The Perfect Diet Does Not Exist

Cutting out your favourite foods is one of the oldest strategies used in the diet book. It follows this idea of extremism that we never practice in other aspects of our life. Have you ever been told that, “Sleep is good for you, you should probably sleep all day” or “you are overworking yourself at that job, you should just stop working”? No, we instead know sleeping adequately (not too much nor too little) is the best option for optimal health. Same with working when it comes to work-life balance. So, why do we do this when it comes to nutrition?

There is no reason to stop eating your favourite food unless you have allergies or a severe medical condition where your doctor/dietitian considers it lethal for you. Like in my case, I get anaphylactic allergic reaction (face blows up into a balloon) to seafood.

You can enjoy your pizzas or burgers and still improve your health. And no, I am not paid by medical companies or the food industry. I just genuinely want you to improve your health while enjoying it (not dreading your next meal). This does not mean that I am saying to eat the entire menu from your favourite fast-food restaurant. Again, this is based on extreme mentality. I am saying you can ‘moderately’ eat your favourite food amongst other nutrient dense foods and still achieve your health goals.

This ideology of only extreme choices is so wrong because literally everything you see in everyday life can have both positive and negative outcomes. You only gain the benefits from it if you stick to moderation/guidelines. Let me give the easiest example of something that no diet asks you to cut out – water! If you stop drinking water, you’d probably not live longer than a few days due to dehydration. Now, if you chug gallons of water for no reason for a prolonged period, you are at risk of hyponatremia (low sodium blood levels). But if you drink water in adequate amounts (varies individually), you are hydrating your body - supporting your body’s overall health and performance. (PMID:20646222)

Here's why there is no perfect diet: They do not consider that we are all individually unique.

A person recommending 'eating salad for every meal' or asking you to 'cut out specific ingredients/food is not considering people who are malnourished or have eating disorders. They also don’t understand your financial background, environment, culture, etc., when recommending organic, free-range, or pasture raised products. It is impossible for a diet to meet all the requirements of everyone. This is why customised nutrition plans are what work best. This includes a mix of foods you enjoy (mostly low nutritive value) and nutrient dense meals to elevate your health and provide you satisfaction. Here, you are not in danger of binging on a bag of chips or tubs of ice cream but are rather happy, feel better mentally, physically and emotionally.