Have you ever tried to use something for one purpose, fully knowing that it was intended for another purpose? I’m sure there are a lot of great “MacGuyver” type stories of people heroically making something work when they had no alternatives, but my guess is that there are many more train wreck type stories about people misusing things.
Many of you are very committed to keeping your car, boat, or motorcycle engine running well, and you would not think of putting in the wrong type of fuel or oil. It is commons sense that this motor will not run well, or worse yet, will be damaged, if the correct type of fuel is not used. But how many of us see our bodies as something that requires the correct types of fuel? And it’s not like there isn’t feedback. If our car or boat or bike started bloating or getting really lethargic, we would notice and try to address this quickly. The standard American diet, which is dripping with carbs, sugars, and unhealthy fats, and void of so many good nutrients that come from vegetables and healthy fats, is largely responsible for a lot of the chronic diseases we are developing in epidemic proportions, not to mention just the immediate symptoms of fatigue, poor digestion, inflammation, and weight gain.
Food as Fuel
If the fuel we were putting in our cars and toys was creating other issues that kept it from performing, we would get to a mechanic, get our diagnosis, and in most cases tell them to, of course, take care of the problem. And if they told us that we needed to be more careful to use premium gas, or diesel, or whatever our vehicle required, we would almost surely comply. How many people who accidentally put regular gas in their diesel vehicle would , after having it repaired, put diesel in it again?
So why have we become so nonchalant about what we eat? I don’t need to mention the obesity rates or heart disease or diabetes. We all know. So here is the simple truth: our bodies are made to run on good fuel. Our bodies ned to be given regular high quality fuels, and be protected from things that will “gum it up” or cause inflammation or other damage. And since our bodies truly are the one “vehicle” we are stuck with our entire lives, why not invest in this baby to get not only many “miles”, but really high quality ones? And speaking of no-brainers, good fuel is also critical to maintaining cognitive health.
So if you want to improve your health—how you feel, how you look, and what you’re able to do with that body of yours, think about the fuel you’re putting in it, and make some changes. Or if you want an experience that will help you remember what you are doing to yourself , pull up to the gas station next time, and try something different.
