December 12, 2024 • 21 mins
Is “everything in moderation” the holy grail of health—or just another dietary myth that’s leading us astray? In this fiery sermon on Blasphemous Nutrition, Aimee pulls back the curtain on this so-called sacred advice, challenging its vague, one-size-fits-all gospel with her signature sass and unholy candor.
Aimee lays bare how modern food systems, misleading health guidelines, and the cult of convenience have turned “moderation” into a false idol, exposing how the ambiguity around moderation leaves us wandering in the wilderness of confusion, craving direction and balance.
But salvation is at hand! The real path to dietary enlightenment is one that starts with listening to your body’s wisdom and ends with using tools like lab tests and personal health goals to discover your true north. Along the way, Aimee critiques the food industry and vague government policies, but celebrates Canada’s low-risk alcohol guidelines as a rare beacon of nuanced advice that can be transferred as a starting point for other consumables that need guardrails. Tune in for the unvarnished real talk and take the first step toward writing your own gospel of health. Hallelujah!
Key Takeaways:
- The phrase "Everything in moderation" is often misinterpreted due to its ambiguous nature and lack of a clear definition.
- The Canadian guidelines for alcohol consumption offer a nuanced perspective, highlighting a continuum of risk rather than fixed limits.
- For significant health improvements, it's essential to critically evaluate dietary advice and find what is sustainable and effective for you.
- Personalized health strategies, informed by both internal cues and external data, are necessary to manage or prevent disease effectively.
Resources:
Canadian Guidance on Alcohol and Health
Find Research Citations and Transcript at Blasphemous Nutrition on Substack
Photography by: Dai Ross Photography
Podcast Cover Art: Lilly Kate Creative
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Hey Rebels, welcome toBlasphemous Nutrition.
Consider this podcast yourpantry full of clarity,
perspective, and the nuanceneeded to counter the
superficial health advice sofreely given on the internet.
I'm Aimee, the unapologeticallycandid host of Blasphemous
Nutrition and a double degreednutritionist with 20 years
experience.
(00:22):
I'm here to share a more nuancedtake.
On living and eating well tosustain and recover your health.
If you've found most healthadvice to be so generic as to be
meaningless, We're so extremethat it's unrealistic, and you
don't mind the occasional Fbomb.
You've come to the right place.
From dissecting the latestnutrition trends to breaking
(00:43):
down published research andsharing my own clinical
experiences, I'm on a mission tofoster clarity amidst all the
confusion and empower you tohave the help you need to live a
life you love.
Now let's get started.
MacBook Air Microphone (00:59):
Welcome back to bless him as nutrition.
I'm your host, Aimee.
And I'm thinking about investingin this new up and coming
grocery store called moderation.
I mean, they have everything.
B A S S
I think it'll be quite popular.
And that folks is the campussegway I can think of to take us
(01:21):
into today's topic, everythingin moderation.
In the pushback against dietculture, we are being told that
moderation is the key to health.
What the hell does that evenmean?
It has no clear definition.
It is 100% open tointerpretation.
(01:42):
And that's precisely what bigfood likes about this phrase,
which is why they've been usingit for decades and why they have
encouraged the us government touse this meaningless buzzword as
well, without providing anyguardrails about what that might
actually mean.
In theory, everything inmoderation is actually something
(02:03):
I stand behind.
But we are so many generationsinto a thoroughly perverted food
system, misled by lack of propereducation, the gap having been
filled in by excessiveadvertising and increasingly
polarized nutrition extremespromoted by influencers that the
(02:23):
reality is very few of us haveany accurate idea what
moderation actually means.
After watching supersize me andthat dates me quite a bit.
You may think that moderationmeans fast food two or three
times a week.
When health guidelines describemoderate drinking as seven
(02:44):
alcoholic drinks a week.
Why wouldn't you think this wasa reasonable amount, but what if
none of that was actuallymoderate?
If you have been taught all yourlife to be disconnected from
your body, by carving it throughstarvation, sweat, or surgery,
to be a certain size.
To hide it or flaunt it as ameans of protection or security.
(03:06):
And when engaging in physicalactivities, as part of a
well-rounded education becameunimportant in pursuit of living
exclusively in our thoughts,ideas, and feelings.
