Introduction

I already know this page will be controversial. I just don’t know exactly how. But I do know why. That’s because everyone has an opinion on food and nutrition. And because we all eat.

In this piece, we’ll try to narrow down to some simple principles the key factors that affect our nutrition - not just for our physical health, but especially for our mental health. 

The exciting news is that in recent years the imposing sounding field of ‘nutritional psychiatry’ has discovered new levers that can help us better manage our mental health through what we eat. What we eat impacts how we feel, sometimes in ways that we don’t immediately notice. And the good news is that there’s more in our control than we sometimes realize. 

Good nutrition stands alongside movement, rest, social connection and mindset as one of the five foundations of Mental Fitness in the Resilience Agenda Mental Fitness Toolkit.  These are the essential elements of our health that affect us regardless of our awareness of them. To achieve optimal physical and mental wellbeing or to cope effectively with the challenges of everyday live, we must prioritize these foundations as best we can. 

Why Nutrition Matters

Despite incredible medical advances over the past 150 years, the food we eat remains a major factor in our performance, energy, and health. The foods we eat matter to our physical health, mental health, our longevity, and in particular how we feel and perform in the short term. Food matters, because food is fuel, and the quality of the fuel we put into our bodies impacts the way it operates and how likely it is to break down. 

Good nutrition is about more than eating, diets, and weight loss. It means something more specific than just eating ‘healthy.’ Nutrition means fueling our bodies with the ingredients, nutrients, and resources that we need to perform, recover and grow. Nutrition means nourishing ourselves with optimum doses of the major nutrient groups: macronutrients like proteins, fats, and carbohydrates, which should form the base of our diet. In addition, we need micronutrients, such as vitamin C, and minerals, such as calcium or potassium, which help optimize particular biological functions and prevent disease.

The foods we eat can either be a lifelong form of medicine (that help us prevent disease and recover from stress) or they can be a slow form of poisoning (putting us on the pathway toward early and preventable disease).  

The thing is, we are so easily attracted to non-nutritious or harmful foods that are cheap, plentiful and commonly available instead of real foods that help keep us full, energetic and focused, keep our blood sugar stable, reduce our inflammation, and are good for the environment. 

As we choose what to eat, we often find (sometimes legitimate) reasons to eat too much of what isn’t good for us, at the wrong times, and in the wrong quantities. What do we mean by wrong? Things that make us lethargic, depressed, anxious, irritable, and ultimately sick, leading to all sorts of long-term health complications. That extra piece of cake, full bag of chips, or eighth slice of pizza seem to have a way of hijacking our short-term decision making, and we conveniently forget the consequences of what we put into our mouths until it's too late.  

Much of what we eat tastes really really good. But it isn’t necessarily good for our physical and mental health. Chances are that you live in a reasonably prosperous Western country if you are reading this. That means your diet is likely a Western diet variation or one influenced by the global popularity of American culture. (Fun fact: the word “diet,” which comes from the Greek word diaita, means “way of life.”)

The problem here is that so much of what we put into our mouths has been shown by science to cause our most insidious and preventable diseases. Anecdotally, we know the difference between how we feel when we’ve eaten something nutritious and filling and when we’ve eaten junk. Unfortunately, it’s just too easy to eat things that are not only not good for us, but actively bad for us. 

This modern diet even has a name - the Standard American Diet - the SAD diet (sorry to pick on Americans) is almost as bad for us as smoking. This means foods with added sugar, ultra-processed carbohydrates and low fibre, and foods that are both calorie dense and easy to eat a lot of. This includes soft drinks, energy drinks, flavored coffees, fruit juice (more on that later), bacon, sausages, hamburgers, and pizza. 

Eating ultra-processed foods, and eating too much of them, are directly creating an epidemic of physical and mental disease, reduced life-quality and function, and ultimately early death across the world. In other words, our diets are depressing and killing us. Despite government health campaigns, scientific pronouncements, and a greater societal focus on personal ‘lifestyle choices,’ we are still eating in a way that is causing illness and reducing our quality of life. Simply put, eating poorly is too easy, and adapting to healthy eating seems too hard for many people.  

The problem? While we enjoy foods today, we often don’t see their consequences until much later. Not to mention the absurdly confusing and contradictory food environment we find ourselves in. Much of the disinformation comes from companies trying to sell us stuff and from influencers and talking heads trying to say the most outrageous or overcomplicated things related to extreme diets in order to sound relevant. 

Eating too much results in obesity, insulin resistance (which leads to type 2 diabetes), and heart disease, often caused by high blood pressure. According to the American Cancer Society, overeating accounts for at least 20 percent of all cancer deaths in the United States. 

