The health of our body and mind is a direct result of the environment we’re exposed to. I call the practice, ‘engineering your environment’. And this environment is predominantly under our control.
One of the areas that we can directly influence is what we consume. What, how, and when we eat remains and afterthought for many but as we age, being more diligent is a priority if we want to live a vital life.
Part of this diligence involves avoiding a reductionist approach (i.e., the breaking down of a thought or thing into its constituent parts) as much as possible.
I try to consume whole foods with minimal processing. Whole foods contain all the nutrients and delivery mechanisms that nature designed, while foods reduced to their constituent parts lose their inherently perfect functionality.
A great example I often discuss is the difference between processed caffeine and green tea. While both provide the caffeine that can enhance focus and energy levels, green tea provides so much more.
Green tea contains a class of antioxidants called catechins – the most researched being epigallocatechin gallate (ECGG) - that help fight oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is a key contributor to generalized inflammation.
There has also been extensive research showing green tea’s benefits for heart and brain health as well.
Despite being inundated with dietary advice and binary statements as to what we should or should not eat – and yes, I’m aware of the irony here - we needn’t give up. Choices like green tea remind us that whole foods (mostly plants), preferably organic, and consumed responsibly, embrace everything nature intended us to consume.
And when in doubt…
Pause. Breathe, And Quiet the NOISE.