The HolSpan approach strives for simplicity. Unfortunately, nutrition is a topic rife with complexity, often further complicated by zealotry and complex interests. HolSpan reframes this topic from a practical, science-based approach with a nod toward ancestral/evolutionary health (principles that have traditionally stood the test of time but are now themselves being tested by the novelty of modern living).
Core principle #1:
Humans are opportunistic omnivores who can adapt to diverse eating strategies, hence there is not a perfect one-size-fits-all diet that can be applied to all humans. The search for THE perfect diet is a fool's errand.
People and populations are too diverse to recommend one diet that is right for everyone. Every person may have a unique individual response to a diet that can even change over time for that person if other aspects of their health are changing. Understanding this should give the reader a better insight into why there are so many conflicting recommendations concerning diets.
Further complicating the “ideal diet” construct is that any diet template can be constructed in a way to be composed of poor-quality foods. This makes it very difficult to compare diets in and across broader studies.
Example: A Vegan diet can consist of french fries, sugary snacks, and sodas thereby meeting the criteria of being a Vegan diet (as they are devoid of animal products) while violating the HolSpan principle of prioritizing food quality (by favoring a diet rich in ultra-processed food).
HolSpan finds it useful to assess the commonalities of most successful dietary strategies. This informs us that most of them agree that the quality of the food matters.
HolSpan tip - The perimeter of the supermarket is where high-quality foods tend to reside; fruits, vegetables, greens, dairy, meat, and fish products can typically be found along the perimeter.
Core principle #2:
An ample aqueous environment forms the basis of all life on our planet. This principle also applies to our bodies and individual physiologies. Modern influences tend to conspire against us to create relatively dehydrated states.
Fluid intake must be balanced to meet the needs of the individual and the environment to which they are exposed. Optimizing fluid intake is a very common topic of conversation had with my conventional urology practice. Violation of this principle tends to contribute to concerns in the areas of Kidney Stones and Urinary Health.
HolSpan tip: Trade sugary beverages (soda, juices, etc.) for water. Do not drink your calories; try only to chew them!
Core principle #3:
All diets work, for some, for a time. The HolSpan philosophy is to view diets as both:
The focus of the HolSpan approach is to build sustainable lifestyle practices in an evidence-based yet practical manner. Broad unifying principles emerge when comparing differing, diverse diets. Many diet wars are fought over points in which they differ; however, many effective eating strategies all tend to agree on the following principles:
1. Low added sugar/ low glycemic
Avoid food with added sugars
2. Low ultra-processed food
-Group 1 - Unprocessed or minimally processed foods (fruit, vegetables, eggs, meat, milk, etc.)
-Group 2 - Food processed in the kitchen to extend its shelf life (fats, aromatic herbs, etc. to be kept in jars or in the refrigerator to be able to use them later)
-Group 3 - Processed foods. These are the foods obtained by combining foods of groups 1 and 2 to obtain the many food products for domestic use (bread, jams, etc.) made up of a few ingredients
-Group 4 - Ultra-processed foods. They use lots of ingredients like food additives that make food taste better, processed raw materials like hydrogenated fats and modified starches, and things like soy protein or mechanically separated meat that aren't often used in home cooking. These foods are mainly of industrial origin and can be stored for a long time.
Avoid most foods that:
Trading ultra-processed food for fresh, whole foods typically concurrently improves the amount of fiber from the diet (HolSpan tip: Focus on food quality). Fiber in the diet serves as a source of prebiotics. Prebiotic fiber is defined as: “A non-digestible compound that, through its metabolization by microorganisms in the gut, modulates the composition and/or activity of the gut microbiota, thus conferring a beneficial physiologic effect on the host.” This emphasis on fiber is important as it favors the selection of a beneficial microbiome (bacteria that reside in our guts/intestines).
Health benefits of prebiotic dietary fibers:
The gut microbiota are part of the human microbiome which is the diverse bacteria found throughout our digestive tract and bodies (which has broad-reaching implications for many aspects of human health and disease).
The microbiome is associated with:
HolSpan tip: Eat your nutrients as opposed to supplementing them. Well-sourced foods have multiple complementing factors that are preferable.
Foods high in fiber include:
Foods high in prebiotic fiber include:
HolSpan tip - You are what you absorb (not just eat). The microbiome helps regulate both the health of our gut (the main organ system involved with food absorption) and the efficiency of nutrient absorption.
In an even broader sense, we “absorb” or “consume” many other things besides foods and nutrients from our environment that contribute to our health including attitudes, mindsets, and habits (a reflection that supports the HolSpan holistic approach).
3. Low sodium
Avoid canned and processed foods as sodium is typically added for taste and as a preservative. A goal to aim for is less than 2300 mg per day. A good habit to get into is to start reading nutrition labels to create an awareness of the scale of just how much sodium is in a modern diet. Avoid/limit dining out at restaurants and fast food establishments. Tradeoff to home-cooked meals to generate quality food and quality time with family.
Nutritional approaches utilized as models for conventional conditions:
General Nutritional Cautions
Environmental exposures can also be “absorbed” in a very tangible sense.
-Bisphenol - A (BPA)
-Phthalates
-Atrazine
These chemicals are often found in the environment (herbicides/pesticides) and at home (food and beverage containers/plastics). They should be avoided.
The field of nutrition and “diets” is filled with a fair amount of zealots supporting their sides and beliefs (often in the background of diverse and sometimes perverse incentives). Be wary of those speaking in dietary absolutes while questioning their affiliations.
HolSpan Tip - think in terms of broad, sustainable lifestyle changes as opposed to erratic uses of diets
The broad recommendations listed in this section will generate substantial progress (while getting most people 80% of the benefits). There is a smaller subset of very specific ongoing nutritional debates that remain unresolved where most of the controversy, debates, and zealotry reside.
HolSpan Tip - do not get bogged down in the smaller, controversial topics (the smaller 20% that often generates fierce debate centered around nutrition). The HolSpan philosophy and other thought leaders agree that time, effort, and cognitive bandwidth would be better invested in strengthening other aspects of foundational health and wellness (like exercise or sleep).
HolSpan Tip - flexible, moderate approaches tend to be favored over absolute, extreme approaches
The HolSpan approach seeks to arm people with an understanding of nutritional principles. In doing so, this allows people the flexibility of adapting eating strategies to accommodate their needs. These needs may change in time (dynamic system), but the fundamental principles emphasized will continue to remain foundational to human health and wellbeing.
Sources:
HolSpanMD counsels patients on a personal level to achieve their optimal metabolic health, focusing on precision wellness and preventative care. Reach out to us today to schedule an appointment or ask a question.
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