The US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) say that one in ten Americans has type 2 diabetes, and one in three has insulin resistance known as pre-diabetes. This leads to a collection of symptoms called ‘metabolic syndrome.’ Metabolic syndrome is one of the key risk factors for heart disease and strokes, even among people in their 40s. Indeed, metabolic health is one of the most important and measurable aspects of good nutrition. Among other factors, metabolic syndrome is caused by inactive, sedentary lifestyles and eating patterns where we consume more calories than we use, meaning we put on weight. 

Alongside diabetes and heart disease, Peter Attia, author of the longevity best-seller Outlive has called cancer and neurodegenerative diseases (such as Alzheimer’s) the ‘four horsemen’ of diet-induced chronic disease. 

Obesity rates are growing, which partly explains the appeal and attraction of so-called miracle drugs like Ozempic, which claim to lower cravings for unhealthy foods. As neuroscientist Mark Mattson explains, “A dramatic increase in obesity has occurred during the past 50 years, and it is strongly linked to increased consumption of simple sugars – particularly high-fructose corn syrup (found in soda drinks). Also contributing to the epidemic are advances in technologies that have reduced the number of occupations that require substantial physical exertion as well as increased leisure hours spent in front of a screen.”

This all sounds depressing. The problem is that most of us lack the knowledge to separate fact from fiction and fad from fact. We also often lack the confidence to make changes because we realize how hard change is. Sometimes, we don’t have the skills to implement the changes that are needed. Very often, we simply have a set of habits around food that are very hard to change. 

Principles of Good Nutrition

Theoretically, it should be easy to know how to improve our nutrition, prevent chronic disease, and feel great. In practice, it is not. Unfortunately, even among the most well-intentioned, severe misunderstandings lead people down the wrong path, and as a result they give up, frustrated. As Peter Attia says, “It’s not rocket science to eat well. It’s far far more complicated…but then again…we think we know what we are doing…We don’t.”

1. Good nutrition is about more than just weight loss 

Even if nothing changes on the scales, eating well can still help us achieve better health outcomes. Unfortunately, some people fail to see quick progress in front of the mirror and assume that good nutrition isn’t ‘working.’ However, emerging science is finding connections between poor diet and mental illnesses, such as depression; childhood developmental disorders like ADHD and autism; and everyday effects such as decreased focus, energy, and performance. We are learning that our concentration, sleep, and even ability to recover after exercise are all affected by what we eat. More than ever before, there are countless reasons to eat well.

1. Focus on what’s nutritious, not just on what is ‘unhealthy’

When we commonly hear about healthy eating, we often hear about how we should restrict ‘bad foods’ rather than focusing on consuming good ones. The problem is that this is discouraging, and often ultimately ineffective. 

Behavioral science shows that we get better results when we pursue positive goals rather than merely avoiding unhealthy ones. Temptation is always there to strike us. The result of this mindset shift is a concept called ‘crowding out.’ When we put more nutritious (and filling) foods into our stomachs, there’s simply less room for unhealthy foods. Feeling fuller without excess calories helps us snack less and avoid high-calorie temptations, while maintaining a stable energy level throughout the day.

1. There’s more to nutrition than ‘calories in, calories out’

To lose weight, we need to exert more energy than we take in. That makes sense to most people. However, the quality of those calories matters too. Not all grams of carbohydrate are equal. That’s because the way we metabolize them (i.e., convert calories into energy) is different depending on the food, which results in different effects on our bodies.

In addition, some foods have lots of nutrients alongside their calories, while other foods are merely calorie-dense, but not actually nutritious. For example, think about the effect of eating 250 calories of avocado or hummus versus 250 calories of a soft drink. Which has more nutritional value, and is more likely to make you feel full (and avoid snacking later)?

1. You don’t need to go on a ‘diet’

As a general rule, diets don’t work, particularly over the long term. Healthy eating plans or ‘nutritious lifestyles’ on the other hand tend to achieve better results. They are sustainable. 

You might have heard about the debates around plant-based versus meat, high-carb versus low-carb or pro-dairy or dairy-free. What the science says (but isn’t always clearly explained) is that the majority of our nutrition should come from plant-foods (even if we still enjoy meat), increased fat consumption isn’t the only reason obesity rates are growing, and many of us could do with eating more protein and building more muscle mass (especially as we age). 

What almost everyone agrees on is that vegetables, especially green ones, should form the basis of most lifestyles. The problem is that for most people, these crucial ingredients are not centerpieces on our plates, and that convenience foods and traditional habits keep them away from snacks and our early morning meals.

1. Limit or reduce meat consumption

One of the best ways to make more room in our diets for nutritious vegetables and grains is to eat a little less meat. Sometimes there literally isn’t enough room on the plate for fibrous and nutrient rich foods when half the plate is covered in a steak. 