It's no wonder that people don'thave a really clear sense of
what to do.
To maintain or improve theirhealth and be connected to the
body they live in.
(03:26):
We are a little, okay.
We're a lot like domesticatedzoo animals, our instincts and
our common sense has witheredaway and we've become completely
dependent upon outside sourcesto guide us.
Unfortunately much of the adviceout there is far too generalized
to be helpful beyond initialsteps.
(03:46):
For healthy people to preservetheir health.
Although the more, the foodindustry influences public
research, the less true eventhat becomes.
With more people in developednations sick than healthy
general food guidelines are notgoing to cut the mustard
(04:06):
anymore.
I really long for all of you toexperience the wildness of being
connected to your body and awareof those internal cues.
They are deeply helpful, notjust in terms of the foods to
consume, but really all aspectsof living a good fulfilling
(04:26):
life.
Finding out what moderationmeans for you?
Requires looking in listeningand taking notes.
It is not something that someoneelse can do for you.
Although your healthprofessionals can certainly be a
guide in learning how to listenand provide interpretations for
(04:47):
some of the messages that yourbody does give you.
Now, this is also to be balancedwith external data from labs.
As most of the diseases of ourtime are relatively silent until
they become life-threatening.
Um, looking at you heartdisease.
Our bodies are always talking tous though.
(05:07):
Often, we don't hear them orunderstand what they're saying
until they are screaming.
One of the best ways to beginknowing what moderation means
for you is assessing your truehunger and fullness or satiety.
This can be assessed through aone to five scale or a one to 10
scale either is fine.
(05:29):
Whichever you prefer.
Check in before a meal andnumerically rate where you lie
on that scale.
If one is famished and yourchosen top number five or 10 is
excessively full or stuffed.
And check in during your meal tosee where along that numerical
(05:49):
system, you lie on any giventime.
And this can actually help youdiscover that your body is no
longer hungry long before youfinish what's on your plate.
Simply having a better sense ofwhen you are no longer hungry
can begin to help you decidewhere moderation, at least in
terms of food, quantity lies foryou.
(06:12):
Now many of us get to a place ofunderstanding what moderate
alcohol consumption is throughexperimentation and college.
We understand what happens whenwe go overboard and unless
addiction is a factor we aim tostay under that threshold of
getting sick.
Now while American and Britishguidelines for alcohol
consumption are pretty lenientat one to two units a day,
(06:35):
depending on sex.
What our body can handle isoften, much, much lower than
that.
Current guidelines canexacerbate elevated
triglycerides, fatty liverdisease, weight, gain, blood
sugar issues, cancer risk, andnutrient depletion in many, if
not, most people.
(06:55):
Alcohol is not a requirednutrient and no dose is the
healthiest dose.
However.
We all live in the real worldand not everybody is interested
in being abstinent.
Last year Canada went beyond thestandard recommendation of an
upper limit and createdguidelines for low risk drinking
(07:18):
based upon the availableresearch.
Here's what they've outlined andI'm quoting.
The guidance is based on theprinciple of autonomy in harm
reduction, and the fundamentalidea behind it that people
living in Canada have a right toknow that all alcohol use comes
(07:40):
with risk.
Key points from the guidanceinclude, there is a continuum of
risk associated with weeklyalcohol use where the risk of
harm is.
A.
Zero drinks per week.
Not drinking has benefits suchas better health and better
sleep.
B two standard drinks or lessper week.
(08:04):
You are likely to avoid alcoholrelated consequences for
yourself or others at thislevel.
C..
Three to six standard drinks perweek.
Your risk of developing severaltypes of cancer, including
breast and colon cancerincreases at this level.
(08:26):
Side note, this is below.
Guidelines for the United Statesas well as Britain.
D.
Seven standard drinks or moreper week.
Your risk of heart disease orstroke increases significantly
at this level.
E each additional standard drinkradically increases the risk of
(08:49):
alcohol related consequences.
And then the Canadian guidelinesgo on to state the following.
Consuming more than two standarddrinks per occasion is
associated with increased risksof harm to self and others,
including injuries and violence.
(09:09):
When pregnant or trying to getpregnant, there is no known safe
amount of alcohol use.
