← Feel Better, Live More with Dr Rangan Chatterjee

Dr Mark Hyman on Getting Real About Food #159

Feb 24, 2021 1h 27m 35 insights
Today’s conversation is all about food and my guest is world-renowned medical doctor, Dr Mark Hyman. Mark has spent decades in clinical practice and we share a real passion for empowering our patients with practical information that they can use to improve their health. As well as his clinical work, Mark is an educator, author and campaigner and is committed to changing policy for the betterment of public health. Last time I spoke to Mark back on episode 98 of the podcast, we spoke about how the food choices we make can impact our health, the environment and climate change. We continue that conversation in today’s episode by talking about the content of his brand-new book, The Pegan Diet. Despite the title, this is not a diet book – it outlines the core principles of nutrition that underpin good health and can be followed by anyone, whatever your dietary or cultural preference. In our conversation, we take a deep dive into concepts like food is medicine, personalised nutrition and the unnecessary conflict between many diet ‘tribes’ – who Mark and I believe actually have more in common than you might think. Mark explains that scientists have identified upwards of 25,000 different phytonutrients, not just in plant foods but also in grazing animals, which our bodies can process and use in complex ways. He explains how our ultra-processed Western diets are contributing to the chronic disease epidemic and that our current food system isn’t just driving poor health, it’s one of the biggest causes of climate change. We also discuss the importance of reducing our food waste, the need for regenerative agriculture and the harm caused by factory farming. Mark’s simple, back-to-basics approach is within all our reach. It’s a myth, he insists, that eating well takes time, money and effort. He argues that the food industry has hijacked our kitchens and convinced us we need to outsource our meals, and it’s time to take back control. I always get a lot from my conversations with Mark and this one is no exception. I love his message that we can all be part of the solution – for our own health, that of society and of the planet. I hope you enjoy listening. Show notes available at https://drchatterjee.com/159 Follow me on instagram.com/drchatterjee/ Follow me on facebook.com/DrChatterjee/ Follow me on twitter.com/drchatterjeeuk
Actionable Insights

1. Prioritize Healthy Eating for Rapid Health Reversal

Double down on eating whole, healthy foods to rapidly improve your metabolic health and immune system, as significant positive changes can occur within weeks.

2. Embrace Personalized Nutrition

Focus on finding a precision, personalized nutrition plan that works specifically for your unique biology, rather than adhering strictly to rigid dietary ideologies.

3. Treat Food as Your Pharmacy

Adopt a mindset where you view every food choice as medicine, consciously selecting nutrient-dense options that support your body’s functions.

4. Unite Against Processed Foods

Shift focus from internal ‘diet wars’ to collectively combat the consumption of ultra-processed foods, which are a primary driver of chronic disease and poor health globally.

5. Eat What Nature Made

Before eating, ask yourself if the food was made by nature or by man; prioritize natural, unprocessed foods over man-made, packaged items.

6. Make Vegetables 75% of Plate

Structure your meals so that non-starchy vegetables constitute the majority (around 75%) of your plate, with protein serving as a smaller side.

7. Eat the Rainbow for Phytonutrients

Consume a wide variety of colorful plant foods, aiming to ’eat the rainbow,’ to maximize your intake of diverse and beneficial phytochemicals.

8. Prioritize Food Quality

Always prioritize the quality of your food, understanding that the source, production methods, and processing significantly impact its health and environmental effects.

9. Avoid Labeled or Unpronounceable Foods

Try to avoid foods with extensive labels; if a label is present, meticulously read the ingredients list and avoid items with unpronounceable components or long lists of additives.

10. Shop the Perimeter of Grocery Store

When grocery shopping, stick to the outer perimeter of the store where fresh, whole foods like produce, dairy, and quality meats are typically found, bypassing the processed items in the central aisles.

11. Develop Cooking & Shopping Skills

Invest time in learning basic cooking skills, how to navigate grocery stores efficiently, and how to organize your kitchen to make healthy meal preparation easier and more accessible.

