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ABOUT THE "TAO OF EATING" 

The Tao of Eating is about taking up the practice of understanding our world and ourselves through our food. This is a safe space for exploring how different foods in different amounts at different times make us feel. The Tao of Eating teaches us to balance our internal and external conditions.  

 

I have a deep respect for the scientific process, however the term "science" refers to a methodology that serves as the foundation for a vast number of disciplines. Some branches of science have a much longer history and a much more developed picture of the "truth" they are studying. The science of nutrition is a very young science. We are talking about food and nourishing ourselves here - something that- If we stop to think about it- should not have to be explained to us. None of us would have made it to the age of reason or the industrial era if we needed food experts to tell us what to eat. It is problematic, to say the least, to rely solely on the fragmented, patchwork that our current scientific picture of nutrition offers. It is problematic when we look to a study or look to evidence so that we can check out and stop paying attention to our bodies, to changing conditions, to our powers of observation and to our experience. Our experiences provides the context for the emerging science of nutrition. Our sensory awareness, our observations and our direct experiences guides us in making sense of the scientific studies and the data.

After a 2014 study by scientists at the Johns Hopkins University of Medicine and Harvard School of Medicine in Boston reported that, for healthy people, the glycemic index had less to do with heart health and the development of diabetes than the total carbohydrate load, Professor Lawrence Appel at John Hopkins University of Medicine said it all: "Get back to the basics that most people already know. Don't drink sugar-sweetened drinks. Try to eat fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Try to avoid sweets, salt and foods high in saturated and trans fats" (1). He says it right there: Most of us already know this!

We can find our way back to the eden of intuitive, natural eating through listening to our bodies and through understanding the properties of foods based on our learned knowledge and our own experience... essentially giving our enteric nervous system the loud, clear voice that we've muffled by fast, busy, noisy living. I love what Michael Pollan has to say about the science of nutrition, the emerging ideology he calls “nutritionism,” and the priesthood we have created that separates us from making our own autonomous, empowered food choices:

The big premise of nutritionism is that the most important thing about any food are the nutrients it contains, right? A food is the sum of its nutrient parts, which is basically how science studies food.
 
So take an apple, or take carrots. And, what’s important about carrots is a certain amount of beta-carotene, and a certain amount of vitamins, and a certain amount of fiber, and a certain amount of sugar. That’s what a carrot is. So that seems kind of, okay, no big deal. That's–nutrients are the basis of food.
 
But if you accept that idea, that the important thing about a food are the nutrients it contains, you suddenly find yourself dragged along to tenet number two of nutritionism. And that is the idea that since nutrients are invisible, then it falls to experts to tell us how to eat.
 
It’s sort of like a religion ’cause now, if what matters about a food is something you can’t see, then you need a priesthood to mediate your relationship to that mystery. And so we have a priesthood that consists of doctors, who we consult about food, and various experts, and writers of books on nutrition and nutrition scientists of all kinds. And we defer to them.
 
Like most ideologies, nutritionism divides the world into good and evil. So that, in the nutrition area, there is always a group of blessed nutrients and a group of evil nutrients (2).  

As we know, there is still a lot of conflicting information around the young science of nutrition. We don’t need a food priesthood, however, we do need to filter through all of the marketing noise around food , the convenience behind many of our choices, as well as all of the premature claims and incomplete pictures that result in countless fad diets. Here’s a clue, almost any fad diet out there will work in the short term: Paleo, Ketogenic, Low-Carb, etc. They work in the short term because they all share this common principle: they all get people off of the standard American diet of processed foods and sugar, and they all emphasize real, whole foods; however, they all call for major restrictions. That said, some of these diets, Paleo or a moderately low carb diet for instance, are better suited for a long-term eating style. The takeaway here is that if you don't have to restrict, don't restrict; seek to strike a balance instead. What foods in what amounts keep your body in balance, and what foods in what amounts can throw your body out of balance quickly or over time? Variety is a law of nature that seems to work.

 

Another major influence on this site is the work of Paul Pitchford through his book Healing with Whole Foods, used as a textbook for many Traditional Chinese Medicine programs. The first page of the first chapter gets to the heart of the matter:

Healing with food is not haphazard. Food acts according to its various therapeutic properties, although its properties are often less specific and its actions less drastic than those of herbs or other medicines. Food also acts as the foundation medicine. It is sometimes slower to take effect, but more profoundly affects all systems of the body. If diet is used correctly for prevention and treatment, other medicines are required less,  if at all. 

