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> good food Everyone thinks they eat good food. Food is the number one physical measurable input into our bodies. So it boggles my mind that nutrition isn't t

> good food Everyone thinks they eat good food. Food is the number one physical measurable input into our bodies. So it boggles my mind that nutrition isn't the most studied subject, alongside maybe the study of living a fulfilling life. Changing my eating habits has changed my life for the better. It took kidney stones (not recommended) to get me here. But even my most obese and unhealthy friends like to proudly tell me the "healthy" things their eating, and I don't have the heart or patience to try to tell them anymore. But if you find what works for your body, food becomes more of a tool for living your best life, and something you'll defend to protect yourself and to continue living that good life, which makes the right choices so much easier. Now maybe that's not what you need to hear, but I know it's definitely true for some other people that are going to see this.

docmars 5y ago
Out of curiosity, what did you change after you experienced kidney stones? What was easy about it? What was difficult?
- maxqin1 5y ago
  #1 change: actually paying attention to what your putting inside you. Kidney stones were a long time ago now, I've been continuously evolving since, and I've been super lucky to have a lot of help with both the cooking and research along the way. One thing I learned specifically from that incident was that: Raw spinach != Cooked spinach. Specifically, the former has a specific chemical that will cause kidney stones. This is problematic for someone on the subway diet who substitutes spinach for the lettuce, because, you know, spinach is healthier than lettuce... which is kind of true, until it isn't. Edit: what was easy? Knowing the impact that little daily decisions can have (a few day stay in the hospital). Also, cutting out the soda was easy after experiencing that level of pain (the kind where things become a blur, you accidentally rip out IVs, sister passes out just from watching, etc). Also, I've changed my diet regularly as information changes for the past ten years. Every single time I thought I was "being the healthiest I can be." That said, I'm not suggesting a specific solution. What I'm suggesting is becoming familiar with the practice of iterating on your eating habits to maximize your life (in more ways than simply extension).
  - cinntaile 5y ago
    There is something ironic about claiming to eat healthy and regularly changing your diet due to new information. I don't mean this in an offensive way, it's not your fault dietary advice keeps changing. It just aptly reflects how little we know about food and the effect it has on the body.
    - maxqin1 5y ago
      Nothing ironic at all. That's how I treat anything that is important to me. I like to ask questions. And the world is always changing. To think continuous change is "ironic" sounds problematic to me. I mean, that's why they little fat kid inside the large obese woman thinks it's still alright to eat cake for breakfast. Edit: there is such a thing as eating right for your age!
      - danparsonson 5y ago
        I think the GP was referring to the irony of 'eating healthy' only to later find out that what was previously considered healthy is now considered unhealthy. Spinach a nice example of that - I've been eating it raw for ages thinking I was being healthy, had no idea about the potential problems.
        cinntaile 5y ago
        Yes this is what I meant to say, thanks for the clarification.
  - mattmanser 5y ago
    Ugh, so you didn't learn anything apart from having yet another 'revelation'. And that revelation is 'avoid raw spinach, but it's too late for me'. You had Kidney stones. That does not make you a health Messiah, quite the opposite really.
    - maxqin1 5y ago
      > That does not make you a health Messiah, quite the opposite really Nice to see how you interpreted things, but that's all it is. My point was alluding to the continuous practice. And the proof is what I see in my and my partner's fitness compared to that of our peers. But don't take it from some random on the internet. Lastly, yes it's a lot of hard work, and yes that's why you're avoiding it. Good luck!
logicslave 5y ago
What did you change?
enw 5y ago
What kind of good food do you eat?
- maxqin1 5y ago
  The kind I've iterated on for years to maximize my body. I wish I had a good answer, but it's similar to exercise. The best food for you is the one that works for you. I also highly recommend no-food (don't try to twist this). Fasting for various periods is undeniably beneficial for men and women past menopause (younger women should carefully research preventing doing any harm). Rather than tell you exactly what I eat, I'll tell you that I aim to minimize blood sugar, most of the time(exercise, and simply trying to live a little can change this). And that I also give myself permission to eat outside my boundaries occasionally, though doing so often keeps me on track in the future because of the obvious negative outcomes (which are a lot easier to recognize when you have absolute control over what your ingesting). The science of nutrition is complex, but I'm sure a lot of programmers would be intrigued by chemistry and equations involved in metabolism. It also changes the way you think about eating. I was fortunate enough to land myself in a tough nutrition class in college, which can look more like organic chemistry. Edit: to satisfy the downvoters: I'm mostly keto, always low carb unless it's some occasion where I'd otherwise regret not participating. Organic, and well-treated animals are also a staple (and yes, a luxury not available to all). There are really so many little things that if you or your partner aren't significantly interested in learning about it as a hobby then you're undoubtedly going to miss a lot. Note: to anyone asking what exactly I eat, why? You don't even know anything about me. What if I'm an athlete? Then what I eat would make a sedentary person obese. Not to mention, VARIETY IS ESSENTIAL. Ideally I would eat every single good thing that's available to maximize my exposure to good things. Good luck to you!
