Don’t get me wrong, it’s a lovely word when you’re talking about financial planning or stuff like that. Once people start applying it to the toxins they add to their bodies, it becomes an ugly word especially if there’s food addiction involved. Hear me out (or is it “read” me out?).
Trigger warning: This might go against everything you thought you were comfortable with when it comes to eating.
As Michael Greger, M.D., says, “Sure, you can choose moderation — and hit yourself with a smaller hammer. But why beat yourself up at all?” I love this quote.
It’s in most of our natures, as we get older, to apply the “law of moderation” to everything. Balance is key in our relationships, in our financial dealings, in our clothing, and on and on. But, should it apply to the stuff we eat, drink, take? Seriously. I’ve heard this plenty of times: “I can eat anything I want in moderation if I eat well most of the time because I can’t live without _______”. If you subscribe to this belief, I have a couple of questions for you:
- How many cigarettes should people smoke, in moderation?
- How much cocaine should a toddler be given, in moderation?
- How much alcohol should an alcoholic drink, in moderation?
- How much heroin should a heroin user shoot up, in moderation?
I think you get my point. I know, I know… you’re thinking “pfft, those things are bad for me but food is food and that can be in moderation”. But, why do we consider toxic and addictive foods to be the exception? All foods are drugs. Just like nicotine, cocaine, alcohol, or heroin. Some foods are way more toxic to our bodies than others (like fatty, oily foods, most animal products, refined sugars, etc.) especially the ones that cause addiction. The effects of unhealthy foods and their by-product toxins don’t just disappear once you’ve digested them – they linger. They affect your digestive tract, your brain, your nervous system, all of your cells, your circulatory system, your DNA — everything! And, they cause you to become addicted to the immediate affects of them (think about how chocolate makes you feel, or those greasy french fries) making it feel like “this can’t be that bad for me if it makes me feel so good”. (Want to read more about those greasy fries and your brain? Click here.)
When a person is battling an addiction such as alcoholism, there’s no moderation for them. They can’t do it. If they have a drink, they have to face the decision again of whether they want to continue down that path or start all over with abstaining from alcohol. Same with any toxic addiction. The biggest problem for them is when they decide that they were able to handle that one drink then maybe they can handle having just one drink a week. But, the next thing they know, they’re out of control again.
So, what am I saying?
If you know that french fries are your “weakness”, like you legitimately say “I could never give up french fries”, then cut them out entirely. Don’t tell yourself, “Oh, I can eat a few once a week” because you can’t — you’re addicted. And, if you’ve been trying for a long time to be healthier or lose weight by using the “everything in moderation” mantra, I believe that it’s holding you back. I mean, it can’t hurt to try, right? You know the slogan “Betcha can’t have just one”? It’s easier to stay away than it is to “moderate” your intake. And, let’s face it, you’re not going to die from not having those addictive foods (though it may seem like it for the first few weeks as you detox).
After Thought: Dr. Fuhrman’s Nutritarian plan starts people out with the first six weeks removing everything that is considered unhealthy from their diets (and from their homes). It takes about six weeks to have your tastebuds get back to normal after the fake food has reprogrammed them. So, instead of using the law of moderation, try the cold turkey approach.
Hart Health 