Most of us are guilty of consuming news based on a salacious headline and then not reading the whole article. We live in a headline society, so we assume the headline is accurate.  This tactic was used to sell newspapers for years, or to have you tune into news channels. And now, it’s an effective click bait trick. With the advent of blogging and influencers, there is a lot more click bait to wade through.  Sadly, most of the time, fear mongering, or half-truths are tactics used to entice you. I am going to outline several of these common half-truths that most people simply accept without understanding the concepts are nuanced.

Common half-truths

Here are 5 common half-truths/headlines that I’m sure you’ve either heard or believe:

1. Clean eating is expensive!
2. Get D3 from the Sun.
3. Don’t eat bread, pasta, or pizza.               
4. Eat more greens!
5. Eggs are high in cholesterol!

Here are the nuances to the above headlines:

Clean Eating can be expensive!

But so is eating Industrial Food, the difference is understanding R.O.I (return on investment), where you’re the return. Eating industrial food out several times / week, buying multiple coffees / week, all adds up to a lot of $$.  What was the quality of the food you bought? How does that food contribute to a lifestyle change or mindset shift where quality over quantity is paramount?  Clean eating gets you full faster and keeps you full longer.  You need less quality food to keep you satiated versus overpriced giant portions of industrial food.

Getting D3 from the sun is always your best option!

But did you know that depending on where you live you might not make any vitamin D at all for certain months out of the year?!  It also depends on the hour of the day, the color of your skin, your age, and even how often you shower.  So many people are walking in the early morning hours, on a bright sunny day, thinking they’re absorbing D3 when they are not.

Don’t eat bread, pasta, pizza, etc.!

Yes, eating bread, pasta, pizza, etc. can be terrible when not properly balanced with clean proteins and healthy fats. We tend to throw the baby out with the bath water versus understanding how the ingredients were sourced and the portions on our plate.  You can make bread from a variety of delicious alternate flours, pasta from gluten free and ancient grains, and pizza crust from cauliflower.  You can absolutely enjoy these foods if you know the alternate ingredients and then pair it with the correct ratio of protein and fat. Sadly, people embark on a weight loss journey by eliminating their favorite foods, inevitably they start feeling deprived, and then start binging. Then the cycle continues.

Eat your greens!

This is something we’ve been hearing for decades!  Not everyone can process many types of greens or vegetables, especially those from the brassica family or raw. 

I often say, we’re not cows, we don’t have 4 stomachs. Barley, wheat, and oat grass can be kryptonite for some people.  Greens such as kale and spinach are better cooked versus raw. So that ‘healthy’ green drink in the morning filled with raw vegetables might be contributing to your joint pain.

Eggs are high in cholesterol!

So, why is that bad?  Cholesterol is a hormone that our bodies need.  Cholesterol has been demonized for decades, and sadly eggs have become collateral damage.  Any type of negativity regarding eggs should be balanced with all the positive aspects of eggs. For example, being a complete protein, great source of vitamin D, and healthy fat. Of course, not all eggs are the same so once again, seek out quality and trusted farms.

Here’s a bonus one:

• That diet works!  Oh really…? If it worked, then why are you doing it again?  The idea here is that people do cleanses and deprive themselves in order to lose weight. Once the weight is lost, they go back to all the same bad habits, and the weight comes back.  If they understood that it takes a mindset shift, with a goal of longevity, to make lasting changes they will succeed and never have to diet again.

Now that you are aware that we live in a headline society, what are some of the ‘headlines’ you want to share with me?  Make a comment and let me know your thoughts.

You can eat clean, even on a budget.  You just have to want to start, and be a little curious.  Once you make yourself a priority, and learn what you’re buying then things will start to fall into place.

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