When breastfeeding not drinkingalcohol is safest.
No matter where you are on thecontinuum for your health, less
alcohol is better.
End quote.
Now, this is a radicallydifferent take than less than
(09:33):
one drink per day for females ortwo drinks per day for males is
safe.
Do you see the nuance thatCanadians have offered?
Did you note that Canadianhealth officials acknowledge
such radical concepts as acontinuum of risk?
And each person having autonomyto make informed decisions as
(09:55):
being a thing.
Other countries may want to situp and take note of this.
So we want to consider theseCanadian guidelines, this idea
of a continuum of risk, as itpertains to other foods that we
may be looking to moderate, suchas carbohydrates sugars.
Processed foods, foods that weknow or suspect we are
(10:18):
intolerant to.
Sometimes, depending on whatyou're aiming to mitigate even
healthy foods have to be putalong this continuum to keep
one's blood sugar balancedweight in check.
And digestive issues at bay.
For most of us, zero carbs,total carbohydrate.
Abstinence is not the answer.
(10:39):
And for most of us not beingmindful of carbohydrate intake
at all is also not the answer.
Most Americans, Brits andAustralian adults are already on
the path of metabolic disease.
So the status quo that has beennormalized.
Exceeds what our toleranceallows.
(11:00):
Now, when it comes to improvingor preserving your own health.
Chances are you already have asense that there are
improvements to be made?
With nutrition and movementprogress also occurs on a
continuum where even if itdoesn't look as good as you may
want it to starting with whatyou can sustain and manage is
still improvement and it stillmakes an impact.
(11:22):
Maybe it's a 10 minute walk aday, maybe it's changing your
breakfast.
So it includes more nutrients orstaying mindful at one to two
meals a day to see how your bodyfeels with the food choices and
the amounts of food that you'reconsuming daily.
Maybe you have the bandwidth formore substantial changes.
So you begin a new diet orexercise program laid out by an
(11:45):
author, an influencer, orpreferably a health
professional.
After a specific period of time,say a week, a fortnight a month.
Assess what you notice that haschanged if it is not
satisfactory, look for ways toimprove.
This may be doing more.
It may be doing somethingdifferent.
It may mean doing less.
(12:08):
More is not always better,especially when it comes to
elimination diets, like a lowFODMAP diet AIP, paleo.
Rigid diet plans like ketovegan, carnivore.
And so on.
Now if things are going well,then you also assess external
measurements if needed.
Get your labs checked.
(12:29):
How are they doing?
Is there a change in how yourclothing fits?
Are you needing less medication,either number of medications or
the dose of your medication?
This can also guide you indeciding if the changes that you
have made are not enough,enough, or too much.
Now from here, sustainabilityneeds to be addressed.
(12:50):
How sustainable is what I amdoing.
If it's easy, keep at it.
If it's easy and it's notproducing the desired results,
you've got wiggle room to domore.
If you believe more is still theright direction to go.
Increase the walk or yourmeditation from 10 minutes to 15
minutes a day, for example.
(13:11):
If you are on the greatest dietor yoga schedule or meditation
in the world, but it's totallyunsustainable for you.
It's not going to last.
And to be Frank, the entire dietand fitness industry is betting
on that.
And they're betting that you'llbe back for more.
So we have to take the elementsof what works from what we have
(13:32):
tried and lean in thatdirection, but do so in a way
that we can sustain for thelongterm.
Now as you can probably realizefinding what moderation means
for you is not exactly a quickor even an easy process.
Give yourself time to figure outwhat works.
To get the results that you'relooking for.
(13:53):
This is very much a trial anderror adventure.
When I work with clients, I workwith them for a minimum of three
months.
As we discover together what isgoing to get them, the results
that they're looking for whilekeeping sustainability top of
mind.
They go out, try agreed uponstrategies and then come back
(14:14):
and report how it went.
And we adjust from there ifneeded.
In time, they have a customizedsystem that is sustainable
meets.
Their body's needs is flexibleand takes into account
fluctuating life circumstances,but also takes into account
their emotional needs andlogistical challenge that they
may run into as a consideration.