Although evidence suggests that reducing meat and animal protein reduces obesity and improves health, vegetarians and vegans can still have poor nutrition. As Michael Greger says, “From a nutrition standpoint, the reason I don’t like the terms vegetarian and vegan is that they are only defined by what you don’t eat.” Don’t focus on what you don’t eat but on what you do eat.”

At Resilience Agenda, we don’t have a horse in that race. We believe it is possible to eat meat as part of a nutritious eating plan. As with most things, the truth lies somewhere in the middle, and there’s a degree of second-order thinking we need in order to get optimal results. Sure you can get enough protein from a plant-based diet, but for many people that’s going to take plenty of focus. 

We would encourage you to do what feels right to you, yet keeping in mind that it's going to be difficult to go wrong by eating a little less red meat (and particularly ultra-processed meats) and eating more vegetables and whole-grains. Generally, for those who can afford it, fish is a more nutritious ‘main meal’ than red-meat, at least on a regular basis, and good-quality white meats such as turkey breast and chicken tend to have better nutrition behind them (as well as being cheaper). 

1. Don’t Drink Sugar

One of the best ways to reduce calories, and improve metabolic health is to reduce or even eliminate the habit of ‘drinking’ sugars, which are a form of simple carbohydrates. Compared to other products, the sheer quantity of refined sugar in a standard soft drink is mind-boggling. An energy drink or a can of coke can easily contain a dozen teaspoons of sugar (think about that - would you spoon a dozen teaspoons of sugar into your mouth in one sitting?)

Sometimes we make choices that we think are helpful but aren’t in reality. One example is replacing soda or sugary drinks (possibly the worst things we can put in our bodies on a daily basis) with processed fruit juice without their fibre or pulp. However, soda and fruit juice have similar amounts of sugar. And unlike protein or fat, they don’t fill you up. Metabolically, we process them the same way. 

This is why you can easily down a liter of fruit juice, which has about 250g or about 25 teaspoons of sugar. If you’re going to drink juices or smoothies, make sure to use ‘whole fruits’ with the fibrous pulp still included, and try to add some greens as well. Be highly cautious of store-bought juices, or anything with a brand-label. They are likely full of sugar.

1. Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff

Too often we focus on aspects of diet that simply aren’t that important. As Tony Robbins says, “we major in minor things” and miss the forest for the trees. For example, it is common for the media to obsess over the latest study or a favorite new vitamin. 

However, it’s important to understand that while individual micronutrients are important, we’re likely to get as many as we need by simply loading our plates up with salad, fruits and vegetables. Good nutrition doesn’t have to be complicated if we focus on the overarching principles.

1. Eating Nutritiously Doesn’t Have to be Expensive

It is commonly assumed that eating healthily is expensive. It’s true, unfortunately, that fresh vegetables are often more expensive than fast food or ultra-processed carbs in some places. Some other highly nutritious foods can also be quite expensive, such as salmon, nuts, and seeds (ever bought pine nuts?). Yet it’s possible to eat healthily on a budget. The concept of food-deserts do exist, often occurring in low socio-economic areas. 

First, we must shift our cost expectations. For example, some people complain about the fluctuating prices of avocados (one of the healthiest fats to consume) or certain vegetables but accept much higher prices for meat and dairy because they are ‘premium’ or because that’s how it is. 

Secondly, not all vegetables are expensive. While your preference should be to use fresh vegetables, there’s no issue eating frozen vegetables if that’s all you can afford or are more convenient for you to prepare. Oftentimes, frozen vegetables can be more nutritious than fresh as the nutrients are ‘locked-in’ while the vegetables are fresh. Use them in curries, stir frys, and casseroles. 

So how do we balance good nutrition and not spending too much? Harvard University researchers have found that to get the most nutrition for the least amount of money, we should eat more nuts, beans, and whole grains (e.g., barley, oats, quinoa) and less meat and dairy. They concluded a tilt toward plant-based eating is the best investment. This accords of course with those who suggest that a plant-based diet is not only better for us, but is also better for the planet.  

Navigating Our Food Environement

One of the most challenging aspects of eating nutritiously is managing our so-called food environment. We don’t make food choices in a vacuum. We eat foods that our friends eat or our family puts in front of us. We eat foods that are advertised to us or easy to transport or prepare. We eat traditional foods that our cultures decided were important long before the advent of science-based nutritional advice. And we eat foods that probably shouldn’t strictly count as food. As athlete and coach Kelly Starett says: “”Just because you can burn any type of fuel doesn’t mean you should. You’re not necessarily going to get a good outcome.”

Dining out is a particular challenge for eating well. When we eat out, and are paying top dollar for it, we tend to want something special. Only the most disciplined order a salad regularly (your author isn’t one of them). At restaurants, portions today are larger than in the past, another reason we eat too much. And at fast-food restaurants and when we’re on the go, we choose foods based on their shelf-life and portability, not so much their nutritional content. Sandwiches can be healthy, but a typical sandwich of white bread, sugary sauces, and processed meat (such as ham or salami) doesn’t contain the optimal balance of nutrition compared to, say, a small piece of meat and some mixed vegetables.  

