20 Things I Learned From Michael Pollan

Last night Richard and I had the opportunity to hear Michael Pollan speak due to the generosity of our friend Morgan.  It was a fabulous evening hearing from a talented presenter who had some very interesting things to say.  If you don't know who Michael Pollan is, here is a link to his bio. 
http://www.stlouisspeakersseries.org/speaker4.htm
20 THINGS I LEARNED FROM MICHAEL POLLAN

1. EAT FROM THE EARTH. There is food, and then there are 'Edible Food-Like Substances.' The best food choices are those that will go bad within 7-14 days.
2. Never eat a cereal that changes the milk's color
3. Never eat anything that has more than 5 ingredients, or has ingredients a 3rd grader cannot pronounce.
4. Follow the example of the French.  Ask yourself if you are hungry, not 'if you can eat.'  When deciding when you are finished, ask yourself 'do i still have hunger' not 'am i full.'  Never eat until you are 'full,' eat until your hunger is satisfied.
5. Eat meat only once per day, or every other day. The average American consumes 9 oz. a day and that is way too much.
6. Eat at a table. The ten extra minutes it takes you NOT to eat on the run can make a huge difference.
7. A 6 oz. lowfat yoplait has more sugar than 8 oz. of soda
8. Things less man-made are always better 1)cow's milk vs. lactaid 2) butter vs margarine 3) fresh squeezed vs concentrate 4) Real fettucine alfredo vs. vegan fettucine alfredo 
9. The whiter the bread the sooner you'll be dead.  Eat whole wheat/grain (but only when they have less than 5 ingredients, corporations do funky things with bread).
10. Soda is really, really, really bad for you. Even/especially diet soda. 
11. Take the time to cook.  You are being sold convenience. Hot cereal became cold cereal which became cereal bars. Bagels that already have the cream-cheese filling in them.  Packages of mini peanutbutter and jelly sandwiches with the crusts already removed. (Comedian Brian Regan has a hilarious take on this as well...this sound clip is well worth a listen!) Things that a big corporation cooks for you are never as good for you as those you cook yourself.
12. Calories are the final authority on weight gain or loss. Pay attention to how many you consume. You can gorge yourself on 'healthy' food and still gain weight...just because it is marketed as 'healthy' does not mean it is, or that you can eat all you want of it.
13. Nutrition is still a very young 'science.' Most of their claims to be able to isolate key nutrients and ingredients are not usually justified. And some of their theories are proving wrong. 
14. Saturated fats are not that bad for you after all. 'nutritionists' spent the decade of the 80s taking everyone off saturated fat in the 'low-fat' craze, and putting them on trans-fats instead. Which it turns out are WAY worse for you.  This kind of thing happens all the time.
15. There is a childhood obesity crisis. Some small part of it stems from sedentary lifestyles among children. However, by far the most determinant factor is diet, eating too many calories from foods that are too processed. Teach your children to eat well. Have this dialogue in your community.
16. If you are willing to make the moral judgement and say food stamps can't buy alcohol because it is bad for you, you should be willing to extend the same moral judgement and say food stamps can't buy soda, because it is terrifyingly bad for you as well.  The poor of America are hit hardest by the obesity crisis. Poor neighborhoods in the last decade have made room for a newcomer. Some have a dialysis center every 10 blocks, due to complications of Type II diabetes.
17. Learn to differentiate between true hunger and bored hunger.  If you are not hungry enough to eat an apple...you are probably not hungry. And if you DO want to eat an apple...CHOOSE THE APPLE.
18. The healthiest foods are the loneliest ones...the unpackaged veggies and fruits sitting alone in the produce aisle without a single 'health claim' or 'nutrient rich' label to be found.  A 'health claim' should be an immediate red flag for your brain - indicating that the food item probably isn't that good for you after all.
19. The only way to beat the food industry advertising giants is to follow a good rule of thumb...don't ever buy anything you have seen advertised. Anywhere. Period. (No one is advertising an apple. Or a carrot.)
20. Take a break and eat sometimes for the pure pleasure of taste and flavor. There are more ways than the obvious to live a life controlled by food.