Column #49

Albert Einstein said it years ago: “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

The exponential growth of scientific knowledge during the past 150 years is truly remarkable! We even know more about prerecorded and ancient history than ever before. Because the full extent of new knowledge in all the various sciences is mostly restricted to specialists in their fields, the masses are largely out of touch and thus amenable to myths of all kinds.

Some popular myths include:

●    More debt creates a stronger, more financially stable economy
●    A dollar backed by government debt is stronger than one backed by gold
●    Prescription drugs and operations cure chronic diseases

Nutritional science has also advanced significantly yet there may be no field more maligned by myths than it. The role of food is to provide specific, balanced nutrients in appropriate quantities for the body’s optimal health and well-being. But how this is accomplished is mostly misunderstood by the masses.

In 1980 organic food sales were near zero while today 5% of all food sold is organic. But even with the growing legions of consumers selecting organic foods, the number of chronic diseases per capita has continued to increase. Per capita healthcare costs have soared 2.8 times (in inflation-adjusted dollars) since 1980 to a mind-boggling $10,000 per year.

Obviously, simply buying organic is not the solution to combat chronic disease. Ironically, by switching to organic, consumers who seek healthier foods end up selecting the same foods they’ve always eaten. This harkens back to Einstein’s quote.

For decades nutritional scientists have recommended specific dietary changes for better health. Their solutions, which require an understanding of food chemistry, are not based on minuscule traces of various contaminants, but the actual composition of each food choice.

Oatmeal, whether it’s organic or conventionally grown, is 69% carbohydrates, 13.1% proteins, 2.2% Omega-6 fatty acids, 0.1% Omega-3 fatty acids, and 15.6% other fats, sugars, minerals, vitamins, and various nutrients. Thousands of studies show that a diet with that nutrient composition causes chronic disease. Organic makes no difference. A micro analysis of the oatmeal selections will reveal contaminants in both samples, but in tiny parts per million that are insignificant compared to the total natural chemistry of oatmeal and hence on health.

The reason some foods are super and some are not is found in their natural chemistry. Almost nothing else matters. Nutritional scientists tell us the best diet to optimize health consists of foods that have all three checks in the box. 1) have a 1:1 balance of the essential Omega-6 to Omega-3 fatty acids. 2) be low glycemic. 3) contain all nutrients in a dense package.

The ultimate health foods are grass-fed meats, Omega-3 meats, and wild-caught seafood. Next is kale, spinach, collards, and other green leafy vegetables. These foods have all three checks in the box. Few others even come close!

People can’t fix their chronic issues with diet unless they select different foods. Otherwise, they are doing the same thing over and over again yet expecting different results.

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:

Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds by Charles Mackay

The most complete edition of this book is older, better, and costs more.

The Importance of the Ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids

The Growing Crisis of Chronic Disease in the United States

Food Analysis

Chemical contaminants in foods—health risks and public perception

Thousands of illnesses linked annually to organic foods

Genetically Modified Foods, Cancer, and Diet: Myths and Reality