Then there’s shopping for food. The average supermarket carries over 10,000 items, some as many as 35,000. That’s too many items to keep track of or assess the health benefits of for most of us. One solution is to avoid the middle aisles, which are usually packed with highly-processed foods. The outside aisles tend to have fruit and vegetables, dairy products, and meat (just stay away from those frozen pizza shelves). Or as has been noted wryly, if it needs a nutritional label, it probably isn’t all that good for you. 

Contrary to popular belief, the food environment is not ‘just’ a vast conspiracy trying to make us fat. Instead, it’s just a bunch of big businesses that are very good at making and marketing what they know humans crave. How? Because they know that our ancestors on the savannah craved foods that were high in calories, sweet, or fattening. The problem is that this food is now too easily available in large quantities, can be produced fairly cheaply, and has become deeply ingrained into our daily habits. Our genes and habits simply haven’t adapted to the abundance, variety and calorie-dense foods in the modern world. 

Finally, our modern lifestyles don’t make things any easier. Most of us are busy. Most people have more to do each day than time to do it in. Many of us eat away from home more often than we did in the past. They don’t teach home economics in schools any more. For many, this relegates healthy eating, and eating in community with others to an afterthought instead of something around which we plan our days. 

“I haven’t got time to cook” is another common refrain from busy people. While everyone’s life is different, this doesn’t seem like a sustainable or particularly healthy approach to such an important component of our health. We have time for what we value, and saying we don’t have time to cook is another way of saying we don’t value good nutrition. Assembling a salad on the go, preparing a week’s worth of leftovers once a week, or ensuring the pantry is stocked with healthy nuts and fruit can be small wins that put us on the path to good nutrition. When we don’t cook for ourselves, we’re outsourcing something we might or should value to someone else, and giving up control over a powerful health and performance lever. 

Nutrition and Mental Health

The effect that food and nutrition has on our wellbeing isn’t simply limited to how we look in the mirror. The reality is that we are now learning more and more how good quality nutrition underpins our happiness and mental health, while poor nutrition is contributing to an epidemic of depression, anxiety and burnout. (Ed - is it any coincidence that there is a large correlation in the number of people being diagnosed with depression over the last 30 years and obesity at the same time?)

As it turns out, the foods, habits and strategies that help to protect our physical health are also those that protect our mental health. No surprises for guessing that vegetables, in particular leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables top the list of mental health supporting foods. The reverse is also true. Foods that aren’t good for our hearts aren’t good for our guts or our brains either. The result is obvious. Poor diet choices lead to mental health issues, and mental health issues lead to poor eating habits in a vicious cycle. 

An exciting new development in nutritional psychiatry (a research field exploring the link between food and mental health) is the role of the gut microbiome in good mental and physical health. Diet (along with stress, toxins, and our genes) exerts a key influence on the composition and health of the gut microbiome.

Nevertheless, certain foods and environmental stressors do affect our brains in particular. 

New science is emerging every year showing that what we eat affects our guts, and how our guts affect our overall physical and mental health. This connection between our guts and our brains is at the forefront of exciting new research hoping to uncover solutions to our growing list of common mental health problems.

How does this work? 

The gut is made up of hundreds of thousands of bacteria. You might have heard of ‘good bacteria’ and ‘bad bacteria.’ Good bacteria live on fibrous foods called prebiotics such as grains and vegetables (as opposed to probiotics, which are microorganisms often taken as supplements).

As Deakin University Professor (and Resilience Agenda Radio podcast guest) Felice Jacka told The Guardian:

Our gut microbiome affects virtually every aspect of health. It affects our metabolism, our blood glucose, our body weight. It affects the way genes turn on and off, and the amount of serotonin in our brain by altering the way the gut breaks down tryptophan [from protein] in our diet. It influences the stress response system. It affects the way the [energy-producing] mitochondria in our cells work, and it very profoundly influences our immune system…so if you start to think about all of those things, all of which are very much involved in mental and brain health, and that diet is a key factor that affects the gut microbes, then you can see why we need to think about what we’re eating and what we’re not eating in relation to our mental and brain health.

So what helps support our mental health in particular? Science is showing that certain foods and eating patterns do impact specific mental health symptoms. Michael Greger, author of How Not To Die, notes that “higher consumption of vegetables may cut the odds of developing depression by as much as 62 percent…Even on a day-to-day basis, studies have shown that the more fruits and vegetables you eat, the happier, calmer, and more energetic you may feel that day – and this positivity can spill over into the next day.” How many people know this, and act upon it?

