* This is part of a year-long series called "52 Weeks to Eating better than Ever". Click on the side bar for more information and to read the previous essays.

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Human nature is fascinating to observe and study. In some ways people are unpredictable but overall we usually act in accordance with the way we’re wired. We always look for shortcuts and ways to get around the discipline necessary to do something, particularly if it’s changing behavior.  
 
Eating healthy is hard because sugar, salt, and fat are addictive.  It takes work to stay on track.  There are no hidden secrets.  
 
Esoteric eating is a modern affliction, a convenient way to yo-yo through various fads and cult like eating regimens. I remember being criticized for eating at Subway by a follower online, saying Subway was “trash” and unhealthy. Apparently he, the casual observer, held esoteric knowledge of health that I the sincere student of health was not privy to. 
 
We live in an esoteric age. Special people have special knowledge, or so they think. 
 
Like the “chosen ones” of past generations, these esoteric health nuts, vegans, and aficionados of various gurus and eating systems see themselves as the “elect” and the “sanctified.” 
 
In theological terms, esoteric eating is similar to Gnosticism. Gnostics are supposedly possessors of special knowledge that others are not aware of, or haven’t been enlightened by.
 
Just as our religious nature without authentic expression has created a cultic worship of the self, consumerism, and the ever growing deification of the state itself, with neo-gnostic beliefs, much of this spills over into esoteric types of health eating practices - keto, atkins, zone, all organic, veganism, and even all meat diets. The same esoteric, gnostic beliefs pop up in the health and wellness field, and latching on to some esoteric belief system becomes a pseudo religion. 
 
The key belief in esoteric, gnostic health knowledge is this:
 
“I have discovered the “truth” about the best way to eat / exercise / live healthy and am a convert to this special knowledge.” 
 
Many people think they have found “the way” to eat. 
 
Ignore them. Ignore the esoteric eating habits of the enlightened, because this usually ends up being self - defeating at worst, and annoying at least.  If you want to become a vegetarian, fine, go for it because you might be better off.  But there are bigger things in life than searching for some hidden way to eat.  
 
Stick to the basics. There is no special knowledge. The truth is the truth. Be cautious, but reasonable.  If you don’t know the effect of a supplement don’t take it. Eat less than you burn to lose weight. Focus on plant foods, fruits and veggies, for most of your calories. Eat plenty of fresh food. Wash your food. Eat fish, nuts, and healthily unprocessed meats. Eat whole grains and slow digesting carbs. Fast a little. Enjoy eating. Drink plenty of water, preferably filtered. 
 
Don’t join a cult movement containing supposedly hidden esoteric knowledge because it doesn’t work over the long term. 
 
Aim for balance and eat well day by day instead. 
 
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Read Next: Models

The US justice system was founded on a principle of “innocent until proven guilty.”  This was imperfectly enforced but generally held and even improved over the years.  Recently, things have taken a darker turn.  “Show trials”, very common in the Stalinist era in Russia, have made their way into American life.   These show trials may happen on college campuses, maybe through the media, or maybe even in the judicial system.  The point is to humiliate and destroy your opponent in a show trial, not to seek justice.  
 
The world has always been a dangerous place, to varying degrees, and even now modern life comes with risks. It pays to be careful because danger is still there. One lack of insurance, one tragic miscalculation, one day of bad judgement, one un-pc word in the wrong place, or being too wrapped up with the wrong person can lead to a lifetime of regret.   Boundaries are important, I’ve learned this the hard way.  My favorite writer, Nassim Taleb says that being successful in any endeavor is largely about taking small risks and avoiding ruin. Major risks are there in the form of people you encounter too.  Some people are hell – bent on causing trouble. It’s better as Taleb says in his book by the same name, to become “Antifragile.” Who controls your life?  Are you anti-fragile?  The people you can’t criticize are the people who have power over you.  Set healthy boundaries.  
 
There are negative, and destructive, and yes even evil people out there.  
They hate you for who you are.
They don’t want you to succeed.
They take joy in your pain.
They are petty, bitter, manipulative, and narcissistic. 
They are jealous.  
They don’t want to cooperate, they want to suck the life out of you.  
 