 

A major complaint of people who begin the study of diet is conflicting views in almost all sources of information. This book is written in part to resolve those conflicts by acting as a guide for individual diagnosis and the healing properties of various foods. With knowledge of how foods act in the body and the ability to self-evaluate, the reader can learn which foods and diets are best for his or her particular constitution and condition. Knowing only vitamin, mineral, and general nutrient properties is not enough (3).

When I first thought about birthing this site, I intended the focus to be on traditional Chinese medicine, but it soon occurred to me that traditional Chinese medicine was developed far before the introduction of antibiotics. My theory is that part of the mystery behind all these different "healthy" eating fads has to do with the fact that most of us since about 1950 are living with either compromised or underdeveloped microbiomes; this would make it difficult to look to the past and to other healthy cultures as an example of how to eat now, because we are Missing Microbes (see Dr. Martin Blaser's book) that are essential for proper digestion and assimilation. One area where nutrition science is making major strides is the study of how our microbiomes (our gut health) influence our overall health, digestion and nutrient absorption. Dr. Raphael Kellman, in his book The Microbiome Diet, explains his take on elimination diets as short-term tools designed to re-establish the strongest gastro-intestinal (internal ecosystem) that can tolerate the widest variety of wholesome foods. “Your microbiome harvests your calories, extracts crucial vitamins, helps you digest your food, decides whether you feel hungry or full, and regulates your metabolism to determine whether you store fat or burn it. You literally cannot perform those functions by yourself. To achieve your ideal appetite, metabolism, and weight, you need the help of your microbiome” (4).  So, in order to successfully apply the wisdom of traditional Chinese medicine's dietary principles, you must simultaneously, if not first, recreate your healthiest microbiome, which thankfully, we are understanding with increasing accuracy how to do. The 4Rs is a start: Remove. Replace. Repair. Reinoculate.

If the information here on the  Tao of Eating site piques your interest, I strongly recommend these resources:

The Microbiome Diet by Dr. Raphael Kellman

- An in depth look into how we are designed to thrive in symbiosis with our microbiomes, and a detailed outline of the 4Rs, along with sample meals.

Helping Ourselves by Daverick Leggett

- A concise, comprehensive overview and introductory guide to Traditional Chinese Medicine food energetics.

 

Healing with Whole Foods by Paul Pitchford

- A deep and comprehensive dive into Traditional Chinese Medicine theory and food energetics.

The Slow Down Diet by Marc David

- A thorough introduction to the psychology of eating and profound effect that our mental, emotional and spiritual quality has on our metabolism and nutrient absorption.

One last note on the topic of open-minded, curious questioning: I encourage you to question TCM with an open, curious mind rather than unnecessary skepticism; I believe we need to remain engaged in the practice of updating our knowledge, whether that be folk knowledge, a traditional system like TCM or scientific knowledge. There is both truth and some error in all of it. TCM provides a basis for building awareness and connection through the practice of eating; you become the scientist of your self. So, conduct thoughtful, open, curious observational experiments to discover what foods in what proportions bring you closer to homeostasis, i.e. feeling your best.  Compare and contrast the traditional wisdom of TCM, contemporary scientific understanding, and your own first-hand experience to discover what works for you. Keep in mind, the truth is always changing based on how much of the complete picture we are able to see.

All the best on your journey! 

In Health,

Gretchen Mehlhoff-Wade

1. Parry, L. (2014). The GI diet debunked: Glycaemic index is irrelevant for most healthy people - so it doesn't matter if you eat white or wholewheat bread, scientists claim. Retrieved from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2877315/The-GI-diet-debunked-Glycaemic-index-irrelevant-healthy-people-doesn-t-matter-eat-white-wholewheat-bread-scientists-claim.html#ixzz4w0SGABks 

2. Pollan, M.  (2008).  In Defense of Food.  http://www.pbs.org/food/features/in-defense-of-food-transcript/

3. Pitchford, P. (2002).  Healing with Whole Foods, p.1.

4. Kellman, Dr. R. (2014).  The Microbiome Diet, p. 17.

One last excerpt on the topic of white versus whole grain bread:

"It should not be forgotten that the health benefits of whole grains may be much longer-term than a one-week study can show, especially in relation to gut health and prevention of conditions like bowel cancer. Therefore, this study does not imply that people should give up eating whole-grain foods based on these results," said Dr. Elizabeth Lund, an independent consultant in nutrition and gastrointestinal health who was previously a research leader at the Institute of Food Research in the UK" (5).

5. Drayer, L. (2017). White bread or whole-wheat? It may depend on your gut. Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/2017/06/16/health/white-whole-wheat-bread-food-study-drayer/index.html

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