  - jiofih 5y ago
    Cool. So what kinds of good food do you usually eat?
    - TedDoesntTalk 5y ago
      Nuts, seeds, low-carb vegetables, fiber supplement, occasional fruits especially berries (exception is a avocado every day). No red meat. Fish or chicken or turkey 2-3 times per week. Occasional eggs. Fish should be wild caught and either salmon or small like sardines, herring, mackerel , etc. Probiotic and prebiotic foods. Limited dairy and only non-cow daily unless it’s A2. Coffee and green teA but no caffeine after 2 PM. Organic as much as possible.
rubicon33 5y ago
> Everyone thinks they eat good food. Yes, probably including you. I am very aware of things like cooked spinach v.s. non cooked spinach. I pay close attention to what I eat, and make an effort not to fall into the traps of fad diets. I eat a whole foods based, well rounded diet, that avoids known "gotchas" like aforementioned raw spinach. Oxalate are found in many of other "healthy" foods. I'm also very lean, but still pay close attention to the role of inflammation caused by insulin, and generally do my best to keep that down by avoiding carbs and sugar (though, not completely cut out, I am not keto). Trust me, food is not the panacea of health that everyone espouses it to be. If you were dying of cancer, even the best diet on earth for you, may not save you. That said, a life of healthy eating is definitely a good idea and there's always the chance that I would feel worse, or simply die of a heart attack, if I weren't paying attention to my diet. Diet is absolutely important to get in check, just like exercise. But it's all too often prescribed as THE solution above everything else. This often comes in the form of some revelation someone had, visa vi some weight lost, or some medical situation from their prior eating. For some of us, there is no issue with weight, no medical problems, we cook all our own food (never eat out), eat well balanced whole foods, and yet still life is not magically solved.
- kjsthree 5y ago
  Wait, what’s this about raw spinach?
  - newnamenewface 5y ago
    You want to steam most vegetables to make the cell walls break down (easier to digest and utilize nutrients).
    - Snoozus 5y ago
      Steaming is not enough, you need to cook in water and remove the water (at least for spinach and kale).
  - algorias 5y ago
    Spinach famously contains iron, but less famously also contains a substance that inhibits iron absorption. So IIRC, it actually lowers your iron, unless you blanch it and throw away the water.
kmonsen 5y ago
I tried the whole30 diet for fun, and it changed my body quite a bit. I used to snore, but it completely went away when I stopped eating processed food. When I started again the snoring came back.
- maxqin1 5y ago
  Yes, the snoring and sleep apnea is a big one. It was so sad to see, but weight loss from cancer in obese people does the same thing (cure sleep disorders). If only those people could have realized that before their bodies degraded into cancer.
Snoozus 5y ago
> Food is the number one physical measurable input into our bodies. This is the single reason why everyone focusses on food. It is not the biggest lever you have on your health / wellbeing. It is the easiest variable to measure and to play with. From the research it is quite clear that apart from gross errors what you eat does not really matter to any outcome. Quantity matters, but eating more can be compensated by excercising more. I think we have it completely backwards, the killers are: depression, burn-out and so on. Their symptoms are : no energy to change the situation, loneliness, no motivation to move, eating too much/too many calories ... This in the end leads to all kinds of physical diseases. Maybe starting with what we eat is a good first step to regain control, but it is certainly not the most important part of the puzzle.
- maxqin1 5y ago
  While I agree about other factors contributing, your missing how vital food is in the equation. All of the things you mentioned are highly dependent on food. For example, high amounts of sugar will undoubtedly lead to depression and burnout, not to mention diabetes. > starting with what we eat is a good first step to regain control Yes, it is absolutely the first step. And it's one you have most control over. Focus on the things you can control.
- lotsofpulp 5y ago
  > Quantity matters, but eating more can be compensated by excercising more. Eating a little bit more can be. Eating an extra 1k kcal per day cannot be, especially as you get older. I’m in my 30s and relatively fit, and I can only burn 14 kcal per minute for 45 minutes or so. Maybe I can do an hour if I pushed it, but even Olympic level athletes top out at 20 kcal per minute.
  - ajmurmann 5y ago
    How did you get the 14kcal number? Are there devices that measure this?
    - lotsofpulp 5y ago
arvinsim 5y ago
Dealing with food would be so much easier if it wasn't one of our main sources of pleasure and relief. Alas, it is not so. That's why adopting proper diet and nutrition is complicated.
- maxqin1 5y ago
  > sources of pleasure and relief So it can be. And I have food addicts in my family so I'm familiar with it. Have you tried cannabis?
- athenot 5y ago
  I've adopted the opposite strategy: instead of constantly fighting against the pleasure in food, I have cultivated it. Expanded the horizons of my palate, chased amazing gustative experiences. The result being that the immense majority of the food available to me is now "ok but not fantastic". I still take pride in being able to enjoy (almost) any food no matter how humble. But none bring me joy the way a rare fine dining experience will. And since I'm in no position to indulge on those on a regular basis, I'm never using food as a source of comfort and satisfaction. TL;DR: appreciate and cultivate rarity (but try not being a snob about it)

