What We Eat: The Simple Necessity We've Made Complicated
When did eating become such a complicated dilemma? For millennia, eating was an obvious necessity for survival. Humans, like all living things, have always depended on food to sustain life. However, the complexity of our modern dietary choices seems to have evolved only over the last 100 years—largely coinciding with the industrial and scientific revolutions. Instead of relying on time-honored traditions and the basics of necessity, our modern conveniences have opened the floodgates to almost unlimited food choices from across the globe.
With the mechanization of farming and the rise of the food industry, we’ve lost much of our connection to both our local natural environment and the body’s signals that once guided what and how we ate. Enter the era of never-ending diet trends and the weight loss industry.
I can’t summarize the "perfect diet" for all of humanity in a single blog post, but I can outline key principles we can learn from our ancestors and modern scientific research. Since most of us can't simply grow and raise all our own food, we can apply simple concepts to counteract the path of least resistance—giving in to cravings and convenience.
Over the past few decades, health professionals, researchers, scientists, and nutritionists have turned to traditional cultures, or those outside of modernized society, to better understand the impact of diet on health. One pioneering figure in this field was Weston A. Price, author of Nutrition and Physical Degeneration. In this monumental work, Price demonstrates how modern diets based on processed foods can be harmful to health, contributing to physical degeneration and disease. He contrasts the health outcomes of cultures that maintained traditional diets, rich in whole foods, with the negative effects of diets heavy in refined flour, sugar, and processed oils.
Price’s research also documented the impact of diet on dental health, immunity, and overall physical well-being across various populations. His photographs of traditional people alongside their counterparts who had been overtaken by modern processed foods paint a clear picture of the dramatic changes in physical appearance and health. As a dentist, Price highlighted the dysfunctional dental and facial degeneration that occurred between generations before and after the introduction of processed foods. The evidence is straightforward and compelling, and when analyzed, it makes perfect sense: simple calories devoid of essential nutrients and cofactors are a recipe for poor health and disease.
Fast forward to 2025, and we find ourselves in the midst of yet another diet craze—the carnivore diet—employing some of these traditional concepts. However, like many trendy diets, it may overlook the more balanced, nuanced aspects of human nutrition. After all, there is no “one-size-fits-all” approach to eating.
Another important exploration of traditional diets comes from the book Deep Nutrition by Catherine and Luke Shanahan. In this book, they expand on Price’s principles, particularly through the “4 Pillars of Deep Nutrition”: meat on the bone, fermented and sprouted foods, organ meats, and fresh, unadulterated plant and animal foods. They make a strong case for how important proper nutrition is for couples before conception, during pregnancy, and throughout life. They also show how the physical characteristics of families often decline from the oldest to the youngest sibling, as modern processed foods creep into their diets.
Walk into any modern grocery store, and it’s immediately obvious how drastically our food supply has changed. To implement these nourishing principles, you may need to seek out local health food stores, butchers, or farmers' markets. You might find raw fermented foods or an organic section tucked away in a corner of your local grocery store. Don’t hesitate to ask at the meat counter for organ meats or explore new food types if you haven’t been exposed to them before.
While I prefer to focus on actionable steps rather than simply listing things to avoid, it's important to recognize the primary culprits in our modern diet that contribute to the rise of degenerative diseases—especially those affecting our cardiovascular, metabolic, and immune systems. Awareness is the first step toward meaningful change, and even small shifts in how we source, prepare, and think about food can create lasting improvements in our health.
Primary Modern Food Culprits to Minimize or Avoid:
Refined Sugars (sucrose, fructose, high-fructose corn syrup, agave syrup): These disrupt metabolism, contribute to weight gain, fatty liver, inflammation, hyperinsulinemia, and insulin resistance.
Industrial Seed Oils (canola, soybean, corn, sunflower oils): These oils are often high in inflammatory omega-6 fats.
Processed Grains (refined wheat and corn products): These grains are stripped of fiber and essential nutrients, offering little nutritional value.
Chemical Additives (preservatives, artificial flavors, synthetic sweeteners): These can be present in packaged foods, sometimes hidden from labels.
Pesticide and Herbicide Residues: Often found in non-organic produce and grains, these residues can also show up in processed foods without being disclosed.
The Good News: A Path Back to Health
The good news? We can reconnect with a more ancestral and nourishing way of eating—without giving up on modern life. By learning from traditional cultures, supporting local food systems, and being more intentional with our food choices, we can reclaim food as a powerful tool for lifelong wellness. After all, eating doesn’t need to be complicated—it just needs to be real.
Ready to take the first step toward a healthier, more connected way of eating? Start small. Explore your local farmers' markets, try one new whole food each week, or research traditional cooking methods that fit your lifestyle. Don’t forget to share your journey with others—it’s easier and more fulfilling when we make this change together. Together, we can make a difference, one bite at a time.
Learn More:
Weston A. Price Foundation: www.westonaprice.org
Deep Nutrition, by Catherine and Luke Shanahan
Nourishing Traditions, by Sally Fallon
Wild Fermentation, by Sandor Katz
**Medical Disclaimer** Please note that the information provided in this blog post is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in this blog post.