I don’t care who you are, there are people in you encounter in life who you should avoid.  These people really exist, especially now.  
 
We live in an ideological age. As Russell Kirk says “ideology is political religion.” Ideology blinds people to reason and ties them to tribal instincts and emotions.  Ideology is driven by pure emotion and communicates with rhetoric (emotional communication) not dialectic (logic).
 
Are you in, or are you out? 
 
Certain cultural influences in the US are pushing a type of monomind ideology and this way of being and thinking has infected the culture like a meme- a sociological virus. It’s so invasive that it’s become what the Italian theorist Gramcy called “common sense.” Dr. Frank Furedi of the University of Kent has brilliantly written about this quite a bit too, on the culture of fear, fear-mongering, and the “call-out” bullies in the culture of offense.  People are afraid, and for good reason. There are people out there looking to get you, especially if you work or are dependent upon a large bureaucratic organization.  If you have a family to support, it’s even more perilous.  
 
So why does it matter to you?
 
Some people you just need to avoid. They can make your life a living hell.
 
Don’t be paranoid but be real. Set boundaries.  Some people are toxic.  Spend time only with people who want the best for you and who celebrate your accomplishments.   
 
People consumed by ideology are not interested in a debate or discussion. At best, they want to call names and attack people, at worst they want to lie, cheat, and ruin people’s’ lives, possibly even through physical harm. 
 
Ideologues, sociopaths, and emotional vampires may be a small minority of the population but they’re out there. Avoid them at all costs.
 
Avoid them at work, in your personal life, and in public. If possible, don’t allow them into your organizations. Ideologies are pathologies to the host. They must be avoided or removed from the host or they will suck the life out of it. Their power play is manipulative. They pose as victims and appeal to the host’s sense of decency and goodwill. Beware. 
 
Don’t argue, don’t explain, don’t apologize.  You more than likely did nothing wrong.  
 
If you’re stuck with them at work, avoid them or nod along as best you can when they start rehearsing their memes and empty platitudes. When topics come up and you can sense a trap, then gracefully bow out.  Don’t ever be alone with them and document all your communication. 
 
Some people you just need to avoid. 

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Read Next: My Super Simple Philosophy 
 

* This is part of a year-long series called "52 Weeks to Eating better than Ever". Click on the side bar for more information and to read the previous essays.

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The organic food business is a multi-billion dollar industry.  When I was growing up in the 1980s, I had never even heard of organic foods.  But somewhere around the late 1990s, organic food commercially exploded and doesn’t seemed to have slowed down one bit.  One of the largest publicly traded grocery stores, Whole Foods, which is owned by Amazon, markets themselves as an organic health food supermarket.  There are also chains such as Sprouts and Fresh Market that sell quite a bit of organic food.  Even Wal-Mart, Publix, and Kroger offer ample amounts of organic food.  So it’s not hard to find, at least in grocery stores.

There have been many books written on the subject of organic gardening, and the ills of the food industry.  The corporate industrialization of the food business, has undoubtedly had positive and negative effects.  No one is going hungry, for the most part, which is obviously good.  We live in a country where overnutrition is much more of a problem than undernutrition, so we are fortunate in that regard.  But industrial farming has it’s downsides.  With non-organic industrial farming there are concerns about:

•    Pesticides
•    Herbicides
•    Synthetic fertilizers
•    Sewage sludge
•    Bioengineering
•    Hormones and antibiotics
•    No grazing land or access to the outdoors for animals
•    Bland taste of industrial foods
•    Possibly greater risk of bacteria in industrial foods

For a food to be labeled organic by the USDA in the US, it must be free from the preceding list of characteristics.  US law requires products labeled as organic to be 95% organic ingredients.  From the research I’ve done, these factors are legitimate concerns and organic foods, because they are harvested later do tend to taste better.  Organic food has definitely been shown to contain less pesticides.  And you don’t have to be a tree-hugging hippie to want an animal to not be treated cruelly.  But there are downsides to organic food as well:

•    Higher cost
•    Increasingly common but still less accessible
•    Research on long-term outcomes is murky and difficult to prove conclusively
•    Plants have natural toxins which are higher in organic food

Do I need to eat organic?

