How do we know the best way to eat?

agingwithfitness

My mother in her 80's just told me about a book to eat for your blood type. Mine says don't eat meat or as little as possible. I read a book years ago saying the exact opposite for my body type I need to eat more meat!

How when there are so many opinions about what is right can we decide?

The only thing I know for sure is organic food is good, veggies and fresh raw foods are good, no sugars, alcohol, and processed foods.

But meat I am not sure now....

aneumany

OMG! stop over analyzing everything! seriously for ur blood type? that just sounds ridiculous! everyone KNOWS wats u should and shouldnt eat, theres nothing wrong with meat it has TONS of nutrients especially chicken, which u could eat all day everyday, but that gets a TAD boring, have a steak once a week or pork or watever! it's not gonna kill u or ur diet! GEEZ!!....

captainjessejames

All things in moderation

finncmh

I'm not so sure that this post really required that nasty of a response. If it bothers you so much about what the OP is posting don't respond at all.

For the record, not everyone knows what to eat and what works for one person may not work for another. Yes, there are many ridiculous diets out there that are pretty common sense to stay away from, but there is no reason to throw that in someones face. This place is supposed to be about getting healthy and for some people that is reteaching themselves what does and does not work.

LMG0511

I've actually read that book as well, it was at my mom's house and I found it very interesting.

Although I don't follow it, the science behind it totally makes sense. Humans have been changing and evolving- and the foods that are available for consumption have evolved as well. I like how the book explained that certain blood types are borne from certain periods of time. For example, hunter/gatherers vs. farmers...imagine the differences in the available foods!

Overall, I'd say listen to your body and eat what's fresh. I am also a strong proponent of everything in moderation- yes, everything- even that double fudge peanut butter sundae...just don't eat one every day Good luck!

NoAdditives

Any diet that tells you to eat anything other than fresh fruits and vegetables, some whole grains, lean meats, low fat dairy, lots of water, no sugar, no processed foods and no artificial sweeteners is nothing more than a fad diet.

Eat whatever amount of meat feels right for your body. Obviously, eating less is better for the environment for a lot of reasons, but if you want to eat some form of meat every day, it's not bad for you as long as it's lean. I was vegetarian for 10 years and don't recommend that lifestyle, mainly because non-meat forms of protein are high in carbs. Just eat whatever is right for you and your lifestyle.

YvetteBabich

It's my opinion is that you should just eat what makes you feel good, personally. Really listen to your own body. More people need to do that instead of trying to follow someone else's idea of a diet plan to a T, but then again this is coming from someone who is in a constant state of irritation with all the conflicting advice given in the nutrition world.

talysshade

I have to agree.. the blood type diet seems a bit ridiculous to me, but only because when i looked it up for my blood type it doesn't suit me at all!

I agree with saying everything in moderation. Don't cut out any type of food at all, but eat what you like in reasonable portions. The fresher and less prepackaged, the better.

aneumany

I'm not so sure that this post really required that nasty of a response. If it bothers you so much about what the OP is posting don't respond at all.

For the record, not everyone knows what to eat and what works for one person may not work for another. Yes, there are many ridiculous diets out there that are pretty common sense to stay away from, but there is no reason to throw that in someones face. This place is supposed to be about getting healthy and for some people that is reteaching themselves what does and does not work.

i wasnt tryin to be nasty at all, i just think its crazy to say you dont know if meats good for you when we've been eating it for centuries, if you personally choose not to then, by all means, do so, that doesnt mean just because u dont want to eat it that theres anything wrong with it... and the people that do eat it are bad or watever... i just meant it more as an eye opener, like, stop over analyzing things, if u ve been eating meat ur entire life. wat would all of a sudden make u think it was "bad" for you...its completely different to choose to give it up or decide not to eat it and be a vegetarian or watever.

anyways, wasnt tryin to sound nasty!

dragonbug300

Blah. Meat shouldn't be so controversial. My philosophy is that as long as it had a good life, it's safe to eat in moderation.

I will recount something that I learned in an anthropology class last semester to put things in perspective:
Early homo sapiens survived primarily on meat. They'd kill an animal and eat almost every part of it--that's how they got their nutrients, from the plants that the animal had eaten. When humans went from being hunter-gatherers to a more agrarian lifestyle, they started growing grains and other products. The bones and teeth from this time show signs of severe malnutrition because people were not getting enough protein or calcium. Our teeth got softer and more susceptible to damage because we were eating softer, higher-sugar foods.
Skeletons from pre-agriculture are approximately the same average height as we are now. Post-agricultural revolution, the average height shrunk.

