A good diet has a very positive impact on our health and wellbeing.

Although there is some individual variation due to each person’s ancestral background the basics of a healthy diet are similar across the vast majority of populations. 

A healthy diet is high in vegetables, fruit, beans, whole grains, nuts and seeds, low in saturated fat and salt and contains little or no processed food and refined sugars      A traditional Mediterranean style diet is a good example of a healthy balanced diet.

Australian Guide to Healthy Eating     

World Health Organization dietary guidelines

Animal products may be in eaten regularly in small amounts, or larger serves occassionally. These include meat and eggs from healthy free-range, pastured animals, fish and shellfish sourced in a sustainable way (sustainable seafood guide) and traditionally fermented dairy products. A diet solely from plant sources can be balanced and healthy. Healthy protein sources include beans, especially soybean products like tofu, whole grains, nuts and seeds. Care is needed to include foods that are higher in calcium and omega-three fatty acids. When eating a vegan or strict vegetarian diet a B12 supplement must be taken to avoid damage to the brain and nervous system. Balanced vegetarian and vegan diets

It can be difficult to eat a healthy diet in our modern society. Processed foods, sweets and most takeaway foods are very high in saturated fat, refined sugars and salt. These high energy foods were rare in the environment we evolved in and we are adapted to seek them out and eat as much as possible. When we eat these foods our brain produces increased dopamine which makes us feel good and literally makes us addicted to these foods. Just as it is difficult to give up drugs of addiction and alcohol it is difficult to reduce and give up processed and 'junk' foods. Psychological effects of highly processed foods.

Poor diet and obesity are NOT caused by a lack of will power or failing by the individual, these problems are caused by a system of society that allows corporations to profit from these dangerous products. When working on improving your diet be patient and kind with yourself, make small, practical changes and gradually build on these. Talk with people who understand and are supportive. Try adding an extra serving of fruit or vegetables each day and increase this each week.

Supporting research includes:

• Samples of human fossilized faeces (paleo poo!) indicate that our ancient human ancestors ate a high fibre diet from vegetables, nuts and seeds. Humans started using fire for cooking about 800,000 years ago, this enabled us to digest the starches in root vegetables and grains and provided glucose which is the main fuel used by nerve cells. Eating cooked vegetables was probably a major factor in the large increase in brain size that occurred in humans around that time. Most hunter-gather diets today contain 100 – 150g of fibre daily.  
• Traditional diets in areas with low rates of heart disease, cancer and diabetes (such as Africa, China, Japan, and many Mediterranean countries - the Blue Zones) are high in vegetables, beans, fruit, nuts, seeds and grains. People eat whole foods, fresh and local. Diets are low in saturated fats and higher in monosaturated fats such as olive oil or polyunsaturated fats from nuts, seeds, seaweed, fish and wild animals. Traditional diets generally contain only a small amount of animal products from wild or free-range animals.
• Recently we have discovered that the microbes living in our gut have a huge impact on our health. Healthy gut microbes (the microbiome) increase the health of our immune system and reduces cancer, autoimmune diseases and allergies. A healthy microbiome improves mood and brain function, reduces inflammation and improves gut cell health. Our microbiome is healthier when we eat a diet that is high in fibre, low in saturated fats, low in refined sugars and contains no artificial sweeteners. Interestingly our microbiome is less healthy when we are psychologically stressed – possibly the stress hormones we produce have an adverse effect on the microbes. Healthy Microbiome
• Fasting has been a part of our ancestral environment and many cultural traditions. There is preliminary evidence that fasting may reduce cardiovascular disease, diabetes, many types of cancers, some neurological disorders and inflammation. Some studies suggest that fasting may improve mitochondrial function, antioxidant levels, and neurotrophic factors (chemicals that stimulate brain cell reproduction). Research on Intermittent Fasting
• Fasting should be used with caution after discussing with your GP. Fasting is not recommended for people with a history of eating disorders.

The chemistry of life