Suggested Disclaimer for All Diets

Hack the hacks.

I’m intrigued by and somewhat drawn to health hacks. Who isn’t? And by hacks I don’t mean shortcuts, but rather anything that purports to make or keep me healthy and ward off disease and illness.

It’s however difficult to separate the wheat from the chaff.

Carnivore, raw food, blood type, keto, FODMAP, Atkins, gluten free, intermittent fasting…many of these eating orthodoxies are relatively new age. Ancient or far-off-wisdom ones have their allure too. Mediterraneans and their olive oils, seafood, pasta, cheese and wine. Asians and their rice, soy, fish, seaweed, noodles and veggies. Indians and their lentils, rice, veggies and spices. Middle Easterners and their chickpeas, yogurt, lamb and herbs…

I hear from each quadrant avidly how their wisdom, perspective and diet are THE best way to live. Ailments? They disappear and never appear again. The flu? Not for them. No aches. Full of vigor. Yada yada.

Tantalizing stuff.

What rises though for me through all the quiet or noisy hoopla: Every diet, culture or region has people who get sick, and people who are healthy. Some live long, others not so long. And every single person in every single system, dies.

Same, to the other extreme. I know people who drank high proof alcohol daily and lived to 100. People who smoked a pack a day and lived past 80. Lung cancer for non-smokers. Heart attacks and strokes for the seemingly robust. And of course, plenty of poor habit folks who suffered and died earlier than 60.

There’s one guy whose extreme I love knowing. He’s a famously incredibly wealthy guy, who, as I write this, is over 90, eats McDonalds, Coke, ice cream and candies. Daily. But he maintains happiness, has low stress, excellent medical care and probably good genetics.

I’m not here to say eating and habits don’t affect health and longevity. My choices probably change the odds. But there are no guarantees. Except one: No matter what I do, no matter which elixir I drink, I will die - probably before 100. And I say this not to be morbid, but to frame my efforts accurately.

I’m currently a fan of physically moving as much as possible - sometimes beyond comfortable. I maintain awareness of fats, salt, processed foods and stress, and consider smoking and drinking unhealthy pleasures, consider whole grains, fruits, veggies, water, laughter, physical touch pleasure, good company, stimulating mental challenges, benevolence, empathy, gratefulness, quality sleep and love of the self and others, to be healthier than other choices.

I’m also acutely aware that even if I’m correct and restrict myself only to the healthier choices, accidents happen, misfortune strikes, someone can do me harm, or something can go off track in the complex ecosystem within me or in which I exist… I can suffer, or die early, regardless.

So, I’ve settled into that being healthy is reasonably possible but elusive, and aiming for it is a sensible choice, but not scrupulously or religiously. And never with the expectation of certainty or control.

Indulge? Sure. Occasionally.

Be careful? Sure. Usually.

Either way, I know I’ll end.

In the meantime - to (good) life!