(14:36):
Everything in moderation is acheap throw away Quip that gets
a lot of agencies andprofessionals off the hook for
having to teach others about theimportance of nuance and
discerning what they personallymay need to maintain or improve
their health.
If there's a condition you'relooking to manage or prevent,
what moderation means to youwill be different than someone
(15:00):
without these concerns.
When it comes to determiningyour own body's tolerance,
assessing how you can feelwithin the first minutes, hours,
or even the first couple of daysof eating a food or a meal can
guide you and ascertaining whatfoods are problematic and which
are beneficial.
Observing external impacts witha glucometer.
(15:22):
What you see in the toilet.
And sometimes even the scale canreflect.
The impact that a food or mealhas on your body, your digestive
system or inflammation, but thisis not a hundred percent
foolproof.
However it does get it on thenose about 80% of the time,
which is frequently enough tomake massive strides in your
(15:44):
energy, health, and longevity.
For some people, the impact of aspecific food or a type of meal,
lead them to stay away from itcompletely and choose
abstinence.
Others will find their balancethrough trial and error, and it
gives them the confidence of howmuch of what foods they can
enjoy.
Now in then without negativerepercussions.
(16:08):
All of this excludesacknowledging the addictive
nature that some foods can holdover us.
And this is something that hasto be taken into consideration
if it applies to you.
Everything in moderation isuseless.
If you do not have a sense ofwhat moderation means.
Given that we live in such adistorted food reality because
(16:31):
most of our food education comesfrom advertising and
influencers.
It's really not sound norpractical advice to choose
moderation as an overalldirection to bet your health
upon.
Acknowledging that yourgenetics, your lifestyle and
your current state of healthputs you somewhere along a
(16:51):
continuum and that your foodchoices will either advance,
maintain, or regress where youlie upon this continuum.
Is the first step in decidingwhat moderation even means in
your situation.
If you're healthy and looking tostay that way.
Developing body awareness andgaining a better understanding
(17:12):
of what food and how much ofwhat movement makes you feel
more energetic, happier, andhealthier.
And what does not is a goodplace to start.
More often than not choose foodsthat your great grandparents
would have had in their pantryand ice box.
If they were lucky enough tohave refrigeration and use your
internal sense of what feelsright.
(17:33):
And what doesn't coupled withannual or twice annual labs run
to ensure that when.
You are not eating like yourancestors.
It's not causing problems.
If you want to be superproactive work with a healthcare
provider who understandsnutrients.
And what nutrients are neededfor disease prevention.
(17:55):
Talk to them about your familyhistory so that you know, which
foods and nutrients to focus onthat will be especially
important for you given yourgenetic makeup.
Now if your body is alreadyshowing signs of disease or
metabolic dysfunction, which is93% of the adult American
population and 85% ofmiddle-class Australian adults.
(18:19):
The rules of the game change.
If you're listening to thispodcast, chances are I'm talking
to you.
You need to be thinking aboutreversing the disease risk at
this stage of your life andtaking more proactive measures
to preserve your health.
If your health is something youvalue.
(18:41):
The window of moderation isgoing to be narrower.
And finding out what moderationmeans in your situation may be
more complicated.
It will still start with thatbody awareness backed up with
lab work.
But it often requires morenuanced and aggressive measures
to turn the tide.
(19:01):
Once the body is alreadyentering a disease state.
When I say aggressive.
I do not mean excessive, nor doaggressive measures have to be
extreme.
Here is where we put on ourcritical thinking cap.
We evoke discernment and keepsustainability in mind.
(19:23):
As we take greater steps todelay or reverse health decline.
Folks, I hope this take onmoderation has been helpful for
you to rethink what that termmeans for you in your life and
where you are having healthconversations and moderation
comes up.
(19:43):
Be sure to check out thoseCanadian low risk alcohol
guidelines.
I've included those in the shownotes.
They really are the most adultrespectful way.
I think I've seen alcoholdiscussed when addressing a
broad general audience.
If you need help translating themessages your body is giving
you, determining what moderationactually will mean for you, or
(20:08):
even implementing the practicesthat do make you feel your best.
I am just a message away.
Reach out in the link below toschedule a complimentary
consultation to discuss yourneeds and concerns and see if we
would be a good team to worktogether, to advance your health
and fitness goals.
