evolutionary diet” (if you will) is not a terrible diet at all.
Think about it: foods that have been consumed for thousands of years provide nutritional advantages, uphold sustainable practices, and are usually cultural significant.
- Nutritional Advantages: Our bodies have adapted to utilize the nutrients in long-consumed foods. Moreover, the foods usually provide a balanced nutritional composition.
- Sustainability: Traditional foods are aligned with environmentally-friendly practices. Sourced from regional or local ecosystems, the foods that have been consumed for thousands of years do not need much processing.
- Cultural Significance: The foods that have evolved with humans are usually rooted in culture and exist as a comforting way to bond with family, friends, and locals.
The Hadza People
A hunter-gatherer tribe residing in Tanzania, the Hadza eat what they have always ate: honey, meat, berries, and tubers — preferred in that order.
With little knowledge of modern medicine and modern nutritional practices, the Hadza are exceptionally healthy: low blood pressure, no gradual weight accumulation, no type-2 diabetes, and honestly overall perfect health (you are welcome to do more research).
So what would the Evolutionary Diet look like?
It’s simple: grass-fed meat, wild-caught fish, pasture-raised eggs, organic fruit, organic and raw honey, organic vegetables, grass-fed and raw dairy, and high-quality grains (I naturally disagree with some of this stuff like grains or high-oxalate vegetables but I am making this simple).
Example Meals:
- Burgers topped with Honey
- Eggs, Mixed Vegetables, and Potatoes
- Lime and Garlic Salt Cod
- Sourdough Bread topped with an Egg, Avocado, and Tomato.
Example Snacks:
- Sardines or Smoked Salmon
- Mixed Berries and Heavy Cream
- Beef Jerky
As one can see, the evolutionary diet is not only accessible but steers away from the boring or blatantly unhealthy trends sweeping social media (trust me, just because you have “shifted your mindset” surrounding food choices does not mean you can get away with eating copious amounts of sugar — something social media dietitians love to promote).
The Takeaway
If one is completely overwhelmed by the field of nutrition, consider the lazy approach I have presented because at least you are not experimenting with all of the newly synthesized artificial additives, nasty byproducts, and chemicals you and I both can not pronounce.
Promoting a healthy mind and body through nutrition is key to longevity, happiness, and an all together enjoyable life free from sickness or disease.
Until you are fully confident with your health and happiness (even your back pain might be linked to nutrition), ensuring you make the correct dietary changes is vital.