docmars 5y ago

Out of curiosity, what did you change after you experienced kidney stones? What was easy about it? What was difficult?

maxqin1 5y ago
#1 change: actually paying attention to what your putting inside you. Kidney stones were a long time ago now, I've been continuously evolving since, and I've been super lucky to have a lot of help with both the cooking and research along the way. One thing I learned specifically from that incident was that: Raw spinach != Cooked spinach. Specifically, the former has a specific chemical that will cause kidney stones. This is problematic for someone on the subway diet who substitutes spinach for the lettuce, because, you know, spinach is healthier than lettuce... which is kind of true, until it isn't. Edit: what was easy? Knowing the impact that little daily decisions can have (a few day stay in the hospital). Also, cutting out the soda was easy after experiencing that level of pain (the kind where things become a blur, you accidentally rip out IVs, sister passes out just from watching, etc). Also, I've changed my diet regularly as information changes for the past ten years. Every single time I thought I was "being the healthiest I can be." That said, I'm not suggesting a specific solution. What I'm suggesting is becoming familiar with the practice of iterating on your eating habits to maximize your life (in more ways than simply extension).
- cinntaile 5y ago
  There is something ironic about claiming to eat healthy and regularly changing your diet due to new information. I don't mean this in an offensive way, it's not your fault dietary advice keeps changing. It just aptly reflects how little we know about food and the effect it has on the body.
  - maxqin1 5y ago
    Nothing ironic at all. That's how I treat anything that is important to me. I like to ask questions. And the world is always changing. To think continuous change is "ironic" sounds problematic to me. I mean, that's why they little fat kid inside the large obese woman thinks it's still alright to eat cake for breakfast. Edit: there is such a thing as eating right for your age!
    - danparsonson 5y ago
      I think the GP was referring to the irony of 'eating healthy' only to later find out that what was previously considered healthy is now considered unhealthy. Spinach a nice example of that - I've been eating it raw for ages thinking I was being healthy, had no idea about the potential problems.
      - cinntaile 5y ago
        Yes this is what I meant to say, thanks for the clarification.
- mattmanser 5y ago
  Ugh, so you didn't learn anything apart from having yet another 'revelation'. And that revelation is 'avoid raw spinach, but it's too late for me'. You had Kidney stones. That does not make you a health Messiah, quite the opposite really.
  - maxqin1 5y ago
    > That does not make you a health Messiah, quite the opposite really Nice to see how you interpreted things, but that's all it is. My point was alluding to the continuous practice. And the proof is what I see in my and my partner's fitness compared to that of our peers. But don't take it from some random on the internet. Lastly, yes it's a lot of hard work, and yes that's why you're avoiding it. Good luck!