Until next time, my blast messbuddies, stay skeptical and
(20:31):
question the status quo.
When it doesn't serve you.
If you have found some Nuggetsof Wisdom, make sure to
subscribe, rate, and shareBlasphemous Nutrition with those
you care about.
As you navigate the labyrinth ofhealth advice out there,
remember, health is a journey,not a dietary dictatorship.
(20:52):
Stay skeptical, stay daring, andchallenge the norms that no
longer serve you.
If you've got burning questionsor want to share your own flavor
of rebellion, slide into my DMs.
Your stories fuel me, and I lovehearing them.
Thanks again for tuning in toBlasphemous Nutrition.
Until next time, this is Aimeesigning off, reminding you that
(21:15):
truth is nuanced, and any dishcan be made better with a little
bit of sass.
Hey Rebels, welcome toBlasphemous Nutrition.
Consider this podcast yourpantry full of clarity,
perspective, and the nuanceneeded to counter the
superficial health advice sofreely given on the internet.
I'm Aimee, the unapologeticallycandid host of Blasphemous
Nutrition and a double degreednutritionist with 20 years
experience.
(00:22):
I'm here to share a more nuancedtake.
On living and eating well tosustain and recover your health.
If you've found most healthadvice to be so generic as to be
meaningless, We're so extremethat it's unrealistic, and you
don't mind the occasional Fbomb.
You've come to the right place.
From dissecting the latestnutrition trends to breaking
(00:43):
down published research andsharing my own clinical
experiences, I'm on a mission tofoster clarity amidst all the
confusion and empower you tohave the help you need to live a
life you love.
Now let's get started.
MacBook Air Microphone (00:59):
Welcome back to bless him as nutrition.
I'm your host, Aimee.
And I'm thinking about investingin this new up and coming
grocery store called moderation.
I mean, they have everything.
B A S S
I think it'll be quite popular.
And that folks is the campussegway I can think of to take us
(01:21):
into today's topic, everythingin moderation.
In the pushback against dietculture, we are being told that
moderation is the key to health.
What the hell does that evenmean?
It has no clear definition.
It is 100% open tointerpretation.
(01:42):
And that's precisely what bigfood likes about this phrase,
which is why they've been usingit for decades and why they have
encouraged the us government touse this meaningless buzzword as
well, without providing anyguardrails about what that might
actually mean.
In theory, everything inmoderation is actually something
(02:03):
I stand behind.
But we are so many generationsinto a thoroughly perverted food
system, misled by lack of propereducation, the gap having been
filled in by excessiveadvertising and increasingly
polarized nutrition extremespromoted by influencers that the
(02:23):
reality is very few of us haveany accurate idea what
moderation actually means.
After watching supersize me andthat dates me quite a bit.
You may think that moderationmeans fast food two or three
times a week.
When health guidelines describemoderate drinking as seven
(02:44):
alcoholic drinks a week.
Why wouldn't you think this wasa reasonable amount, but what if
none of that was actuallymoderate?
If you have been taught all yourlife to be disconnected from
your body, by carving it throughstarvation, sweat, or surgery,
to be a certain size.
To hide it or flaunt it as ameans of protection or security.
(03:06):
And when engaging in physicalactivities, as part of a
well-rounded education becameunimportant in pursuit of living
exclusively in our thoughts,ideas, and feelings.
It's no wonder that people don'thave a really clear sense of
what to do.
To maintain or improve theirhealth and be connected to the
body they live in.
(03:26):
We are a little, okay.
We're a lot like domesticatedzoo animals, our instincts and
our common sense has witheredaway and we've become completely
dependent upon outside sourcesto guide us.
Unfortunately much of the adviceout there is far too generalized
to be helpful beyond initialsteps.
(03:46):
For healthy people to preservetheir health.
Although the more, the foodindustry influences public
research, the less true eventhat becomes.
With more people in developednations sick than healthy
general food guidelines are notgoing to cut the mustard
(04:06):
anymore.
I really long for all of you toexperience the wildness of being
connected to your body and awareof those internal cues.
They are deeply helpful, notjust in terms of the foods to
consume, but really all aspectsof living a good fulfilling
(04:26):
life.
