trl
food

Perhaps you’ve heard the story of shipwreck survivors being given a feast? Those poor, starving souls didn’t nibble on kale. They grabbed fistfuls of butter and squashed it into their mouths. While wanton gluttony isn’t the solution — eating for cravings is. There’s a beautiful simplicity in this approach to nutrition. Your body tells you what it needs, and then you go out and consume it. There’s no lab coat-wearing expert getting in between you and your food. But you’re up against a lot when it comes to eating this way. You have to resist years of indoctrination, like believing that the government’s inverted food pyramid serves your best interests. Hint: it doesn’t.

Trust me. It’s not about how much you eat, but what you eat that matters. It’s all about eating real food — ingredients that you buy and cook for yourself. Do I invest a lot of time and energy cooking for me and my family? I sure do. But what’s more important than your health and vitality? If you spend 3 hours a night watching Netflix, and only 20 minutes preparing your meals, you’re living life on the edge, my friend. The edge of insanity.

We’ve been to both France and Italy, and people there eat calorie-dense, rich and hearty foods. Some call their positive health outcomes a “paradox.” I call it living a life free from fear. See below for a sample selection of what we eat, as well as an approach to nutrition that has served us well for over 10 years.

  • 8:30 AM - Brewed coffee with brown sugar, heavy cream & salt.

    9:00 AM - Two farm eggs on homemade sourdough toast w/ cheddar cheese & bacon. Whole milk yogurt w/ maple syrup. Orange juice.

  • 1:00 PM - Roasted chicken & herbs on white rice w/ sour cream, cheddar cheese, salsa & carrots. Large apple. Large Mexican Coke (sugar).

  • 3:30 PM - Milkshake w/ vanilla ice cream, milk, maple syrup, egg, salt, bananas & mango.

  • 6:30 PM - Hamburger on homemade sourdough bun w/ blue cheese. Sliced potatoes fried in coconut oil w/ avocado mayo dip. A glass of sugared whole milk.

carefully orchestrated indulgence

I had a knowledgable friend who visited us in our home many years ago, who gently asked, when I told him we were leaning vegetarian — “Why?” I spat back all the usual bromides, but nothing seemed to come from the heart. At the time, I was probably at my worst health, with a new baby in the home — I was under weight and plagued by various aches, pains, and global inflammation. This friend got me into the dietary wisdom of Ray Peat, a biologist who doesn’t espouse a particular diet, but what he does do is recommend certain foods people are often told to avoid (like milk, cheese, and sugar). He also suggests avoiding foods many deem healthy (like vegetables and polyunsaturated fats). This led to a complete overhaul of our diet. I carefully tracked what I ate on a web-based food tracker for months. I also took my basal temperature before and after each meal and recorded my observations. Ultimately, what I ended up with is a diet that is both nutritious and delicious. I’d like to help guide you to optimal health as well. It takes some time but the results can be life changing (and suspiciously indulgent). Contact me for details.