Despite the downsides, I think it makes sense to eat some organic foods.  I recommend following a middle way, where you select certain foods which are organic, if you can afford them.  Like many things when it comes to eating, taking a balanced approach is best. 

Some simple recommendations

1.    The most important thing is to eat healthy, and to eat less.

2.    If cost isn’t a factor, on the whole it makes sense to eat mostly organic food. Pesticides, herbicides,  and hormones and antibiotics collect in the environment and we end up ingesting these things, which can’t be good in the long run.  A prudent and healthy approach is to be conservative about taking anything like those kinds of chemicals into your body if you can help it.  I have written about this concept many times, and it can be summed up the phrase Via Negativa – or literally, “subtracting.”

3.    If cost is a factor, or you just are not that concerned about eating organic, try to avoid the foods highest in pesticides.  These lists are easy to find online, but a guideline is to consider whether you will be eating the peeling.  If so, choose organic.  

4.    If you want to take in more Omega 3 fatty acids, which is always a good idea because they are the healthiest fats, choose organic meat, dairy, and eggs.

The following is a list of foods highest in pesticides.  Try to avoid, minimize or wash thoroughly:  

•    Peaches
•    Nectarines
•    Apples
•    Sweet bell peppers
•    Celery
•    Strawberries
•    Potatoes
•    Pears
•    Grapes (imported)
•    Spinach
•    Lettuce
•    Cherries
 
These foods are low in pesticides, and some on the list may surprise you:

•    Broccoli
•    Cabbage
•    Bananas
•    Kiwi
•    Papaya
•    Sweet peas (frozen)
•    Pineapple
•    Sweet corn (frozen)
•    Avocado
•    Onions
•    Asparagus
•    Mango

Be aware, be intentional, but don’t obsess.

Don’t obsess over it, but it’s worth considering adding in more organic foods off of the list of “dirtier” ones.  For full disclosure I eat mostly organic meats and dairy, and I can tell a big difference with much better digestion than with non-organic.  Be wise, and be reasonable, but don’t be obsessive about organic foods.  There are bigger problems in the universe.  

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Read Next:  20 Minutes to a Stronger Back and Core

* This is part of a year-long series called "52 Weeks to Eating better than Ever". Click on the side bar for more information and to read the previous essays.
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​ 
I wrote a series of blog posts last year which I compiled into a free PDF:
Quick Guide to Supplementation
 
But just to review, since we are making our way through the gamut of nutritional topics this year, the following are some key points.  
 
Rule #1 For Supplements
 
There is no replacement for real food.
 
Vitamin and food supplements are big business in America, raking in over $6 billion dollars per year, and this number increases every year. Everyone wants a simple solution and everyone wants to be healthy, so it's logical to reach for a supplement, especially if it's cheap. 

Unfortunately, the primary problem with the supplement business is that it is poorly regulated. The US Federal Government / FDA does not monitor supplement companies in an in-depth way, and there are laws protecting supplement businesses from deeper scrutiny. Supplement companies have lobbyists, and lobbyists work hard to protect the companies they work for.
 
Besides the fact that you don't know for certain if what you're getting in the supplement bottle actually is what it says it is, there may also be problems with toxicity. A recent study showed that many supplements don't contain what they say they contain and instead even contain toxic compounds. Another showed, as an example, an increased chance of liver failure with Green Tea Extract Supplementation.
 
Via Negativa, Again
 
Why would you take a supplement you weren't sure about? If you didn't know if it might hurt you or not, why would you risk it? One of the best ways to stay healthy is to avoid things which are harmful.
 
This is also called Via Negativa - improvement or learning by taking away. Similarly, the first principle of health care, called "The Hippocratic oath" which all doctors swear to uphold, is to do no harm.
 
Safety comes before everything else, or at least it should. When you think about how to be healthy with food your main concerns should be the basics.  It's amazing that a billion-dollar supplement and nutrition industry can complicate something that really is that simple. Supplements do have a small place in the big picture, but food should be your primary focus. 
 
Real food has several things that a supplement doesn't:
    

• Fiber - Fiber makes you feel full, keeps you regular, and helps curb your appetite and as a result helps you lose weight.