Finding out what moderationmeans for you?
Requires looking in listeningand taking notes.
It is not something that someoneelse can do for you.
Although your healthprofessionals can certainly be a
guide in learning how to listenand provide interpretations for
(04:47):
some of the messages that yourbody does give you.
Now, this is also to be balancedwith external data from labs.
As most of the diseases of ourtime are relatively silent until
they become life-threatening.
Um, looking at you heartdisease.
Our bodies are always talking tous though.
(05:07):
Often, we don't hear them orunderstand what they're saying
until they are screaming.
One of the best ways to beginknowing what moderation means
for you is assessing your truehunger and fullness or satiety.
This can be assessed through aone to five scale or a one to 10
scale either is fine.
(05:29):
Whichever you prefer.
Check in before a meal andnumerically rate where you lie
on that scale.
If one is famished and yourchosen top number five or 10 is
excessively full or stuffed.
And check in during your meal tosee where along that numerical
(05:49):
system, you lie on any giventime.
And this can actually help youdiscover that your body is no
longer hungry long before youfinish what's on your plate.
Simply having a better sense ofwhen you are no longer hungry
can begin to help you decidewhere moderation, at least in
terms of food, quantity lies foryou.
(06:12):
Now many of us get to a place ofunderstanding what moderate
alcohol consumption is throughexperimentation and college.
We understand what happens whenwe go overboard and unless
addiction is a factor we aim tostay under that threshold of
getting sick.
Now while American and Britishguidelines for alcohol
consumption are pretty lenientat one to two units a day,
(06:35):
depending on sex.
What our body can handle isoften, much, much lower than
that.
Current guidelines canexacerbate elevated
triglycerides, fatty liverdisease, weight, gain, blood
sugar issues, cancer risk, andnutrient depletion in many, if
not, most people.
(06:55):
Alcohol is not a requirednutrient and no dose is the
healthiest dose.
However.
We all live in the real worldand not everybody is interested
in being abstinent.
Last year Canada went beyond thestandard recommendation of an
upper limit and createdguidelines for low risk drinking
(07:18):
based upon the availableresearch.
Here's what they've outlined andI'm quoting.
The guidance is based on theprinciple of autonomy in harm
reduction, and the fundamentalidea behind it that people
living in Canada have a right toknow that all alcohol use comes
(07:40):
with risk.
Key points from the guidanceinclude, there is a continuum of
risk associated with weeklyalcohol use where the risk of
harm is.
A.
Zero drinks per week.
Not drinking has benefits suchas better health and better
sleep.
B two standard drinks or lessper week.
(08:04):
You are likely to avoid alcoholrelated consequences for
yourself or others at thislevel.
C..
Three to six standard drinks perweek.
Your risk of developing severaltypes of cancer, including
breast and colon cancerincreases at this level.
(08:26):
Side note, this is below.
Guidelines for the United Statesas well as Britain.
D.
Seven standard drinks or moreper week.
Your risk of heart disease orstroke increases significantly
at this level.
E each additional standard drinkradically increases the risk of
(08:49):
alcohol related consequences.
And then the Canadian guidelinesgo on to state the following.
Consuming more than two standarddrinks per occasion is
associated with increased risksof harm to self and others,
including injuries and violence.
(09:09):
When pregnant or trying to getpregnant, there is no known safe
amount of alcohol use.
When breastfeeding not drinkingalcohol is safest.
No matter where you are on thecontinuum for your health, less
alcohol is better.
End quote.
Now, this is a radicallydifferent take than less than
(09:33):
one drink per day for females ortwo drinks per day for males is
safe.
Do you see the nuance thatCanadians have offered?
Did you note that Canadianhealth officials acknowledge
such radical concepts as acontinuum of risk?
And each person having autonomyto make informed decisions as
(09:55):
being a thing.
Other countries may want to situp and take note of this.
So we want to consider theseCanadian guidelines, this idea
of a continuum of risk, as itpertains to other foods that we
may be looking to moderate, suchas carbohydrates sugars.
Processed foods, foods that weknow or suspect we are
(10:18):
intolerant to.
