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Why We Need To Fix Our Food System with Mark Hyman #98

Feb 19, 2020 1h 28m 32 insights
Is it possible to create a food system that promotes health, not disease? One that regenerates ecosystems, reverses climate change and ensures no one, least of all the poorest in society, is endangered? My guest on this week’s podcast believes it is. He is functional medicine doctor and New York Times bestselling author, Dr Mark Hyman. Mark and I talk about everything from how processed food is addictive by design, to the powerful role good nutrition, from real food, could have in hospitals, schools and prisons. We discuss why soil depletion from intensive farming is one of the biggest drivers of climate change – and why that vegan burger may not be the environmentally friendly option. Despite the serious subject matter of this conversation, I’m sure you’ll come away feeling hopeful. Mark doesn’t simply highlight the problems we’re facing. He identifies the ‘fix’, providing practical, positive solutions. It’s a call to action that we can all do our bit to answer. Show notes available at drchatterjee.com/98 Follow me on instagram.com/drchatterjee/ Follow me on facebook.com/DrChatterjee/ Follow me on twitter.com/drchatterjeeuk
Actionable Insights

1. Solve Problems Upstream

To effectively solve problems, especially health issues, go “upstream” to address systemic causes like food policies, rather than just treating individual symptoms downstream.

2. Demand Systemic Change

Recognize your power as a consumer; if people collectively start demanding better food systems and products, it can drive significant change in industries.

3. Vote for Food System Change

Exercise your political power by voting for policies and representatives who support positive changes in the food system.

4. Advocate Healthy School Food

Engage with school headmasters and parents’ committees to advocate for healthier food environments, challenging fundraising systems that revolve around sugar and unhealthy treats.

5. Be School Food Activist

As a parent, become an activist in your children’s school to advocate for healthier food options and policies within the school environment.

6. Advocate Healthy Workplace Food

Advocate for your workplace to become a “safe zone” by encouraging the elimination of unhealthy options like sugar-sweetened beverages, demonstrating that change is possible.

7. Leverage Investment for Ethics

Use the collective power of institutional investors and pension funds to pressure large corporations, like fast food companies, to adopt more ethical practices, such as eliminating antibiotics in their food supply.

8. Engage Corporate Leaders

Seek opportunities to engage with and influence corporate leaders of large food companies to encourage them to change their supply chains and adopt more sustainable and healthy practices.

9. Join Food System Organizations

Get involved with grassroots organizations that are actively working to make a difference in the food system and promote healthier practices.

10. Advocate Essential Life Skills

Advocate for schools to teach essential life skills such as body care, nutrition, cooking, healthy relationships, and money management, as these are crucial for well-being.

11. Practice Core Lifestyle Habits

Prioritize common-sense lifestyle habits: eat real food, exercise, get enough sleep, learn stress management techniques, and foster connections with loved ones to live a vibrant and engaged life.

12. Prioritize Real, Whole Foods

Focus on eating “food that God made,” meaning whole, unprocessed foods like avocados, and avoid “food that man made,” especially those with long ingredient lists.

13. Adopt Anti-Inflammatory Diet

Implement a whole foods, anti-inflammatory, detoxifying diet that is very low in starch and sugar to reverse chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes, heart failure, and kidney failure.

14. Create Safe Food Home

Make your home a “safe zone” by ensuring that the food available is healthy and free from junk food, protecting your family from unhealthy choices.

15. Choose Homemade Treats

If consuming sweet treats, opt for homemade versions made from real ingredients rather than ultra-processed foods that are harmful and addictive.

16. Avoid Trans Fats

When grocery shopping, actively avoid products containing trans fats, as this often leads to choosing healthier, less processed alternatives.

17. Reduce Processed Food Intake

Collectively reduce consumption of processed and fast food, even for a single day, as consumer demand has significant influence on global markets and can drive change.

18. Choose Regenerative Meat

Opt for regeneratively raised grass-fed meat over highly processed plant-based alternatives like soy burgers, as it can help draw carbon from the atmosphere and is better for the environment.

19. Conscious Food Choices

Make conscious food choices, like opting for vegetarian dishes, to avoid financially supporting industries (e.g., factory farming) that you believe are harmful, even if it’s a small personal act.

20. Educate Kids on Food

Have conversations with your children about where their food comes from and the implications of its production to instill conscious eating habits from a young age.

21. Learn & Teach Cooking

Re-acquire and teach basic cooking skills to children and the general population, as this fundamental human skill is critical for preparing real, healthy food.

22. Compost Food Waste

Reduce food waste, a significant emitter of greenhouse gases, by starting a compost bucket in your kitchen or backyard, potentially for a garden.

23. Avoid Tempting Food Smells

To resist cravings from addictive food smells, such as those from fast food, close car windows and use the recirculation button to prevent the smell from entering.

24. Start Small, Focused Changes

When looking to improve your health, identify one area (pillar) that needs the most work and pick something small within that area to start making changes.

25. Reduce Violent Behavior with Diet

Eat a healthy diet to reduce violent crime, as seen in prisons where it reduced violent crime by 56%.

26. Try Vivo Barefoot Shoes

Get 20% off Vivo Barefoot minimalist shoes and a 100-day trial by visiting vivobarefoot.com/livemore, which can be beneficial for back, hip, knee pain, and general mobility.

27. Try Calm Meditation App

Access 40% off a Calm premium subscription for meditation and improved well-being by visiting calm.com/livemore.

28. Try Athletic Greens Supplement

Get a free travel pack box of Athletic Greens (20 servings) with your first order by visiting athleticgreens.com/livemore, as an insurance policy for meeting nutritional needs.

29. Read Dr. Chatterjee’s Books

For practical tips on health, read Dr. Chatterjee’s books: “The Four Pillar Plan” (or “How to Make Disease Disappear”), “The Stress Solution,” and “Feel Better in Five” for effective lifestyle changes.

30. Access Free Energy Videos

If you or someone you know suffers from low energy, visit drchatterjee.com/energy to watch a series of six free videos that can help fix it with small lifestyle changes.

31. Share Podcast on YouTube

Share podcast episodes available on YouTube (drchastity.com/YouTube) with friends and family who might benefit from the information but don’t listen to audio podcasts.

32. Support the Podcast

Support the podcast by leaving a review, sharing screenshots on social media, or telling friends and family about the show to help spread the word.