12. Reclaim Your Kitchen

Take back control of your food preparation from the food industry by cooking meals at home, fostering enjoyment and personal choice over your diet.

13. Utilize Friend Power Over Willpower

Leverage the power of community and social support for behavior change, as shared goals and accountability with friends are often more effective than individual willpower for adopting healthy habits.

14. Choose Healthy Social Circles

Actively select social environments and friends whose habits support a healthy lifestyle, as peer influence significantly impacts your own choices and well-being.

15. Aggressively Change Diet for Rapid Results

If facing health issues like diabetes, implement aggressive dietary changes, as radical transformations and improvements can be seen in a matter of days or weeks.

16. Don’t Let Ideology Trump Biology

Be flexible with dietary ideologies and listen to your body’s unique biological needs, as rigid adherence to one approach may not be optimal for everyone.

17. Feed Kids Real Food

Feed children the same real, unprocessed, and healthy foods that adults eat, avoiding separate ‘kids’ meals’ and early exposure to junk food.

18. Make Home a Food Safe Zone

Create an environment at home free from harmful, processed foods, ensuring that children only have access to nutritious options.

19. Eat Protein and Fat for Breakfast

Prioritize consuming protein and healthy fats for breakfast to support sustained energy and overall health, rather than opting for sugary cereals or carbohydrate-heavy meals.

20. Adjust Carbs to Metabolic Health

Tailor your carbohydrate intake based on your individual metabolic health and physical activity level; those with impaired metabolism should limit carbs, while active individuals may tolerate more.

21. Start Composting Food Scraps

Reduce your environmental impact by starting a compost pile for food scraps instead of throwing them in the garbage, contributing to soil health and reducing methane emissions.

22. Use Urban Composting Solutions

For urban dwellers, utilize home composters or local drop-off points like farmer’s markets to effectively manage and recycle food waste.

23. Buy Ugly Produce to Reduce Waste

Support initiatives and purchase ‘ugly’ or imperfectly shaped fruits and vegetables to help reduce food waste in the supply chain.

24. Select Most Medicinal Foods

Learn to identify and choose foods within your dietary and cultural preferences that offer the highest medicinal properties and nutrient density.

25. Eat Grass-Fed Meat as Medicine

If you choose to eat meat, select grass-fed animals, as they can contain beneficial phytochemicals from their diverse diet, potentially acting as a form of medicine.

26. Avoid Factory-Farmed Products

Do not consume factory-farmed meat due to its detrimental effects on animal welfare, the environment, and human health.

27. Slow Cook Meat with Spices

When preparing meat, avoid high-char grilling and instead opt for slow cooking methods, incorporating abundant spices that contain phytochemicals to mitigate harmful reactions.

28. Include Multiple Plant Dishes Per Meal

Aim to incorporate two or three distinct plant-based dishes with every meal, such as a variety of cooked vegetables or salads.

29. Treat Meat as a Condiment

Reframe meat’s role in your diet by treating it as a condiment or a small side dish, allowing vegetables to be the primary component of your meals.

30. Eat Good Fats Daily

Ensure your daily diet includes good, healthy fats like olive oil and avocados, which are crucial for optimal bodily functions.

31. Enjoy Nuts, Seeds, and Beans

Incorporate nuts, seeds, and certain beans into your diet as healthy and beneficial food sources.

32. Make Healthy Eating Enjoyable

Approach healthy eating as a pleasurable and delicious experience, rather than a restrictive or difficult chore, to ensure long-term adherence.

33. Focus on Food Quality, Not Counting

Prioritize the quality of the food you eat over meticulously counting calories, carbs, or fats, as focusing on whole, real foods naturally leads to better health outcomes.

34. Master Basic Cooking Techniques

Learn fundamental cooking techniques like stir-frying, baking, and roasting, which enable you to prepare diverse and delicious meals without relying on complex recipes.

35. Address Skill Gaps in Cooking

Recognize that the perceived difficulty of healthy eating often stems from a lack of cooking knowledge and skills, which are easily acquired and transformative.