Sometimes, depending on whatyou're aiming to mitigate even
healthy foods have to be putalong this continuum to keep
one's blood sugar balancedweight in check.
And digestive issues at bay.
For most of us, zero carbs,total carbohydrate.
Abstinence is not the answer.
(10:39):
And for most of us not beingmindful of carbohydrate intake
at all is also not the answer.
Most Americans, Brits andAustralian adults are already on
the path of metabolic disease.
So the status quo that has beennormalized.
Exceeds what our toleranceallows.
(11:00):
Now, when it comes to improvingor preserving your own health.
Chances are you already have asense that there are
improvements to be made?
With nutrition and movementprogress also occurs on a
continuum where even if itdoesn't look as good as you may
want it to starting with whatyou can sustain and manage is
still improvement and it stillmakes an impact.
(11:22):
Maybe it's a 10 minute walk aday, maybe it's changing your
breakfast.
So it includes more nutrients orstaying mindful at one to two
meals a day to see how your bodyfeels with the food choices and
the amounts of food that you'reconsuming daily.
Maybe you have the bandwidth formore substantial changes.
So you begin a new diet orexercise program laid out by an
(11:45):
author, an influencer, orpreferably a health
professional.
After a specific period of time,say a week, a fortnight a month.
Assess what you notice that haschanged if it is not
satisfactory, look for ways toimprove.
This may be doing more.
It may be doing somethingdifferent.
It may mean doing less.
(12:08):
More is not always better,especially when it comes to
elimination diets, like a lowFODMAP diet AIP, paleo.
Rigid diet plans like ketovegan, carnivore.
And so on.
Now if things are going well,then you also assess external
measurements if needed.
Get your labs checked.
(12:29):
How are they doing?
Is there a change in how yourclothing fits?
Are you needing less medication,either number of medications or
the dose of your medication?
This can also guide you indeciding if the changes that you
have made are not enough,enough, or too much.
Now from here, sustainabilityneeds to be addressed.
(12:50):
How sustainable is what I amdoing.
If it's easy, keep at it.
If it's easy and it's notproducing the desired results,
you've got wiggle room to domore.
If you believe more is still theright direction to go.
Increase the walk or yourmeditation from 10 minutes to 15
minutes a day, for example.
(13:11):
If you are on the greatest dietor yoga schedule or meditation
in the world, but it's totallyunsustainable for you.
It's not going to last.
And to be Frank, the entire dietand fitness industry is betting
on that.
And they're betting that you'llbe back for more.
So we have to take the elementsof what works from what we have
(13:32):
tried and lean in thatdirection, but do so in a way
that we can sustain for thelongterm.
Now as you can probably realizefinding what moderation means
for you is not exactly a quickor even an easy process.
Give yourself time to figure outwhat works.
To get the results that you'relooking for.
(13:53):
This is very much a trial anderror adventure.
When I work with clients, I workwith them for a minimum of three
months.
As we discover together what isgoing to get them, the results
that they're looking for whilekeeping sustainability top of
mind.
They go out, try agreed uponstrategies and then come back
(14:14):
and report how it went.
And we adjust from there ifneeded.
In time, they have a customizedsystem that is sustainable
meets.
Their body's needs is flexibleand takes into account
fluctuating life circumstances,but also takes into account
their emotional needs andlogistical challenge that they
may run into as a consideration.
(14:36):
Everything in moderation is acheap throw away Quip that gets
a lot of agencies andprofessionals off the hook for
having to teach others about theimportance of nuance and
discerning what they personallymay need to maintain or improve
their health.
If there's a condition you'relooking to manage or prevent,
what moderation means to youwill be different than someone
(15:00):
without these concerns.
When it comes to determiningyour own body's tolerance,
assessing how you can feelwithin the first minutes, hours,
or even the first couple of daysof eating a food or a meal can
guide you and ascertaining whatfoods are problematic and which
are beneficial.
Observing external impacts witha glucometer.
(15:22):
What you see in the toilet.
And sometimes even the scale canreflect.
The impact that a food or mealhas on your body, your digestive
system or inflammation, but thisis not a hundred percent
foolproof.
However it does get it on thenose about 80% of the time,
which is frequently enough tomake massive strides in your
(15:44):
energy, health, and longevity.