Specific diseases such as anxiety and depression both have strong correlational links to what we eat. Patients experiencing anxiety and depression often show strong inflammatory markers, often caused by too much processed food and too little antioxidant rich foods. Edward Bulmore, author of The Inflamed Mind, shared a fascinating finding from recent years: “the single gene most significantly associated with depression is one called olfactomedin. Until it emerged at the top of the risk list for depression, this gene was best known for its role in controlling the gut’s inflammatory response to dangerous bacteria.” In other words, anything that strengthens the good bacteria in our gut is going to be good for us. That includes vegetables and for most people whole grains such as bulgur, buckwheat and oats, which are a great source of fiber.

Fiber, which comes from plants, is like the gut’s engine oil. It keeps things running smoothly. It supports the microbiome, lowers cholesterol, and helps us regulate the glucose spikes that occur when we eat. Fiber creates a barrier that absorbs molecules from our food and slows their digestion (especially important for glucose and fructose molecules). The more fiber we eat, the less our blood glucose spikes. The less our blood glucose spikes, the less we experience symptoms of anxiety and depression, not to mention those four chronic disease horsemen.

Beyond fiber, there’s fat. One reason we need to dig deeper here is that there are good and bad fats. Fats don’t just make one fat, and shouldn’t be labeled unhealthy, particularly when compared with sugar, which is what often replaces fat in processed foods. In particular, omega-3 fatty acids are vital for brain development, recovery and protecting against mental ill-health. 

Neuroscientist Mark Mattson says, “The good news is that we now know that several types of fats are beneficial for general health and brain health.” This includes extra virgin olive oil, fish oil (either as a supplement or from fish such as salmon or sardines). It also includes walnuts, avocados and a variety of plants and seeds including flaxseeds. “Based on our current understanding of fats and brain health, it would seem prudent to use olive oil for cooking, eat the plants that have omega-3 fats, and replace red meat with more fish,” Mattson concludes.

Uma Naidoo, author of the fascinating book Your Brain on Food offers a helpful acronym for how to eat well for mental health. She says we should eat B.R.A.I.N F.O.O.D.S 

This stands for:

• Berries and beans
• Rainbow colours of fruit and vegetables
• Antioxidants
• Include lean meat protein and plant protein
• Nuts

• Fibre rich foods (vegetables, whole grains)
• Oils (avocado and olive oil are the best)
• Omega 3s 
• Dairy (in particular yoghurt, which is fermented) 
• Spices

With this framework in mind, we can build recipes around the foods and ingredients that lower inflammation, balance our blood sugar and prevent obesity and diabetes.

Building Habits for Nutrition

Building Habits for Nutrition

Beyond what to eat and not eat (coming up next), the how of eating is often overlooked as people look for ways to sustainably improve their nutrition. Even if we don’t change what we eat, the mindset and habits we apply to the way we eat can significantly impact our mental health and fitness. Here are a few things to consider. 

1. Start slow

As eaters, we are creatures of habit. It’s not easy to change something we have done five times per day for decades. Don’t try to completely re-engineer this habit-worn part of your life. Make one or two changes suggested here, see how they feel, and add a couple more after a month. 

1. Plan ahead 

Do a food plan once a week and stick to it, rather than reaching into the fridge and selecting food based on how you feel. This also means you’ll be more disciplined at the shops. If you don’t buy it, and it’s not in your fridge, there’s less chance you’ll eat it (although Uber Eats is challenging that theory!). If finding time to cook after work is difficult, cook big on Saturday or Sunday and eat leftovers. If you’re struggling to eat well, taking your own lunch to work is a great way to control portions and make smart choices before you’re hungry. 

1. Work together

Don’t try this alone. Talk to your partner, kids, or colleagues about what you’re trying to do and why. There’s no need to call it a diet. Just explain that you want to eat more veggies and less processed or “white” foods. A lifestyle that the whole family isn’t on board with isn’t going to last long. 

1. Eat mindfully

This means focusing on the food as you’re eating it. One way to do this is to put away the TV or phone while eating (this works best when you’re on your own). This way you’ll actually taste the food, and you’ll be more likely to observe when you start to feel full. 

The problem with this approach? For many people, being mindful isn’t much fun. That means putting up with the thoughts going through our minds. But if you want to meditate without actually meditating, develop the skill of carefully and slowly eating a meal without distractions. That old bit of folk wisdom about chewing your food 30 times is easier if you’re present while you’re eating!

1. Focus on what’s in your control

When we’re stressed out from raising kids, poor sleep, working too much, and/or a lack of time for exercise, one thing left in our control is what we eat. Most of us eat three times each day. That’s three chances to make smart choices and build healthy habits. If you’re unable to do this, look deeply for reasons why not and lay them out explicitly on paper. Am I hungry? Am I bored? Am I needing a break? Do I want this because enjoying gourmet food is part of my identity? 

