Every day, we’re surrounded by foods that are designed to be hard to resist. They’re convenient, relatively inexpensive, and engineered in a way that keeps us coming back for more.
Our 10,000-year-old body has to fight with a modern world that profits by selling us the most addictive and unhealthy food there is. It’s easier to go to a fast food chain than to a healthier, more expensive restaurant or to prepare a healthy meal at home, and if we do go to the supermarket, we’re confronted by products that are so overly processed they offer very limited nutritional value.
When you’re trying to make progress in a world like this, it can feel like you’re swimming upstream. People feel stuck. Discouraged. It’s something I hear about often.
The reality is, the food industry isn’t your friend.
Between sodas, snacks, and everyday staples like bread, the average American consumes around 26 spoonfuls of refined sugar each day, while the body only needs about one teaspoon circulating in the bloodstream to function properly.
It wasn’t always like this. Once upon a time, food businesses made their living by offering high-quality products that earned the long-term loyalty of their customers. If the butcher sold you a bad piece of meat, you would stop shopping there and let everyone in town know about it. Sadly, as food became a larger and more competitive industry, the focus gradually shifted from quality to profit.
That change created a food environment that makes it incredibly easy to fall into patterns that don’t support your health.
Take back control.
While we can’t control the food industry, we can begin to take back control of our daily decisions and our habits. Here are a few ways to get started:
- Start with awareness. There are many ways to work on being more aware, including a focus on your breath and the importance of meditation. When you start to feel that “icky sauce” rise, Stop. Challenge. Choose. (Learn more on page 135 of Dr. A’s Habits of Health).
- Make convenience work for you. Life is busy, and that’s not going to change. Keep simple, healthier options within reach so that when time is tight, you still have choices that support your goals.
- Be real with yourself. You’re navigating an environment that isn’t designed with your health in mind. Progress is about continuing to move forward. Even after we stumble.
Every choice is a step in your journey that can help you take control of your health and create a new path forward. Choosing a vegetable over a donut. Taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Drinking water instead of soda. Going for a walk instead of scrolling on your phone. Cooking at home instead of ordering takeout. Going to bed earlier instead of watching “just one more episode.”
Getting back on track when things don’t go perfectly.
Those are the moments that can shape progress. Those are the moments that help you along your journey to achieving Optimal Health and Wellbeing.