We’re sure you will have heard of the latest foodie film, What the Health, because it’s sparked a lot of debate both online and in the IQS office recently.
We think it’s great that the general public is becoming more involved in an open discussion about health and wellness, and What the Health definitely makes a few valid points that we totally agree with!
But, there are also some things we want to clear the air about…
At IQS, our stance remains that a healthy, balanced diet consists of seasonal veggies topped off with good quality proteins, fats and carbohydrates.
In What the Health, cardiologist Dr Joel Kahn says, “The diabetes, the arthritis, the heart disease, the dementia, the obesity, the cancers are affecting about 70 per cent of deaths. All the data is that those 70 per cent of deaths and morbidity are largely lifestyle related and preventable.”
And on this point, we agree! We strongly believe that many illnesses are brought on by lifestyle choices, and through a healthy diet and exercise, many of these are preventable.
When it comes to meat, we also agree with What the Health in that the processed, plasticy looking stuff you find in many supermarkets is awful. We would NEVER advise people to eat low-quality, processed meat.
At IQS, we’ve always promoted mindful meat consumption and we advocate for choosing free-range and pasture raised, grass-fed or organic meats where possible. We also love to shop locally (hello, farmers markets!), and really encourage people explore eating nose-to-tail to get the most out of your meat in the most sustainable way possible.
But, the film also makes a few outrageous claims about sugar…
Diabetes expert and doctor, Neal Barnard, says, “Diabetes is not, and never was caused by eating a high carbohydrate diet, and it’s not caused by eating sugar. The cause of diabetes is a diet that builds up the amount of fat into the blood. I’m talking about a typical meat-based, animal-based diet.”
This is where we have to disagree with the film and its claims about what a “healthy” diet actually means.
Our stance remains that sugar needs to be given the flick! When you ditch sugar, you automatically remove processed foods (yep, they’re PACKED with the sweet stuff), so you’re left to just eat real (whole) food.
Our IQS experts weigh in…
Integrative doctor Tracy Chandler says the film disappointingly downplays the role of sugar in the diet.
“There is plenty of high-quality scientific studies that show a link between sugar and disease. These diseases include heart disease, stroke, certain liver diseases, and type 2 diabetes. I wonder about the motivation of the experts in the film that deny the link between sugar and disease, as the evidence is so strong! I am particularly dismayed by this denial of sugars link to disease as it adds to the confusing nutrition messages. The main reason for this confusion is because the government committees that give public nutrition advice are made up of members that receive funding from the food industry, especially the meat, dairy and fast-food industry. So, of course these government nutrition committees are biased towards unhealthy foods and downplay the problems of sugar. As an Integrative Doctor, IQS graduate, and mum of seven, I am confident that the IQS program is one of the most important things you can do for your health.”
Kate Callaghan, a holistic dietician and nutritionist, says that there’s undoubtedly a correlation between sugar and diabetes.
“Diabetes is a complex, multifaceted disease, but when we consume excess carbohydrates (especially the refined kind), this causes excess amounts of insulin to be released by the body, to try and shuttle the glucose into the cells. Over time, this can contribute to insulin resistance, which is one of the key markers of diabetes, causing damage.”
And nutritionist Sonya Reynolds, had this to say, “Even though I don’t agree with Dr Neal Barnard’s statement that fat from animals causes diabetes, I do agree that there are benefits in eating a more plant-based diet.”
Our advice? What the Health is just one side of the story so we encourage you to take it with a grain of salt. Not sugar!
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