1. Ditch the junk 

If it’s in your cupboard or fridge, you’re more likely to eat it. If you don’t buy it, it can’t tempt you at home and you’re less likely to submit to a craving. If you don’t want to throw it away, take the things you don’t want to keep in your home to a food bank or a party. 

Of course, when it's a special occasion, or you’re out or over at someone’s house, that’s the time to indulge in your favorite treat. 

1. Substitute, don’t eliminate 

Instead of getting rid of meals you love, try replacing something less nutritious with something more nutritious. For example, replace white rice with brown in your burrito. Or brown rice with quinoa or buckwheat. Replace red meat on the BBQ with chunks of eggplant doused in olive oil and herbs, or with large mushrooms sauteed in butter and thyme for a meaty texture. 

1. Eat less 

Simple in theory, hard in practice. We often eat for reasons entirely other than hunger! We eat when we’re bored, upset, or sad. Nevertheless, try to find ways to reduce your total calorie intake. Try to reduce portion sizes. 

One way to do this is to use smaller plates. Some people weigh food, however, this is simply difficult and tiring to do and can lead to disordered eating for some people.  Choose the filling option or the option that is likely to spike blood sugar the least. Or simply don’t eat occasionally and tolerate being a bit hungry for a while. 

1. Eat more

If eating less is out of the question, eat more good stuff that contains more fiber, healthy fats, or lots of water to fill you up. Try to crowd out processed or calorie-dense foods with filling and nutrient rich foods, such as vegetables. Given that you’ll feel full eventually, if your diet consists mainly of vegetables, it’s going to be harder to eat too much. In other words, eat as much salad as you want!

1. Don’t be too strict

Going from a regular diet or a standard diet to vegetarian only overnight is going to be a challenge for most people. Try to reduce foods you’d like to eat less of over time. For foods that you love, make time for your favorite treats at particular times. As Michael Greger says, “Your body has a remarkable ability to recover from sporadic insults as long as you’re not habitually poking it with a fork.” Try to keep your regular meals healthy, and eat out, or indulge in something sweet or salty on (pre-defined) special occasions. If you’ve got a sweet tooth, try dark chocolate. Always remember your why (which hopefully now includes mental health too). 

1. Know your habits

We tend to eat the same 10–12 meals every few weeks on rotation (think about it). Are they meals high in veggies, legumes, or whole grains? If not, how can you adjust them to include more veggies (especially cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage) and reduce red meat and refined carbs? Of your top 10, limit three of the least nutritious ones to special occasions, replacing them with new healthy vegetable-based meals in your rotation.

1. Turn cooking from a chore into an event 

Set aside a few hours on a Sunday afternoon, grab a glass of wine, and put some music on. Find a helper and spend a few hours mindfully preparing two or three meals. Community, focus, healthy habits. How better to spend a couple hours on the weekend? 

1. You can always go back

Choose three simple goals from this list and try to make them a habit for a month. Remember that you can go back to your usual eating plan. Think of healthy eating as an experiment rather than a permanent change. If you don’t like it, go back. If you feel better and are getting the results you want, keep going. 

1. Track what you eat 

Whether in an app, a journal or on the back of an envelope, tracking what you eat will make you more mindful of your diet and how you’re feeling. Reviewing these data works well to keep you consistent and mindful of your progress. Even if you don’t ever review the data, science suggests that simply tracking our eating makes a difference to how much and how nutritiously we eat. 

1. Fiber first, carbs last 

The order in which you eat foods can affect how your body absorbs glucose. Eat fiber (e.g., veggies and salad) first, fat and proteins (e.g., meat) second, and white carbs (e.g., bread, pasta, pastries, and sugars) last. Don’t be too strict with this, but when you’re eating carbs (especially simple carbs such as pastries and sweets, try to add some fats or proteins alongside them to reduce the blood-sugar spike.)

1. Choose savory breakfasts and snacks 

If you eat breakfast or snacks and want to balance your blood sugar and energy levels, make it savory, not sweet. That’s because the sugars in croissants, bread, and processed cereals make our glucose levels spike and then plummet mid-morning. If you must eat these, eat them with veggies, fats, or a protein source. Experiment and notice how you feel. 

1. Move after eating

If you can get into the habit, going for a short walk after eating can help you feel more energized and reduce the glucose spike that comes from carb consumption. Ten minutes is enough to notice an effect. 

1. Read food labels

First, don’t be seduced by ‘fat-free’ foods. Most things that claim to be fat free have added sugar, which ultimately turns to fat if unused by our metabolism. Second, to reduce salt and therefore blood pressure, seek foods with fewer milligrams of sodium per serve than the serving size itself. For example, ensure that a 500g packet of pasta has less than 500mg of sodium in it. Also remember that the healthiest foods in the supermarket don’t have labels. 

