Given that everyone needs to eat something, we all need to decide whether we believe Taubes or whether we believe Change 4 Life.
Not true at all. There are a thousand factors besides nutrition on which one could base one’s dietary choices: taste, convenience, culture, ethics...
Personally I think the Taubes/paleo picture is probably more right than the conventional picture (based mainly on the smart people I know who have studied the issue), but I’m far from convinced that optimizing my diet for paleo-nutrition would produce a net benefit for my life. (I suppose I could explain what evidence would convince me if anyone cared.)
Also you haven’t mentioned the idea that when you eat could matter as much as what you eat. Thoughts on intermittent fasting (IF)?
I’m currently abroad and can’t stick to my normal insanely spartan diet. About once a week I start to feel a little off: knotted stomach, lethargy, etc. I do a short fast, usually only 20 hours or so, and go for a long walk, and by the end I’m feeling sharp and ready to eat subpar food once again!
When I’m home in the States I eat an insanely strict diet. When I fast I don’t notice any improvement in mood or health. I still IF from time to time though, just because there seems to be some evidence it might be healthy, and because, hell, sometimes it’s nice to not have to cook myself three meals every day.
Not true at all. There are a thousand factors besides nutrition on which one could base one’s dietary choices: taste, convenience, culture, ethics...
Personally I think the Taubes/paleo picture is probably more right than the conventional picture (based mainly on the smart people I know who have studied the issue), but I’m far from convinced that optimizing my diet for paleo-nutrition would produce a net benefit for my life. (I suppose I could explain what evidence would convince me if anyone cared.)
Also you haven’t mentioned the idea that when you eat could matter as much as what you eat. Thoughts on intermittent fasting (IF)?
I think IF is great.
I’m currently abroad and can’t stick to my normal insanely spartan diet. About once a week I start to feel a little off: knotted stomach, lethargy, etc. I do a short fast, usually only 20 hours or so, and go for a long walk, and by the end I’m feeling sharp and ready to eat subpar food once again!
When I’m home in the States I eat an insanely strict diet. When I fast I don’t notice any improvement in mood or health. I still IF from time to time though, just because there seems to be some evidence it might be healthy, and because, hell, sometimes it’s nice to not have to cook myself three meals every day.