“The Western Diet”

Basic Facts and Background

“AKA Western dietary pattern”“or meat-sweet diet”The favored diet of developed countries, and becoming more popular in developing countriesOriginates from the U.S. and spreads around the world!

A Note

Because people’s diets vary so much, we can’t say that someone only follows one diet.Instead, individuals are usually ranked according to how closely their diet lines up with a diet.So we might say that someone’s diet is 80% western.

“Issues Caused by Western Diet”

This diet is positively correlated with:“Obesity”“Death from heart disease”“Cancer (especially colon)”Why is this?

“Nutritional Features of Western”“High saturated fat”“High refined sugar”As opposed to natural sugars in fruit or veggies.“High salt”These are the three main culprits.“Low in nutrients and fresh food”

Was it always like this in America?

Nope.“Western diet has changed more in 140 years than in previous 10,000.”Why?All started with the rolling mill: 1860’s, to refine flour…started a snowball effect!

Are the problems new?

“British health workers in American colonies noted growing illnesses as refined food was introduced to native people”Before then, native people in America had a traditional diet.Whole foods!

For the new folks in the room…

What is a whole food?We’re not talking about the store!“Whole foods are unprocessed foods; we eat the entire food.”As opposed to soy lecithin, or corn syrup, or soy protein.

Here’s the catch…

Traditional diets are diverse!Maasai: meat, milk, cattle bloodInuit in Greenland: whale blubber and lichensCentral Americans: corn and beans

So what can we conclude?

There’s no one ideal human diet!!So why doesn’t ours work?“Western food has been re-engineered by scientists.”Did Mrs. May just bash scientists?!Yup.

Why??Food wasn’t broken, and didn’t need fixing!“Western diets rely too heavily on food that is taken apart and put back together.”Processed food.Sugar from one plant + protein from another + flavor from another…

“Most processed food contains cheap, subsidized corn or soy.”The government gives money to the farmers, the farmers make more corn and soy,The corn and soy is broken into many pieces and put into everything you can think of.

When did this begin, big-time?

“1980’s: beginning of processed, enriched foods.”It’s better than food! It’s a food-product!

…and every few years, a new nutrition fad comes along.1988…the year of oat bran…Now with…Lower carbs!No cholesterol!More fiber!Poor bananas and sweet potatoes, never-changing, can’t compete with advertising.17,000 new products a year!

Why doesn’t engineering work?

Food is packaged the way it should be to begin with.“Humans evolved to eat whole foods, not food parts.”Look at antioxidants.They’re amazing chemicals that prevent diseases.

Found in…

But take them out and put them in a pill, and they don’t do anything.In fact, studies show that beta-carotene supplements increase the risk of certain cancers.Why?Humans evolved thousands of years ago to eat plants as they were then.

Thyme contains:4-Terpineol, alanine, anethole, apigenin, ascorbic

acid, beta carotene, caffeic acid, camphene, carvacrol, chlorogenic acid, chrysoerio, eriodictyol, eugenol, ferulic acid, gallic acid, gamma-terpinnene isochlorogenic acid, isoeugenol, isothymonin, kaempferol, labiatic acid, lauric acid, linalyl acetate, luteolin, methionine, myrcene, myristic acid, naringenin, oleanolic acid, p-coumoric acid, p-hydroxy-benzoic acid, palmitic acid, rosmarinic acid, selenium, tannin, thymol, tryptophan, ursolic acid, vanillic acid…

“We cannot understand all chemical interactions in a whole food.”“So taking it apart and putting it back together, we lose important ingredients!”This is why getting soy protein from powder is not as good as getting soy protein from eating a soybean!

“Traditional Diets”So let’s look at some diets that do work.“Mediterranean diet:”“Olive oil, garlic, vegetables, fish, wild greens.”But there’s more…“Outdoor work.”This diet goes hand-in-hand with exercise!

So we need to keep in mind that food and behavior go hand in hand. Case in point:“French diet: saturated fat and alcohol!”Why does this work?“Also small portions, no snacking, communal meals.”And eating as we talk, we eat slower!

“Japan’s Okinawa Diet”“Longest lifespan on Earth”More centenarians than any other culture.

Why?

“The Okinawa Centenarian Study began in 1975, and follows residents of Okinawa.”Full assessments of 900 centenarians have been done!They’re also in good shape!Lean, youthful-looking, energetic, low rates of disease

Okinawa vs. U.S.

Okinawa U.S.Life Expectancy

81.2 76.8

Coronary Heart Disease

18 100

Cancer 97 132

Per 100,000 people

Why?“Low caloric intake”“High fruits, veggies, good fats”Omega-3 from fish, mono-unsaturated from good oils“High fiber”

Other unique features“Hara hachi bu: only eating until 80% full”Natural physical activity(not in a gym, but in nature and working outdoors)

What does this mean for them?“Happier, less dementia, active lives.”97-year-old karate master