logicslave 5y ago

What did you change?

enw 5y ago

What kind of good food do you eat?

maxqin1 5y ago
The kind I've iterated on for years to maximize my body. I wish I had a good answer, but it's similar to exercise. The best food for you is the one that works for you. I also highly recommend no-food (don't try to twist this). Fasting for various periods is undeniably beneficial for men and women past menopause (younger women should carefully research preventing doing any harm). Rather than tell you exactly what I eat, I'll tell you that I aim to minimize blood sugar, most of the time(exercise, and simply trying to live a little can change this). And that I also give myself permission to eat outside my boundaries occasionally, though doing so often keeps me on track in the future because of the obvious negative outcomes (which are a lot easier to recognize when you have absolute control over what your ingesting). The science of nutrition is complex, but I'm sure a lot of programmers would be intrigued by chemistry and equations involved in metabolism. It also changes the way you think about eating. I was fortunate enough to land myself in a tough nutrition class in college, which can look more like organic chemistry. Edit: to satisfy the downvoters: I'm mostly keto, always low carb unless it's some occasion where I'd otherwise regret not participating. Organic, and well-treated animals are also a staple (and yes, a luxury not available to all). There are really so many little things that if you or your partner aren't significantly interested in learning about it as a hobby then you're undoubtedly going to miss a lot. Note: to anyone asking what exactly I eat, why? You don't even know anything about me. What if I'm an athlete? Then what I eat would make a sedentary person obese. Not to mention, VARIETY IS ESSENTIAL. Ideally I would eat every single good thing that's available to maximize my exposure to good things. Good luck to you!
- jiofih 5y ago
  Cool. So what kinds of good food do you usually eat?
  - TedDoesntTalk 5y ago
    Nuts, seeds, low-carb vegetables, fiber supplement, occasional fruits especially berries (exception is a avocado every day). No red meat. Fish or chicken or turkey 2-3 times per week. Occasional eggs. Fish should be wild caught and either salmon or small like sardines, herring, mackerel , etc. Probiotic and prebiotic foods. Limited dairy and only non-cow daily unless it’s A2. Coffee and green teA but no caffeine after 2 PM. Organic as much as possible.

rubicon33 5y ago

> Everyone thinks they eat good food. Yes, probably including you. I am very aware of things like cooked spinach v.s. non cooked spinach. I pay close attention to what I eat, and make an effort not to fall into the traps of fad diets. I eat a whole foods based, well rounded diet, that avoids known "gotchas" like aforementioned raw spinach. Oxalate are found in many of other "healthy" foods. I'm also very lean, but still pay close attention to the role of inflammation caused by insulin, and generally do my best to keep that down by avoiding carbs and sugar (though, not completely cut out, I am not keto). Trust me, food is not the panacea of health that everyone espouses it to be. If you were dying of cancer, even the best diet on earth for you, may not save you. That said, a life of healthy eating is definitely a good idea and there's always the chance that I would feel worse, or simply die of a heart attack, if I weren't paying attention to my diet. Diet is absolutely important to get in check, just like exercise. But it's all too often prescribed as THE solution above everything else. This often comes in the form of some revelation someone had, visa vi some weight lost, or some medical situation from their prior eating. For some of us, there is no issue with weight, no medical problems, we cook all our own food (never eat out), eat well balanced whole foods, and yet still life is not magically solved.

