The Spectrum of Nutrition – Video with Emily Rosen

Far too many people have searched without success for the one true way to eat or the perfect diet or nutritional system. For sure, there are many experts in the nutrition universe who claim that their way of eating is clearly the best for all of humanity. But the result of all this “nutritional infighting” is a lot of confusion and frustration for those of us who are expecting clear and scientific answers that every scientist could get behind. Well, it’s time for a fresh new conversation about nutrition! In this fascinating and informative video from IPEtv, Emily Rosen, Director of the Institute for the Psychology of Eating, shares some great insights into how nutrition exists on a spectrum, and there are indeed many different ways to successfully nourish the human body. We think this video can be very enlightening if you’ve been wondering which diet or nutritional approach is the best one. Let us know what you think!

Here is a transcript of this week’s video:

Hi, I’m Emily Rosen, Director of the Institute for the Psychology of Eating.

Today’s topic: The Spectrum of Nutrition

I’d love to share with you one of the simplest yet most important distinctions in the field of nutrition that we believe everyone needs to know. In fact, I’m surprised at how more people DON’T have this understanding. And indeed, once the field of nutrition and all its experts and all of us who are consumers of nutrition information really embrace this concept – we can finally position ourselves for a greater level of metabolic health and a happy relationship with food.

Here’s the punchline:

There isn’t one single perfect diet, but rather there’s an entire spectrum of nutrition that spans a wide range of possibilities. Anyone looking for the one true perfect diet that fits all people all the time is on a useless search.

Humans are quite different.

Evolution certainly bears this out.

Traditional Eskimos had a diet that was anywhere from 60 to 90% whale blubber. That was the perfect diet for them. In many African tribes, cassava root is an absolute staple and can make up the majority of the diet – and it works. Tibetans do a lot of yak milk. For the Japanese, rice has been an absolute staple. In Scandinavian countries dairy products have been important for centuries. In many Asian cultures, dairy has been absolutely absent. For some Native Americans, buffalo and corn were important foodstuffs. In Mediterranean countries, fish has been a staple. But if you go to any landlocked environment around the globe, there’s been absolutely zero seafood in their entire genetic evolution. Hunter-gatherers did just that – they ate what they could. Anything that kept them alive was the perfect diet.

I trust you’re getting the picture here.

Human evolution across the globe has been about nutritional diversity. It has been the very biological feature of Homo sapiens that’s allowed us to survive and even thrive in numerous and even treacherous environmental conditions. The human body is tremendously adaptable.

As more and more research emerges in the field of biochemical individuality, personalized medicine, genetic typing, and personalized nutrition – it becomes abundantly clear that indeed one person’s medicine can be another person’s poison.

For example, there is a range of sensitivity to gluten – the protein found in wheat and certain other foods. I know you’ve heard of this by now. Many people have a wonderful ability to digest and metabolize gluten fully and completely. Some people are so intolerant to it that it’s called celiac disease and even the smallest amount of gluten can be intensely problematic for health. But within those two extremes exists a range of sensitivity. My point is simply this – once again there’s a spectrum of nutrition.

Certain foods work for certain people. Others don’t.

This is a process of learning, discovery, self-experimentation, education, and working with good experts who can facilitate us in this process of nutritional self-discovery.

Just as there are all kinds of different ways to do nutrition so that it works for us, there are all different ways that people have of making money, doing relationship, doing their social life, their spiritual life, all of it.

Yes, there are all kinds of nutritional truths that indeed apply to a majority of people. And still, we exist on a nutritional spectrum.

It’s okay.
Relax into that.
Life is a journey.
Life is about discovery.

The next time you hear an expert touting a very specific nutritional system, simply think to yourself, how can I take a nugget of wisdom from the system and put it to work? How can I learn from this approach without necessarily needing to swallow the entire program? How can I experiment with whatever sounds intuitively correct about the advice that I’m reading?

From there, it’s trial and error, or shall I say trial and success.

Celebrate your nutritional journey.

Stop wasting your time trying to find the one perfect way to eat.

Consider how your food choices impact you, those around you, and the planet.

We live in a time when our nutritional needs are in a lot of flux.

We are learning more and more each day about what nourishes the body and what doesn’t. We’re learning more and more about how to heal with food, supplements, herbs, cleansing programs, nutritional reboot strategies, and more.

If you can embrace the excitement of all that, then your journey with food will be that much more nourishing and empowering.

I hope this was helpful. In the comments below, please let us know your thoughts. We love hearing from you and we read and respond to every comment!