Hello friends! I hope you’re having a great weekend!
This is probably the post that has sit on my “draft list” the longest. I have started this “trilogy” I want to write starting from the quote below from an interview with Target’s CEO:
I take this approach to perform “the very best” every day: Sleep (train) and eat just like you would if you’re playing in the US Open or the Super Bowl.
While this might sound like an exaggeration, I really liked how this puts the focus of the energy we all put in our everyday life (regardless of the challenge, I know I’m not playing the US Open) and how it comes from a few inputs: how you sleep, how you eat and (I added) how you exercise.
I already wrote about sleeping a few months back, and in a few weeks I intend to write a piece on training and how I have come to appreciate the importance of these 3 areas on personal well being.
One of the most interesting concepts in the last years is the evolution of medicine and health practitioners from lifespan (i.e. how long you live) to healthspan: the number of years we spend in good health, free from chronic diseases or disabilities that significantly impair our daily functioning.
There’s a very interesting question that I read a longevity doctor asks to his patients in the first visit, and that is not “how long do you want to live?” but rather “regardless of when that is, how do you envision yourself in the last 10 years of your life? What actions do you see yourself doing on an average day?”. The question spins the focus from length (which by the way we can’t control) to health, which is something on which we at least have some influence on.
Diet is one key input to healthspan. And while we’d all love a magic pill that solves all the problems, reality looks a lot more like this:
In the past years I, as most middle-age people like me, spent a lot of time consuming content (books, documentaries, shows) about eating, food and diet. The reason why I say this is going to be a very controversial topic is that I have come to appreciate that few topics get people, at least in my social circle, more fired up than “what you should eat”.
Everyone has the secret for eternal life, everyone has super strong opinions and everyone knows what is “really bad for you”.
I am going to try and NOT do this in this post, I actually would like to start from the opposite: this is a very fascinating topic, and this concept of focusing on health-span vs lifespan (i.e. living well the time we have) is something that has captured a lot of imagination and research lately. As you can see in this tweet, there’s so much research and “methods” that it’s even hard to keep track. These go from the hardcore approach of people like Ben Johnson, who’s trying to reverse his biological ageing through maniac approach and measurement (e.g. through extreme vegan diet and border-line horror practices) to people that take this more as a “guidance” but then apply their own rules.
I actually really enjoyed this Instagram post’s perspective: never be judging. And also, it’s all relative. Let’s not focus on what one is eating or doing in this specific moment but rather on her/his journey and on the continuous attempt we all make to be “the best version of ourselves”.
After this very long caveat, let’s dive into the notes I have taken from several things I have read on the topic. The one thing that I probably liked the most, and from which I am going to source most of the content below is the book How Not to Die, that is written by a physician (the creator of NutritionFacts.org) who uses science and data to highlight what are the foods that are proven to prevent and reverse disease.
Non controversial facts
(Things I have found evidence of in all the things I have read)
Calories are not all the same - Not all calories are created equal, especially when it comes to a healthy diet. The nutritional value of different types of food can vary greatly, even if they have the same number of calories. For instance, 100 calories of broccoli will provide a different set of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients than 100 calories of chocolate. A healthy diet is not just about calorie intake but also about the nutrient density of the food we consume.
So while calories are usually a good “directional guidance” to understand how healthy a diet is, using that as the only proxy is a big mistake.
Alcohol Consumption: Alcohol is harmful to health.At this point this insight on Alcohol is not controversial anymore, there’s plenty of scientific evidence showing that drinking alcohol is not good for you. And the less you drink, the better. It can lead to liver disease, heart problems, certain types of cancer, and neurological damage. It can also contribute to obesity due to its high calorie content. I know, this is a tough one to accept but alcohol is bad.
Body Mass Index (BMI): Maintaining a healthy BMI is crucial for overall health. A BMI that's too high or too low can lead to a variety of health problems, including heart disease, diabetes, and even certain types of cancer. If one had to take one single metric of correlation between health-span and body measures, BMI would be it.
Importance of Variety: Eating a variety of foods ensures that you get a wide range of nutrients. Different foods contain different types and amounts of key nutrients, so eating a wide variety helps ensure you get all the nutrients you need.
Portion Control: Even healthy foods can contribute to weight gain if you eat them in large amounts. Portion control is key to maintaining a healthy weight.
Water Consumption: Water is essential for life. It aids in digestion, nutrient absorption, and waste removal. It also helps regulate body temperature and maintain electrolyte balance.