I don't know if this means anything to anyone, I just found it interesting that we were healthier before we started eating grains and living sedentary lifestyles.
That isn't to say that things like Atkins or Paleo have it all right; I'm just saying that we are designed to eat and digest meat.
Normal serving sizes of meat won't kill you. Eating a pound of steak everyday may not be the best, but four ounces may be good for you.

finncmh

I'm not so sure that this post really required that nasty of a response. If it bothers you so much about what the OP is posting don't respond at all.

For the record, not everyone knows what to eat and what works for one person may not work for another. Yes, there are many ridiculous diets out there that are pretty common sense to stay away from, but there is no reason to throw that in someones face. This place is supposed to be about getting healthy and for some people that is reteaching themselves what does and does not work.

i wasnt tryin to be nasty at all, i just think its crazy to say you dont know if meats good for you when we've been eating it for centuries, if you personally choose not to then, by all means, do so, that doesnt mean just because u dont want to eat it that theres anything wrong with it... and the people that do eat it are bad or watever... i just meant it more as an eye opener, like, stop over analyzing things, if u ve been eating meat ur entire life. wat would all of a sudden make u think it was "bad" for you...its completely different to choose to give it up or decide not to eat it and be a vegetarian or watever.

anyways, wasnt tryin to sound nasty!

I appreciate the response and maybe I am just oversensitive to some of the major negativity that has been going on in the threads the past few months. People have just been downright rude to one another and its really uncalled for. Not everyone has the same level of knowledge and experiences as the next person.

As for what you and everyone else is saying I agree completely. I think that its all about moderation and figuring out what works best for you. Some people's bodies respond differently to different things, but you can't listen to a book to find the answers out. You just have to listen to your own body and how you react to different food groups. I personally eat a lot of meat and have learned to cut out most grains and a lot of dairy. Not because some book told me to but because I learned through trial and error what works for me and what irritates my body.

deeharley

I sat through an informal class on the blood-type diet a couple years ago, and there were several people there who swore it worked for them.

As for how to know what to eat, just ask on a forum here, there are several people who will be happy to tell you how to eat. :laugh: So, your job is half done, now you just need to figure out how to eat a vegan/vegetarian/paleo/moderation diet and the weight will fall off.

Seriously, a couple people here have mead good suggestions, what has been working for me for energy/weight-loss is more fruits and veggies, less sugar ( I have reached a point where I can feel it when I slip up) and lots of water. Good luck, whatever you decide.

NoAdditives

Blah. Meat shouldn't be so controversial. My philosophy is that as long as it had a good life, it's safe to eat in moderation.

I will recount something that I learned in an anthropology class last semester to put things in perspective:
Early homo sapiens survived primarily on meat. They'd kill an animal and eat almost every part of it--that's how they got their nutrients, from the plants that the animal had eaten. When humans went from being hunter-gatherers to a more agrarian lifestyle, they started growing grains and other products. The bones and teeth from this time show signs of severe malnutrition because people were not getting enough protein or calcium. Our teeth got softer and more susceptible to damage because we were eating softer, higher-sugar foods.
Skeletons from pre-agriculture are approximately the same average height as we are now. Post-agricultural revolution, the average height shrunk.

I don't know if this means anything to anyone, I just found it interesting that we were healthier before we started eating grains and living sedentary lifestyles.
That isn't to say that things like Atkins or Paleo have it all right; I'm just saying that we are designed to eat and digest meat.
Normal serving sizes of meat won't kill you. Eating a pound of steak everyday may not be the best, but four ounces may be good for you.

A lot of cultures still do use every part of the animal. I just found out that chorizo (which I find super delicious and have loved since I was little) is made from the lypmh nodes and salivary glands of a cow. It sounds kind of gross, but why not use every part?

The thing about the pre-agrarian hominids was that they had very small brains. Our brains grew as our diets evolved to include more carbs from fruits and vegetables. I agree that grains aren't always great for us, but our brains do need the carbs.

Ultimately, a balanced diet that includes all the food groups is what's best for us.

calequestrian

Marla,

I eat whatever I want, but in moderation. As for meat, my body needs it! I don't eat steak every night, but I have chicken, turkey, pork, fish. But I do portion. If I don't have some types of meat my body starts barking at me....