Tim Spector

It all feels like so much to worry about,
I’m doing all I can to keep my children healthy having just been through breast cancer treatment,
But the cost of living is so hard to keep buying organic food,
We are trying so hard,
But sometimes it feels like we can’t win,
That we’ll always be poisoning our children.
 
Stim Trecktor is at it again,
On a recent podcast,
Reminding us all
With really poor over stretched evidence I might add,
That we should solely be buying organic oats to reduce our risk of cancer,
And avoiding strawberries,
If we care about our families’ health that is.
 
The comment above was from one of his followers,
Clearly exasperated at the wealth of ‘information’ being released,
Worrying that she can’t afford to keep her children safe,
Because she can’t afford to buy organic food. 
 
It’s disgusting,
This elitist,
Privileged stance on nutrition that is being shoved down our throats,
Shaming us,
Shaming parents,
For not ‘doing the best’ for their kids.
 
For reference,
No research has linked the consumption of oats to cancer,
Whilst they’re rich in fibre and super satiating and you can buy a bag for 45p
And also for reference,
Unlike what another medical doctor said on another podcast this week,
That 70% of cancer is caused by diet,
30-35% of cancers may be attributed to diet,
But there is no evidence that cancer results from any one ingredient or food type,
Much like other health outcomes.
 
Lifestyle,
Social determinants of health,
Saturated fat,
Trans fats,
Alcohol,
Calories,
Fibre intake,
They all play a role in long-term health.
 
But we have to move away from this reductionist view of nutrition,
This lack of nuance that’s pedalled through big podcasts and loud voices,
It’s shaming people into self-criticism and blame.
 
I mean,
Can you for one second imagine that the person you know who’s living with cancer,
Somehow thought their dietary choices were to blame?
That is was their fault?
Let alone if they’ve been eating to the best of their abilities and within their means,
It’s infuriating. 
 
We worry so much about the minutiae,
The tiny little changes we can make,
Supplements we can take,
If we’re eating exactly the right amount of protein,
Training at the right time of day,
When really,
The best thing we can do for our health is to take a step back.
 
What does my overall diet quality look like?
What are my thoughts and emotions like surrounding food?
Am I moving regularly in a way that my body allows?
Am I consuming as many plant-based foods as are accessible to me at this time?
Where possible, are relatively fewer of my food choices ultra-processed?
 
Not,
Have I eaten the most expensive type of oats?
Or the wrong type of fruit?
 
I hope you use this email as a conversation piece with people around you,
Who demonise foods or methods of eating,
To share the message,
That healthful nutrition is about overall dietary patterns,
And our thoughts and feelings around it,
Or to reflect yourself,
When you overanalyse your food and exercise choices.
 
Because the healthiest way of eating isn’t that complicated,
Albeit sometimes inaccessible,
And often,
The unhelpfulness and unhealthfulness comes from the narratives around what we eat,
Not the food itself.
 
Learn to recognise red flags in nutrition information,
And if you’re someone who tends to overthink your own choices,
Stop listening to this type of content all together,
And take one giant step back,
Or maybe two.
 
I’m always here,
Em x