kjsthree 5y ago
Wait, what’s this about raw spinach?
- newnamenewface 5y ago
  You want to steam most vegetables to make the cell walls break down (easier to digest and utilize nutrients).
  - Snoozus 5y ago
    Steaming is not enough, you need to cook in water and remove the water (at least for spinach and kale).
- algorias 5y ago
  Spinach famously contains iron, but less famously also contains a substance that inhibits iron absorption. So IIRC, it actually lowers your iron, unless you blanch it and throw away the water.

kmonsen 5y ago

I tried the whole30 diet for fun, and it changed my body quite a bit. I used to snore, but it completely went away when I stopped eating processed food. When I started again the snoring came back.

maxqin1 5y ago
Yes, the snoring and sleep apnea is a big one. It was so sad to see, but weight loss from cancer in obese people does the same thing (cure sleep disorders). If only those people could have realized that before their bodies degraded into cancer.

Snoozus 5y ago

> Food is the number one physical measurable input into our bodies. This is the single reason why everyone focusses on food. It is not the biggest lever you have on your health / wellbeing. It is the easiest variable to measure and to play with. From the research it is quite clear that apart from gross errors what you eat does not really matter to any outcome. Quantity matters, but eating more can be compensated by excercising more. I think we have it completely backwards, the killers are: depression, burn-out and so on. Their symptoms are : no energy to change the situation, loneliness, no motivation to move, eating too much/too many calories ... This in the end leads to all kinds of physical diseases. Maybe starting with what we eat is a good first step to regain control, but it is certainly not the most important part of the puzzle.

maxqin1 5y ago
While I agree about other factors contributing, your missing how vital food is in the equation. All of the things you mentioned are highly dependent on food. For example, high amounts of sugar will undoubtedly lead to depression and burnout, not to mention diabetes. > starting with what we eat is a good first step to regain control Yes, it is absolutely the first step. And it's one you have most control over. Focus on the things you can control.
lotsofpulp 5y ago
> Quantity matters, but eating more can be compensated by excercising more. Eating a little bit more can be. Eating an extra 1k kcal per day cannot be, especially as you get older. I’m in my 30s and relatively fit, and I can only burn 14 kcal per minute for 45 minutes or so. Maybe I can do an hour if I pushed it, but even Olympic level athletes top out at 20 kcal per minute.
- ajmurmann 5y ago
  How did you get the 14kcal number? Are there devices that measure this?
  - lotsofpulp 5y ago

arvinsim 5y ago

Dealing with food would be so much easier if it wasn't one of our main sources of pleasure and relief. Alas, it is not so. That's why adopting proper diet and nutrition is complicated.

maxqin1 5y ago
> sources of pleasure and relief So it can be. And I have food addicts in my family so I'm familiar with it. Have you tried cannabis?
athenot 5y ago
I've adopted the opposite strategy: instead of constantly fighting against the pleasure in food, I have cultivated it. Expanded the horizons of my palate, chased amazing gustative experiences. The result being that the immense majority of the food available to me is now "ok but not fantastic". I still take pride in being able to enjoy (almost) any food no matter how humble. But none bring me joy the way a rare fine dining experience will. And since I'm in no position to indulge on those on a regular basis, I'm never using food as a source of comfort and satisfaction. TL;DR: appreciate and cultivate rarity (but try not being a snob about it)