 

• Phytochemicals - Plants are made up of various chemicals, called phytochemicals, which help in defense against competitors, pathogens, or predators. Phytochemicals are still being researched but are thought to have health benefits and some researchers even believe that the main benefit of eating vegetables and fruits is the phytochemicals. Some examples of phytochemicals include carotenoids and polyphenols.

 

• Calories- This is the obvious one, but vitamin supplements don't give you any actual calories for energy.

 

• Fun- It's much more fun to try new foods and eat than it is to pop a pill.

 

• Taste- Eating is a great joy.

 

• Digestion / Absorption- Vitamins, minerals, and nutrients (fat, carbohydrates, and proteins) work together to boost absorption so it's necessary to eat real food to get the full effect of thesecompounds.

 

• Less Toxicity - Again, you never know for sure what you're getting with a supplement. At least with real food, you know what you're eating.

 

• There are a few minor advantages of supplements in some cases:

 

• Absorption - In some cases, vitamins are sold in combinations, like Vitamin D and Calcium, to enhance absorption.

 

• Convenience - If you're traveling, or sick, or in a stressful environment it may be helpful to boost your immunity through supplementation.

 
Always remember to focus on food, not supplements. No amount of supplementation and expensive health care treatment can overcome a poor diet and unhealthy lifestyle.  Enjoy a fresh salad, a handful of strawberries, sweet potato, or some roasted almonds. Delicious!
 
Rule # 2 for Supplements:
 
If you’re going to take a supplement, make sure it is what it says it is, and more importantly that it’s safe.
 
Back when it was discovered that Omega - 3 Fatty Acids could benefit the heart and brain, as well as have an overall anti-inflammatory effect, use of fish oil supplements, which contain Omega 3 fatty acids, understandably went through the roof. One reason for this is that the amount of research available (the sample size) was pretty small at the time on how effective these supplements were. So what research we did have seemed to indicate that these supplements were close to being miracle drugs. Once the research started piling up, the data started to show that they might not be that effective.
 
(This small sample size phenomena is quite common and is like a commercial on TV which says ‘4 out of 5 doctors recommend X product’. The next logical questions would be which 5 doctors? And why not 800 out of 1000 doctors?)
 
Effectiveness is one thing, and we will cover that in a coming blog post essay, but even more important is safety. The most important thing about the supplements you take, other than remembering that they don’t replace healthy eating, which was Rule #1, is that .....
.....they are what they say they are and that they are safe.
 
This is no small task. The FDA tests drugs for safety (which brings up a whole other book-worthy
discussion for a later time), but they don’t test supplements.
 
We are all busy, and even being in the field, it’s not something I paid that close attention to for a long time. The good news is that it takes only a few minutes to figure this out, and I’m cutting out the leg work for you.
 
According to my research, I would look for these 4 symbols, which I found on Consumer Reports and trust:

There may be other good supplement companies out there, but if you see one of these symbols, you at least know that the companies have paid to have the supplements tested for quality and contamination, which is essential.
   
Rule # 3 for Supplements:
 
Test & Proceed with Caution.
 
Nutrition is an over-the-top business in America. If buying complicated supplements and obsessing about what you eat is something you’re at least passingly familiar with, in your life or someone you know, you aren’t alone. Billions are spent every year on nutrition media, organic food, “health” food, and nutritional supplements. You can even buy organic, farm-to-table, vegetarian, gluten-free food and vitamins for your dog too. Unfortunately, most of this money is wasted, on our dogs and ourselves. Like most things, we tend to take our emphasis on trying to eat healthy and get nutrition to the extreme.
 
Healthy nutrition is not that complicated.
 
A little background: Eat mostly fruits and vegetables, especially vegetables. Shoot for 5 – 6 servings per day.  If it has a peeling, don’t waste your money on organic, because it doesn’t matter. Regardless, wash all your fruit and vegetables well, unless it has a peeling, in which case it doesn’t matter.
 
As far as rule 3, below is how you can determine whether you need specific supplements. 
 