1. Eat real foods

While supplements can be helpful, try to get your nutrients via real foods. This might mean eating meat for the nine essential amino acids (proteins) we need, and of course fruit and vegetables, which should be the foundation of every eating plan. Besides Vitamin B12 and fish-oil, a healthy eating plan as described throughout should be sufficient for most people. 

1. Eat when you’re hungry

These days food is everywhere. Which means we’re only a button click or a swipe away from calorie-dense foods being at our fingertips. Learning to eat when we’re hungry, not just when food is available is one of the most valuable things we can do to manage our weight and prevent disease. This means knowing our triggers, such as when we get tired, when we’re short on protein, or when we’re tempted by sugary, salty or fatty snacks. If we get the basics right (eating more whole grains, vegetables and protein), we’ll be more likely to feel full and snack less. 

Essential Strategies for Good Nutrition

So, after all that background, what should we actually eat? While eating well might be simple, it sure isn’t easy. What should we eat, and in what foods, recipes or cuisines do these things appear? 

What to eat

1. Research shows that a ‘mediterranean style eating plan’ is the most effective for protecting mental health and preventing physical disease. The core elements include significant vegetable intake, fruits, nuts and fish. The primary source of fat is olive oil, and depending on your personal situation wholegrain carbohydrates and limited meat. Dairy and highly-processed foods are kept to a minimum. 

1. According to How Not To Die author and editor of “Nutritionfacts” Michael Greger: “If you were to add only one thing to your diet, consider cruciferous vegetables. Less than a single serving a day of broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, or kale may cut the risk of cancer progression by more than half.” As per our discussion of mental health, these are also high in fiber. 

1. Blueberries, salmon, and green tea have been shown to boost wellbeing and reduce inflammation. Foods such as olive oil, avocados, Brazil nuts, and walnuts help keep us feeling full and full of energy. These are the ‘superfoods’ that will never become untrendy. 

1. Nuts and seeds in general. Yes, they’re expensive, but if you buy them in bulk, it’s a much more palatable proposition. Why nuts? Walnuts for example contain good fats, such as Omega 3s, and are filling, and tasty. Don’t be too scared off by their fat and calorie content. In a study called the Predimed study, scientists found that a Mediterranean style eating plan with nuts led to better outcomes than a control group eating the same diet without nuts. Eat them alone or in salads or use them to thicken a curry sauce. 

1. Eat flaxseeds (those little red things). A study cited by Michael Greger shows ground flaxseeds (they need to be crushed to be effective) “induced one of the most potent blood-pressure-lowering effects ever achieved by a dietary intervention.” How to eat them? Put them in smoothies, sprinkle them on joghurt, or toss them on any salad. They are fairly flavor neutral, but pack a real protein punch.

1. It’s hard to find a drink that is tasty but doesn’t have alcohol, caffeine, sugar, or carbs besides water. Three come close to the healthy list: green tea (it still has some caffeine), rooibos tea (from South Africa), and hibiscus tea or simply water (sparkling or still with a touch of lemon or lime juice). You choose.

1. Find ways to incorporate vinegar into your diet. This could be putting a teaspoon into a glass of water (drink it with a straw to protect your teeth), dressing a salad (simply with olive oil, salt and pepper or a more complex Asian style dressing with fish sauce and soy-sauce), or using it to add flavor to sauces and stews. Vinegar slows the uptake of glucose in the bloodstream and helps our muscles soak up blood glucose. 

1. If you aren’t a vegetarian, try replacing meat with fish every now and then. Salmon probably offers the most bang for versatility, taste, and nutrition, though it is expensive. As performance coach Kelly Starett says: “we are primarily interested in two things and two things only: protein and micronutrients. It’s been our experience that when you focus on these two things, everything else - including calorie control and healthier eating habits - falls into place.”

1. Take a fish oil supplement. While we’re generally skeptical of claims that non-food products such as supplements are worth the effort, evidence suggests that most of us don’t eat enough fish, which is full of omega-3s that reduce inflammation. According to Barry Sears, author of The Anti-Inflammation Zone, “the single most important thing you can do to keep silent inflammation under control is this: take a daily supplement of high-dose fish oil.” Assuming you’re not eating enough salmon like most people, this sounds pretty sensible. 

1.  Given inflammation is such a key driver of mental and physical health issues, reducing it is important. Therefore, find ways to incorporate tumeric (which contains curcumin) into your diet. Sprinkle it on eggs, mix it up in curries, or if you have a strong stomach mix a glass of water with a teaspoon of turmeric, a teaspoon of apple-cider vinegar and a teaspoon of lemon juice for a complete health kick. (This also forms a great salad dressing, mixed up with some olive-oil). Onions, broccoli, leafy greens, and garlic are also great for the immune system. 

