It feels like I’m constantly reading new research or advice on health, nutrition, or fitness which completely contradicts previous advice that people lived by for years. Recent examples include: the evolving USDA food guides; the revelation that maybe whole milk is actually better than skim; the notion that barefoot running isn’t that good for you after all; how good, bad, or great or coffee is for you; the crazy idea that a glass of red wine can replace an hour of exercise; and of course the French paradox.
People love to latch on to new fads or the latest research study (often without actually understanding the underlying science, mind you), and I expect they always will. It seems to be in humans’ nature to look for shortcuts.
But the more I read, the more I think that maybe we’re overthinking everything. Maybe instead of finding clever lifehacks, cutting corners, clinging to the fad diet pendulum, or optimizing the bejesus out of every minute and every calorie, we should listen to our bodies, eat reasonable portions of balanced diets, and generally take a more moderate approach to everything.
I’m reminded of what my grandmother used to say, which I still think is some of the best advice: “Everything in moderation, including moderation.”*
* Commonly attributed to Oscar Wilde, my first introduction to this quote was from my grandmother.