For some people, the impact of aspecific food or a type of meal,
lead them to stay away from itcompletely and choose
abstinence.
Others will find their balancethrough trial and error, and it
gives them the confidence of howmuch of what foods they can
enjoy.
Now in then without negativerepercussions.
(16:08):
All of this excludesacknowledging the addictive
nature that some foods can holdover us.
And this is something that hasto be taken into consideration
if it applies to you.
Everything in moderation isuseless.
If you do not have a sense ofwhat moderation means.
Given that we live in such adistorted food reality because
(16:31):
most of our food education comesfrom advertising and
influencers.
It's really not sound norpractical advice to choose
moderation as an overalldirection to bet your health
upon.
Acknowledging that yourgenetics, your lifestyle and
your current state of healthputs you somewhere along a
(16:51):
continuum and that your foodchoices will either advance,
maintain, or regress where youlie upon this continuum.
Is the first step in decidingwhat moderation even means in
your situation.
If you're healthy and looking tostay that way.
Developing body awareness andgaining a better understanding
(17:12):
of what food and how much ofwhat movement makes you feel
more energetic, happier, andhealthier.
And what does not is a goodplace to start.
More often than not choose foodsthat your great grandparents
would have had in their pantryand ice box.
If they were lucky enough tohave refrigeration and use your
internal sense of what feelsright.
(17:33):
And what doesn't coupled withannual or twice annual labs run
to ensure that when.
You are not eating like yourancestors.
It's not causing problems.
If you want to be superproactive work with a healthcare
provider who understandsnutrients.
And what nutrients are neededfor disease prevention.
(17:55):
Talk to them about your familyhistory so that you know, which
foods and nutrients to focus onthat will be especially
important for you given yourgenetic makeup.
Now if your body is alreadyshowing signs of disease or
metabolic dysfunction, which is93% of the adult American
population and 85% ofmiddle-class Australian adults.
(18:19):
The rules of the game change.
If you're listening to thispodcast, chances are I'm talking
to you.
You need to be thinking aboutreversing the disease risk at
this stage of your life andtaking more proactive measures
to preserve your health.
If your health is something youvalue.
(18:41):
The window of moderation isgoing to be narrower.
And finding out what moderationmeans in your situation may be
more complicated.
It will still start with thatbody awareness backed up with
lab work.
But it often requires morenuanced and aggressive measures
to turn the tide.
(19:01):
Once the body is alreadyentering a disease state.
When I say aggressive.
I do not mean excessive, nor doaggressive measures have to be
extreme.
Here is where we put on ourcritical thinking cap.
We evoke discernment and keepsustainability in mind.
(19:23):
As we take greater steps todelay or reverse health decline.
Folks, I hope this take onmoderation has been helpful for
you to rethink what that termmeans for you in your life and
where you are having healthconversations and moderation
comes up.
(19:43):
Be sure to check out thoseCanadian low risk alcohol
guidelines.
I've included those in the shownotes.
They really are the most adultrespectful way.
I think I've seen alcoholdiscussed when addressing a
broad general audience.
If you need help translating themessages your body is giving
you, determining what moderationactually will mean for you, or
(20:08):
even implementing the practicesthat do make you feel your best.
I am just a message away.
Reach out in the link below toschedule a complimentary
consultation to discuss yourneeds and concerns and see if we
would be a good team to worktogether, to advance your health
and fitness goals.
Until next time, my blast messbuddies, stay skeptical and
(20:31):
question the status quo.
When it doesn't serve you.
If you have found some Nuggetsof Wisdom, make sure to
subscribe, rate, and shareBlasphemous Nutrition with those
you care about.
As you navigate the labyrinth ofhealth advice out there,
remember, health is a journey,not a dietary dictatorship.
(20:52):
Stay skeptical, stay daring, andchallenge the norms that no
longer serve you.
If you've got burning questionsor want to share your own flavor
of rebellion, slide into my DMs.
Your stories fuel me, and I lovehearing them.
Thanks again for tuning in toBlasphemous Nutrition.
Until next time, this is Aimeesigning off, reminding you that
(21:15):
truth is nuanced, and any dishcan be made better with a little
bit of sass.
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