You Are What You Eat

Have you ever heard the saying “you are what you eat”?  Well, if you haven’t I’d probably call you a liar… but the bigger point here, is how often have we heard this yet don’t really take it for what its worth?  I challenge you to take a good look at the food you are putting in your body and tell me if you think (honestly) that it’s all nutritious and devoid of preservatives, high fructose corn syrup, heavy metals, and other chemicals we can’t pronounce that are slowly changing the way our bodies utilize fuels and metabolize properly.  Why do you think cancer rates continue to rise at such a fast and scary rate?

This idea always makes me think of those Breyer’s Ice Cream commercials that market themselves as having 5 ingredients all of which you can pronounce and are actual whole food ingredients.  How did we get so caught up in thinking that chemicals in our food; that are in fact causing damage to our bodies but make our french fries taste just a little more flavorful are better for us than just plain nutritious and delicious real vegetables?!

It brings me to the reason for this post.  As a sports trainer and studying health practitioner, diet is a HUGE part of your health and wellness.  Our bodies are fine tuned machines that run most efficiently on the best sources of fuel!  You wouldn’t put crappy oil and gas in your car to prolong its lifespan would you?  Unfortunately, I think many of you reading this would second guess your answer to that question, but let’s reiterate; if money were no object, you would use only the best of the best and ironically using high quality over the long run will save you more money in the end as you’ll have preserved the wellness of your car… so you see where I’m going with this.  Why would you compromise your own health and wellness now by putting crappy foods with no real whole food nutrition in them into your body, and risk not only feeling crappy, but it’s been linked with tendencies of depression, fatigue, and a higher risk & frequency for illness just to name a few.

Benji (my husband; who is also a trainer and nutritionist extraordinaire) just sent me this article from Consumer Reports on protein drinks and what exactly is in them.  It’s a tough game, since these protein supplements are sold as “health food” at health food stores and approved by the FDA and many people use them as a convenient way to lose weight and get on a healthy diet regimen.  It creates quite a contradiction!  Here’s something healthy, but really were just poisoning you slowly…  So, how do you really know what you are getting?  Well, finding a good honest and trustworthy source is VERY important as well as informing yourself about the products you use.  Especially considering the following stat; Food and Drug allows there to be a 40% difference between what is in the bottle and what is listed!  Here is a link to the article;  How About Some Heavy Metals With That Protein; & they aren’t talking about rock music!

For the full report:

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine-archive/2010/july/food/protein-drinks/overview/index.htm

& a quick reference of the formulas tested:

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine-archive/2010/july/food/protein-drinks/whats-in-your-protein-drink/index.htm

 In Chinese Medicine, we use a lot of food therapy much like diet therapy and recommend to patients  to eat certain foods and not others based on their individual diagnosis.  Naturopaths on the same hand use nutritional therapy as well basing their regimen on the quality and quantity of vitamins and minerals you get from specific foods.  The point is, what we eat has a tremendous effect on the function and wellness of our bodies and we should treat ourselves & our bodies with respect.

When shopping for supplements & protein, it’s nice to have sources you can trust & that have done all the research for you so you feel confident that you are getting a high quality source every time.  The two following sites are my go-to sites for supplements of all kinds; they are both from highly informed professionals whose goals are to provide you with the information, the goods and the ease of knowing  you have spent your money well!

www.marksdailyapple.com

www.mercola.com

Since we are on the topic of information and you are looking for good sources:

www.ewg.org

www.consumerreports.org

Till next time!  Hope this helps and be well!

Erin

About eresko

I am a licensed Acupuncturist and NCCAOM Board certified Diplomat of Oriental Medicine. I live in Hailey, Idaho, where I have an Acupuncture practice, Erin Hill Acupuncture as well as a type of Integrative Wellness Care practice, Tune Up. I am also a Level I & II certified Kettlebell Instructor and teach private classes in the Wood River Valley, Idaho. I have been very active in sports and athletics since I can remember. I received my BS in Integrative Physiology at the University of Colorado @ Boulder. In my practice I utilize all modalities to help get you where you want to be, whether with Acupuncture, Nutrition, or Kettlebell training. I am well versed in treating Sports specific conditions; pain, injuries, strains & sprains and use my knowledge of the body both from a Chinese Medical standpoint and a traditional Western one; a concept that most of my patients are familiar with. In addition, I incorporate my knowledge of the physical body & how we move, where restrictions, pain, or tightness may reside and how that, in turn, affects the internal organs or vice versa. For each individual that walks through my door, I am able to assess what each person needs as far as therapy to achieve their goals. Each person is different, inside and out and treatments should reflect that. Among my modalities, I use Acupuncture, Chinese Herbs, Tuina (a type of Chinese bodywork), Japanese style Acupuncture, Moxibustion, Nutrition, and Lifestyle coaching as well as my Kettlebell training for rehab and for improving one's fitness level.
This entry was posted in Nutrition and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

4 Responses to You Are What You Eat

  1. Kerri says:

    thanks for the post, erin! information we should all be aware of. i’ve posted it on my facebook page as well…i think the thing that continues to bother me is that we are constantly in a position of doing all of our own research regarding the safety of the food and products we use and ingest! as a mother and sports trainer, i am always challenged against conventional wisdom in my choices and beliefs in health and nutrition!

    • Erin says:

      Well said Kerri! It helps that you are aware of these things and know how to get informed by trusted sources! I think the saddest part about it all, is that we should all be able to trust the agencies and companies that supply us with these healthy foods and supplements; but the power of greed & money all overshadow the importance of our promoting true health. Maybe someday we can change all of that! That’s one reason I really appreciate things like the Jamie Oliver show, it’s a great way to use the entertainment industry as a means of getting the word out there and actually reaching out to people in a way that they will listen… change is on the way, slowly but surely! Thanks for the comment! Hope all is well, kick butt tomorrow in your bike race! I’ll be thinking about you guys!

  2. Aaron Hill says:

    hey erin great article we have been doing a good job down here on the “benji” diet. Getting super healthy with all local CSA organic produce (made veggie/sausage soup for dinner last night with all either my or local veggies and some local sausage and good local olive oil). Yum. See you soon I hope?

    • Erin says:

      That’s awesome! Isn’t it fun to eat fresh local foods, and right out of your beautiful garden no less! I was just looking at your pictures from Mexico and was telling Benji how great you guys look! Do I get to see you guys this summer? When are you coming into town? I will be there for the beginning of July until the 18th! Say hi to Erika and Red-man!

Comments are closed.