Lee Ann Cheatham English 1010-Howe-TR Feb. 27, 2014 What Sounds Good for Dinner?

Could trying to decide what to eat for breakfast, lunch or dinner get any more confusing? The food industry says, eat this. The nutritionalists say, dont eat that. Are there any set rules on these choices? Who can we trust to help us make such important decisions? Although Pollan and Maxfield do not see eye to eye on the subject of how we should eat, they both make interesting points about the way we, as humans, chose to eat. Pollan believes that we should eat food, not too much, mostly plants. Maxfield says, Trust yourself. Trust your body. Meet your needs. What does Pollan mean when he says, we should eat food? He believes that real food must come from Mother Earth, and that we should all escape the Western Diet. Dr. Paul Winterton, a member on the Board of Councilors at The American Academy of Orthpaedic Surgeons states, The Western Diet, high in saturated fats and refined, mass-produced food, is notorious for its side effects of obesity with resultant diabetes, hypertension, gravity-induced degenerative joint and spine disease and early death. From his opinion about the Western Diet, Pollan gives the impression that this diet should not even be considered food. The only way to be healthy is to stop eating a Western Diet! Pollan wants to banish all processed foods and fast food, leaving us with no choice, but to eat mostly plants. Maxfield on the other hand believes that we should eat what our body tells us to eat, at the time that it needs it. Maxfield states, we continue to believe in a right or healthy way of eating that involve eating less and eating differently than we instinctively would, despite evidence to the contrary. She continues by saying, we can eat

as we always have, which includes eating for emotional and social reasons, and still survive or even thrive. A popular saying states, Give a man a fish and he eats for a day, teach him to fish and he eats for a lifetime. By limiting the choices of food available, we are not responsible for choosing between good or bad food. When we are forced to eat a certain way we do not feel the joy of different experiences. We arent allowing our mind to speak to our body, informing it of what is best for nourishment and satisfaction. Education is the key! We dont need to go through life wondering what is acceptable as food and what is not. Dr.Winterton continues, our human frame was designed to consume whole foods, fruits of the vine and roots, vegetables and legumes, with small portions of meats for flavor. In June 2011, the USDA changed the food pyramid, replacing it with a program called MyPlate. Using a standard sized plate the program encourages people to fill half of their plate with produce, one-fourth with lean protein and the other one-fourth with whole grains. Plus a small portion of dairy. Although these guidelines are a great beginning to eating healthy, not every body is the same. Holistic healer, Louise L. Hay says, Be conscious of your eating. Its like paying attention to our thoughts. We can learn to pay attention to our bodies and the signals we get when we eat in different ways. Or in other words, Trust yourself. Trust your body. Meet your needs. Our bodies know what is right for us. For example if a body becomes ill, or out of whack, it may respond by sending a craving for foods with a certain mineral or nutrient. We should pay attention to these cravings, as long as they are a healthy craving. When my legs begin to cramp in the calves, I know that my body needs either potassium or water. I have learned to listen to this message and after eating an avocado or banana and drinking a large glass of water, my legs feel better. Pollen says we should return to the way our ancestors ate, obviously, unless changes are made along the way we

will end up in the same boat. Why not wipe the slate clean and start today making healthier choices about what we consider food. Teaching ourselves, and future generations a healthier way to eat. When my two-year old granddaughter can be taught to say, Mom, is this good for my body? before eating something, she is on the way to learning what is healthy and will eventually have the courage to ask her body, is this good for me? Again we go to the concept of education, or in other words awareness. Know your body! Our bodies are designed to tell us what we need. Each cell desires to be in balance or homeostasis. It is our responsibility to listen. Be kind to your body, it in return will tell you what it needs. Dr. Christiane Northrup states, Thoughts are an important part of your inner wisdom, and they are powerful. A thought held long enough and repeated often enough becomes a belief. A belief then becomes your biology. Meaning, practice listening to your inner wisdom and eventually it will put you on the path to a healthy life. So the next time a friend calls and says, Lets do pie! I probably wont take the time to ask my body if it is right or not, I will already know that it is good for my social and emotional well being.

Bibliography Graff, Gerald, Cathy Birkenstein, and Russel Durst. "Mary Maxfield." "They Say, I Say": The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing: With Readings. New York: Norton, 2012. N. pag. Print. Hay, Louise L. You Can Heal Your Life, Hay House Inc.,2002. Print. doTerra Living, Winter 2014. Winterton,Paul ,Active Lifestyle and Injury Prevention. Enlighten LCC. 2011 ChooseMyPlate.gov