First, it is very difficult to test for vitamin deficiencies. It can be done, but it must be done by someone who knows what they’re doing. I am personally very skeptical about vitamin and mineral testing, but would trust a reputable physician to test for Iron, Vitamin D, and possibly B Vitamins. Blood tests for vitamin deficiencies are not validated well, and may or may not be accurate. It’s much more reasonable in my opinion to look for symptoms or problems, and I believe most people get too many vitamins, not too few.
 
Here are some tests you can use to determine if you may have a Vitamin or Mineral deficiency, and a few tips:
 

• Getting colds and allergies often? – Consider supplementing with Vitamin C and Vitamin D, and with a probiotic, which might boost your immunity.

 

• Constipation? - Consider adding fiber to your diet through oatmeal, whole grains, raw veggies, or fiber supplements.

 

• Muscle cramps? – You may be lacking potassium, calcium, or magnesium. Prescription medications can contribute to the problem.

 

• Brittle hair and nails? –This can be caused by low Biotin.

 

• Dry Skin? -Vitamin A can help with this. Consider a low dose supplement.

 

• Mouth sores? – Can be caused by low Vitamin B6.

 

• Irritability, depression, loss of balance- Vitamin B12 can be a factor.

 

• Try pressing on your chest. If your skin is swelling and has a crater where you pressed, you may be low on Vitamin D.

 

• When you get a physical, ask to test for vitamin deficiencies. Your doctor should be able to assess your bloodwork for other factors other than and in addition to vitamin and mineral testing, such as white blood cells and red blood cells, and make suggestions, even if the direct information about specific vitamins is lacking. You may also be able to get a hair test for Iron deficiency.

 

• Take a reputable and verified multi-vitamin every day to fill in the gaps.

 

• Check your medications carefully. Most of them have side effects that could contribute to vitamin or mineral loss.

 
I’d like to write a best-selling book on the “secrets” of nutrition and supplements, if there were any secrets. I’ve studied the topic of nutrition for years and I can tell you, it’s mostly a show. It’s an entertainment and a diversion. The last thing the world needs is another fad diet book, or “secrets of nutrition” book. Don’t get me wrong, someone will do this and become famous. But trust me, save your money. Use these simple guidelines instead.
 
I’ve tried to keep this review of Supplements as brief as possible. The bottom line is that you probably don’t need much in the way of supplementation, and if you do, you should be careful what you take.
 
The Final Word
 
The supplement business is full of quacks who are out to make a buck. Vitamin supplements are overly relied on and usually aren’t needed. There is not 100% conclusive proof that they are beneficial in the long run, but this is difficult to prove one way or the other. The most important factor is safety. Don’t take it if you don’t need it. Here are some things you can do though:
 

• Talk to your doctor about what supplements may be appropriate for you.

 

• Omega 3 Fatty Acids, or Fish Oil Capsules, may be good for you and help with inflammation in general. You can also get this is healthy fats like avocados, nuts, olives, and eating fish.

 

• A multi-vitamin is fine, and can cover the gaps.

 

• Herbal supplements like Ginger, Turmeric, and Garlic may be good for inflammation.

• Co-Q 10 may have some cardiovascular benefits.

 

• Supplementing with Vitamin C, as an anti-oxidant, might be helpful in times of stress or if exposed to radiation. An interesting recommendation made by Dr. Andrew Weil was to supplement Vitamin C, or eat something that contains it, when you eat meat. The idea is that it counteracts the negative effects of charred meats.

 

• Vitamin D is crucial to many different things like cellular metabolism and bone strength. You can be tested for deficiency.

 

• Eating fermented foods like Kraut or Yogurt, or taking a probiotic may improve your immune system and digestive regularity significantly.

 

• Fiber supplements can be used for regularity.

 

• Calcium supplements may be useful for post-menopausal females.

 

• Protein supplementation is not usually needed, but if you want to add some in, remember that the most your body can process healthily is about 1- 1.5 times your bodyweight in kilograms, which for a 200 pound man is 91-135 grams per day. Take your bodyweight and divide by 2.2, which is your weight in kilograms, then multiply this number by 1 and 1.5 to find your maximum protein range.

 
So one more time:
 
Rule 1) Focus on real food.
Rule 2) If you take a supplement make sure it is what it says it is, and that it’s safe.
Rule 3) Test to see what you need and then proceed with caution.