Fruits and Vegetables: Fruits and vegetables are packed with essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber. They are low in calories and high in volume, which can help you feel full and satisfied without overeating.
Processed Foods: Processed foods often contain unhealthy amounts of added sugars, sodium, and unhealthy fats. They are also typically low in fiber and essential nutrients. This one is also hard, I know. Being an italian grown on pane e prosciutto, and having live in Spain where Jamon is a religion this is a tough one… but we need to stick to evidence, the less the better.
Salt and Sugar (added): this is another one where it’s hard to ignore evidence. I have never found any source arguing that reducing added sugar or salt to your plate would not be a good idea. The less the better, especially because most food already have salt and sugar that our body needs.
Controversial Facts:
(Things where there’s less unidirectional literature, and that will cause fights in friends chats!)
Meat and Fish Consumption: Some argue that meat and fish are essential sources of protein and other nutrients, such as vitamin B12 and omega-3 fatty acids. Others argue that these nutrients can be obtained from plant sources, and that meat and fish consumption contributes to heart disease, cancer, and other health problems. Personally I try to limit meat and fish but I have never fully removed them.
Role of Carbohydrates: Some diets, like the ketogenic diet, advocate for low carbohydrate intake, arguing that it leads to weight loss and improved metabolic health. Others argue that carbohydrates are an essential source of energy and that whole food sources of carbohydrates, like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, are part of a healthy diet. I am Italian, so carbs are life (although whole grain, maybe not every day, etc)!
Fat vs Sugar: Some argue that dietary fat, particularly saturated fat, is the main driver of heart disease. Others argue that sugar, particularly added sugars, are to blame. The truth likely lies somewhere in between, with excessive intake of either being harmful.
Fasting: Some argue that intermittent fasting, or going extended periods without eating, has health benefits such as weight loss and improved metabolic health. Others argue that regular meals are important for maintaining energy levels and getting all the nutrients your body needs. Similar discussions happen on the role of breakfast…
Superfoods and the Daily Dozen
An interesting and quite practical concept that the author of the book introduces is this list of “Daily Dozen”.
As the list of foods I tried to fit into my daily diet grew, I made a checklist and had it on a little dry-wipe board on the fridge. We would make a game out of ticking off the boxes. This evolved into the Daily Dozen. Checks are the daily servings of each one:
By beans, I mean legumes, which comprise all the different kinds of beans, including soyabeans, split peas, chickpeas, and lentils. While eating a bowl of pea soup or dipping carrots into hummus may not seem like eating beans, it is. You should try to get three servings a day. A serving is defined as 60 grams of hummus or bean dip; 130 grams of cooked beans, split peas, lentils, tofu, or tempeh; or 150 grams of fresh peas or sprouted lentils.
Though peanuts are technically legumes, nutritionally, I’ve grouped them in the Nuts category, just as I would consider green (snap or string) beans to be better placed in the Other Vegetables category.
Serving of berries is 60 grams of fresh or frozen, or 40 grams of dried. While biologically speaking, avocados, bananas, and even watermelons are technically berries, I’m using the colloquial term for any small edible fruit, which is why I include kumquats and grapes (and raisins) in this category, as well as fruits that are typically thought of as berries but aren’t technically, such as blackberries, cherries, mulberries, raspberries, and strawberries.
This list basically overlaps with most of the content I have read on the topic (e.g. Sandro Veronesi’s book argues that “Pasta e Fagioli” is basically a medicine!) and it also ties to the cultural heritage of favoring low meat&fish diet, having “coloured” vegetables and fruits as often as possible and doubling down on berries.
And at the end of the day… this is our grandparents’ diet! Low animal proteins (because that was hard to find), lots of vegetables and whole grains and very little processed food (both processed snack and processed meat).
My take aways from reading these books and listening to hours of Huberman nerdy deep dives while running is: the choices we make when we pick our food or choose our lifestyle have an impact on the quality of our life.
Everyone’s journey towards health isn't just about what we eat or how we exercise; it's about designing a lifestyle that brings us energy, vitality, and well-being. This journey is personal and unique for each of us. As we deal with the myriad of dietary advice and health trends, it's very important to remember that there's no one-size-fits-all solution. What matters most is finding a balance that works for you – one that allows for occasional indulgences while keeping you on the path to your best self.
There’s a very good closing remark in the book from Dr. Kim Williams, who became president of the American College of Cardiology. He was asked why he chose to eat a strictly plant-based diet. “I don’t mind dying,” Dr. Williams said. “I just don’t want it to be my fault.”
Mens sana in corpore sano!
Wish you a great weekend
G