Column #79

There’s “common sense,” “smarts,” and “intelligence.”

Intelligence is the innate ability to learn. IQ doesn’t change with study. Fast learners have high IQs and slow learners have low IQs. Having a high IQ does not mean a person is “smart” or blessed with “common sense.”

Being smart comes from study. One can study a particular field and, even with a modest IQ, become a highly respected expert.

Common Sense is exhibited by good judgement which is learned by study, observation, and practice.

When it comes to common sense and smarts, the more we know, the more we know there is to know. The less people know, it’s more likely they’ll think they “know it all.” Total knowledge is growing exponentially. Therefore lifelong study is required.

How does this apply to nutrition and food? Marilyn vos Savant, known for having the highest recorded IQ according to the “Guinness Book of Records,” has been writing a weekly column for “Parade” magazine for over 30 years. In 1988 a reader asked her “What characteristics would you look for to evaluate a person’s intellectual ability?” Her answer says it all.

“If a person knows ‘what’ happens, the have average ability; if they know ‘how’ it happens, they have superior ability; if they know ‘why’ it happens, they have exceptional ability.”

Nearly everyone has an average ability to understand the “what” regarding obesity, arthritis, acne, Crohn’s, asthma, heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, etc.

Knowing “how” chronic diseases occur is another step. Most people blame the myths of bad luck, genetics, environmental factors, or unhealthy lifestyles involving tobacco use, inactivity, and eating diets high in highly saturated fats, sugars, salt, and fast foods. This reflects superior ability yet if all these issues were solved, chronic diseases would still occur.

Knowing the “why” behind chronic disease really opens up the gap between superior and exceptional knowledge. That’s because only by knowing the “why” can one develop solutions.

Answering “why” starts with knowing that nutritionally deficient foods and sugars cause nearly all chronic diseases. It requires a fundamental knowledge of the chemistry of each food and its impact on animal biology. The primary deficiencies are imbalanced or missing essential nutrients. For example, a diet with an excess of Omega-6 fatty acids over Omega-3 fatty acids is imbalanced. Eating sugar and/or carbohydrates contributes to obesity, fungal issues, and more.

The “why” includes knowing that the only sustainable life form is the green plant. Green plants have all nutrients (except vitamin D) that non sustainable life forms such as animals require. Also, when the green leaf is at the bottom of the food chain, animals can get the required nutrients by eating other animals.

Knowing “why” exhibits exceptional smarts because we can recognize the advertisements, prescriptions, operations, labels, myths, and concerns that do not address nutritional physiology. And after we put our knowledge into practice, our approach to nutrition and health becomes plain old-fashioned common sense.

To teach “why” is the reason I wrote “The Real Diet of Man.”

To your health.

Ted Slanker

Ted Slanker has been reporting on the fundamentals of nutritional research in publications, television and radio appearances, and at conferences since 1999. He condenses complex studies into the basics required for health and well-being. His eBook, The Real Diet of Man, is available online.

Don’t miss these links for additional reading:

Marilyn vos Savant from Wikipedi

Education

Animal Biology Studies