NEVERENDING ♾️ The Neverending Health Thread

[Suburb Repairman]

I have a question for all of you. What percentage of the food do you eat is "real food". What I mean by that is food that is not ultra-processed. Ultra-processed food can range from a poptart to a protein bar.

Reason for the question is I am doing awesome with my health with one MASSIVE exception. My inflammation levels continue to be through the roof. Doctor number 4 is now suggesting that I cut out anything ulta-processed. That would eliminate protein shakes, protein bars, deli lunch meats, several types of cheese, pasta, bread, pizza, beer, and and several other things that I really enjoy. He also mentioned cutting out cereal and soda, but I don't consume those anyways.

He tells me that I could still eat eggs from free range chickens, grass fed & finished beef, free range chicken, some pork (depending on source), organic fruits & veggies, unprocessed nuts most are cooked in oil and similar foods. He also recommended I cut out any seed or vegetable oils and cook with olive oil or coconut oil.

What I would like to know is does anyone actually eat this way anymore. Sure it was normal 80 years ago because processed foods were not around. But with my schedule, I am trying to figure out how I am going to do this.

Sounds like you're about to go all in on colorful fruits and veggies, and seafood! I eat a lot of nuts as my go-to snack to replace heavily-processed snacks--you can find some that aren't as heavily processed. And I grew up on the coast and still live close enough to feel like I can easily get access to good quality seafood. Raw nuts are not as flavorful, but if you have a dehydrator they pair up nicely with dehydrated fruit to give a little sweet kick.

The hardest is traveling, especially because sometimes I'm just on a quest to get home and as a result end up eating while I'm driving. Reasonably healthy fast food that can be eaten while driving is hard to come by. And yes, I'm well aware that eating while driving is not a best practice in terms of distracted driving.

 

[bureaucrat#3]

I eat a highly processed diet and it shows. My breakfast is usually a protein shake and/or bar. Lunch if I eat it is typically a sandwich or sometimes cereal. Dinner is probably the healthiest because my wife tries to cut out the bad stuff but still regularly includes pizza, sandwiches, and the like. I do eat a ton of mixed nuts for snacks. Due to different allergies, we drink lactose free milk and most things are gluten free. I struggle with gout most likely related to diet.

My biggest goal is to cut out refined sugar and really sugar in general.

 

[WSU MUP Student]

My wife is probably the worst in our household for preparing ultra-processed foods for meals but even then, it's really not all that often. For dinners, she occasionally likes to buy frozen meals from Trader Joe's so we have one of those like once a week or so. They may be ultra-processed but I figure that the servings are so small with most TJs products that it's a wash! My weakness is hot dogs and sausages - I love 'em! Nobody else in the house really likes them so I end up eating more than my fair share.

Most of us have relatively simple "real" foods for breakfast and lunches with lots of fruits and vegetables and eggs. We go through a ton of yogurt in this house but only rarely buy flavored varieties and will instead just use honey and/or lemon juice to flavor it ourselves or add berries. Besides those TJ's frozen meals most of our dinners are prepared from scratch with relatively unprocessed components. The grocery store I do most of our shopping at has fresh pasta that they make every day and isn't any more expensive, per serving, than the most of the boxed stuff. We've been getting that a lot lately because it seems a little healthier than the boxed stuff and since it has to be used within a couple of days it also forces us to plan and prep dinners a few days out in advanced, which, in-turn, means we're less likely to turn to a frozen meal with all sorts of preservatives and salts.

If there is one category of ultra-processed foods we eat too much of here it's things like crackers and chips and other snack foods. We all really like salty snacks.

For beverages, we drink a lot of water and milk and most of us like non-carbonated flavored waters too. I like ginger ale and used to drink a ton of it but a couple of years ago I realized how much sugar is in most varieties so I've cut way back. I will occasionally buy a few cases of pop when the store has them on sale where you have to buy like 4 or 5 cases to get the good deal and we can make those last a looooooonnnnnggggg time though I do notice that our oldest daughter will drink a lot of soda if left unchecked. I used to also go through a lot of beer at home but now if I buy a 6 pack, that usually lasts about 2 or 3 weeks in the fridge.

In the end, I don't think anybody in our household has a particularly terrible diet and even though we all eat a good amount of fruits and vegetables, we could probably stand to eat more of them.

 

[Gedunker]

Thinks the anti-processed food kick is the latest fad and will be replaced by the next one soon enough.

All things. In moderation.

 

[michaelskis]

Thinks the anti-processed food kick is the latest fad and will be replaced by the next one soon enough.

All things. In moderation.

If it results in a significant reduction with my inflammation, screw moderation.


Unrelated to me... did anyone else see this?

RFK Jr., Hegseth face off in impressive pullup, pushup Pentagon showdown

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth competed in a fitness challenge of 50 pullups and 100 pushups under five minutes.

www.yahoo.com

Now I know RFK has said and done some really stupid things... but this push for healthier living is a good thing. Moreso, it appears he practices what he preaches. For one person to do both is impressive, even more so if they can get close to the 5 minute mark. Also keeping in mind that RFK is 71. How many 71 year olds do you know that can do any?