1.  Fermented foods to help. This includes pickles (anything pickled in a jar really), yoghurt, kefir, kimchi and sauerkraut. If you can’t find ways to eat pickled foods, get plenty of vinegar from other sauces such as balsamic vinegar on salads to adding apple cider vinegar to drinks or stirfrys. 

What not to eat

We presented first what you should eat, because chances are, you know what you should eat less of. Here’s a short list to remind you. 

1. Don’t drink sugar. The easiest and most effective thing you can do to cut calories, reduce glucose spikes that cause inflammation, and generally protect your physical and mental health is to cut out sugar that you drink. This means soft drinks, energy drinks, syrups, flavored coffees, and fruit juices (especially when they dont have the pulp/fiber in them). Over time, also reduce the spoonfuls of sugar in your tea or coffee. This probably requires thinking about how you’ll handle that mid-afternoon energy dip. 

1. Drink less alcohol. As painful as it sounds, alcohol isn’t all that good for us. At least not in excess. Alcohol is full of calories (only slightly less than in fats), however we often drink it in larger volumes than we consume fats in food. It also accompanies ‘mindless eating’ which means we eat more. Studies that conclude that a glass of wine each day is good for us might be true, but there’s also evidence going the other way. We don’t have a strong opinion on this. Drinking alcohol “for the antioxidants,” however, doesn’t seem the most effective way to get them given the alternatives available in more obviously nutritious foods.  

1. Avoid processed meats, such as bacon, ham, hot dogs, sausages, and chorizo. They are often high in salt, are correlated with higher rates of cancer and cellular decline, and contain additives that aren’t healthy. This is probably the single biggest food change most people could make. 

1. Be mindful of highly processed foods Limit how often and how much you indulge in flavor bomb or comfort foods. As tasty as pizza is, try to eat it only on special occasions because it offers a combination of unhealthy factors: it’s high in salt and processed carbs (the base), often comes with processed meat, and we always eat too much. Don’t let microwave pizza become a staple!

1. To meat or not to meat? We don’t have a strong opinion either way on the role of eating meat versus eating a plant-based diet only. Some evidence suggests that reducing red-meat, while still eating chicken or fish, is a good compromise for health and the environment. Increasing evidence seems to suggest that we can get most of our nutrition from plants - as long as we’re creative and varied and getting enough macronutrients and micronutrients from other sources. Eating mostly plants or having a plant-based diet, even if it isn’t strictly vegetarian or vegan, seems a pretty good solution for optimal health, our wallets, and the environment based on the growing evidence we have today.

Nevertheless, protein is an important macronutrient.. Since protein is important to muscle development, which in turn promotes a healthy weight, we should focus on eating sufficient protein to keep us full. If eating meat, fish or dairy is necessary for your protein intake, go right ahead. Realize that the evidence suggests that white meats (such as chicken) lead to lower levels of disease than high consumption of red meat, and that fish tends to be healthier again. 

The Science of Nutrition

We didn’t want to bore you with the science of nutrition. However, if you’re wondering where you can learn more and more importantly, whom you can trust to help you interpret the latest science, we suggest the following resources. These are the best discussions of mental and emotional health and the impact that food has on how we feel.

• Brain Changer: The Good Mental Health Diet - Felice Jacka 
• This is Your Brain on Food - Uma Naidoo
• Brain Energy - Dr Christopher Palmer
• The Inflamed Mind: A Radical New Approach to Depression - Dr Edward Bulmore
• How Not to Die - Dr Michael Greger
• Outlive - Dr Peter Attia
• The Science of Nutrition - Rhiannon Lambert

To learn more about nutrition and wellbeing, jump onto the Resilience Agenda Radio podcast and find our interviews with leading nutritionists. 

Takeaways

In this piece, we have tried our best to steer away from being proscriptive regarding the major controversies related to nutrition. Our goal has been to provide some principles, second-level insights, and a few practical tools to make further progress on nutritious eating. We hope you’ve found something valuable.  

• Eat more vegetables, fruits and whole grains
• If you eat meat, try to eat more fish and a bit less red meat
• Focus on a handful of ‘extra foods’ with high nutritional value that you enjoy such as nuts, berries and seeds
• Eat plenty of protein (especially as you get older), get more fibre, get enough fats through olive oil, avocados and walnuts, and eat less fried foods
• Be aware that high consumption of sugar, either in soft-drinks, sauces, or highly-processed foods is likely to be a leading cause of illness, symptoms or disease you may be experiencing.

We encourage you to pick three suggestions from this list, and incorporate them into your schedule and planning for the month ahead. Don’t wait until January 1 to eat well. Start today.