It’s 2022 and the world seems as crazy as ever. One topic that never ceases to engage people, religions, governments, and corporations, is health. It’s not because everyone is passionate to improve our collective health, but rather that everyone has an idea on how to profit from our collective confusion about health. And I’m sick of it.

Religious Dogma

When I was Mormon, I had a specific list of forbidden foods: coffee, tea, cannabis and other consciousness-altering plants, tobacco, alcohol, and of course, illegal drugs such as cocaine. These rules were put in place either because they followed government laws or because they were copying verbatim from the Book of Mormon. I know this because many Mormons are on the fence about cannabis, given it’s far-reaching health benefits. Many Mormons also partake heavily in caffeinated beverages, like Coke, Pepsi, and energy drinks, because they don’t realize (or want to realize) that caffeine is the reason coffee and tea (“hot drinks”) were forbidden. Pharmaceuticals, however, are heavily endorsed by the Mormon religion, unsurprising given the group’s financial investments. I couldn’t understand how unnatural things were endorsed, while things directly from nature were banned. I accepted all of their contradictions, accepted that I would never understand what was dangerous and not. I thought all it took to be “healthy” was to follow the Mormon Word of Wisdom.

It wasn’t.

This is just one religion. I haven’t even mentioned others. Some restrict wine, while others promote it. Some forbid meat, others have it with every meal. Some allow meat and dairy, but not together. Some change the rules purely on how the food is prepared. The “word of wisdom” is different for every stinking religion. How could one ever be sure they’re eating what they ought to?

Corporate Propaganda

As an American, I have a specific list of American foods that surround me day and night: pizza, burgers, French fries, BBQ, cakes and desserts, among the best if I ate out. Frozen dinners, boxed meals, canned everything, or fatty casseroles if I ate at home. Chips, cookies, candy, and soda if I got hungry at school. Pharmaceuticals were endorsed in this realm as well.

It’s bad enough that the “American” foods are all overly sugared, overly greased, and overly artificial, but add to this the endless commercials and ads, and one would almost think poor nutrition was the goal. It’s not – short-term happiness is. The intention is to sell highly-flavorful but cheaply produced foods which require little prep time. All of this only to promote the illusion that cooking requires impossible amounts of time, effort, and money. A belief that resulted in Americans buying packaged foods far times more often than fresh. Being healthy wasn’t part of the American diet. Instead the focus was quick, easy, and flavorful.

Add to this the uptick in fad diets since the 1930’s, and you leave Americans drowning in self-doubt and misinformation. Low-calorie– no wait, low-carb! Low-fat–actually, high-fat! High-impact exercise! No- low-impact is best! Run more– no, walking is better! Count your calories! Instead- use fistfuls to measure! Eat only plants! Strike that – only fruit! Make all your food from scratch! Don’t cook, eat it raw! Small meals frequently–no big meals occasionally! Eat like the Mediterranean’s! Intermittent fasting is the key! Keto-paleo-Atkins, oh my! How do we expect ANYONE to know how to be healthy with all of this contradicting information? How can I look at a glass of milk and hear a hundred different voices in my head?

Modern Day Confusion

At this point, it SHOULD look pretty obvious that I wasn’t eating healthily or even knew what “healthy” was. But what was I supposed to do? This is what everyone around me was eating. I was eating what my religion had approved, staying away from what it didn’t. I ate what Americans ate, what American corporations put out, and what American governments approved in school lunchrooms.

I should note that exercise was rarely spoken of in either institution. Mormons aren’t big on physical fitness, and neither are Americans. The only time I considered what I was eating or the exercise I was getting, was when I stepped onto the scale at eighteen years old. And I had nowhere to turn for answers. Even if I wanted to slim down, feel better in my body, I had no clue how.

It’s been several years since those confused days, and my research has grown exponentially. The world “health” has been twisted around, turned inside out, torn apart, and put back together. I’ve had to completely redefine the word, once I learned my definition was incredibly incorrect. I learned health isn’t about following someone’s rules or eating like the locals necessarily. It’s also not about restricting calories or banning certain foods. And it’s definitely not about spending an hour in the gym every night. So what is it?

I’m still learning, honestly.

But here’s my take. Health is visible, not just on the scale, but in our complexion, our smile, our eyes. Health can be heard in our voices and seen in our posture. It’s not limited to the food we eat, but also the people we surround ourselves with, the thoughts we have daily, the activities we spend our time on, and the environments we spend time in. All of these variables impact our health and well-being, as well as reveal our health and well-being.

If you want specifics, I tend to focus on on a very simple idea: eating locally and in season. After that, I eat mostly grains, plants, and fish. But yes, I also eat the occasional pizza, meat, even ice cream! Health is no fun if you’re miserable. In fact, I’d wager, we do more harm than good to ourselves when we put ourselves on restrictive diets and grueling workout regimens. This is reaching for health from a negative place, a place that tells yourself you aren’t good enough right now. Instead, I’m trying to reach for health with a smile, because I’m worth it, knowing that each day doesn’t have to be a challenge. My health ought to be intuitive, not an uphill battle.

Intuitive Health

Along with health being intuitive, I’ve also decided that health isn’t an achievable state. GASP! I know, stay with me. Our health is ever flexing and something which requires daily upkeep. There is no race to win, no perfect state to attain. Just like happiness, it’s not a steady state but more like the ocean. Some days you’ll sit on the couch eating Twinkies, other days you’ll be hiking with friends. Don’t do yourself the disservice of believing that one of those days is better than the other. Rest, indulgence, even solitude are just as important as exercise, time in nature, and socializing.

So the next time you find yourself staring into the open fridge, paralyzed in the grocery aisle, or unsure of what to order at a restaurant, remember who’s voice you’re listening to. Are you following a religion’s ridiculous and controlling rules? Are you listening to health-crazed diet promoters? Are you following your government’s nutrition guidance? Tell all those voices to shut up. They are there to control you and make you feel like you don’t know how to care for yourself. They want you to doubt yourself, to think someone else has the answer.

They don’t.

I repeat: Health is not a perfect state. Well-being, however, is a much more regular state. And this simply requires giving our bodies what they need, when they need it. Only you will know what your body needs, however. It’s okay to look for guidance, to ask for advice, to copy others, as long as you know that only YOU can determine what YOU need to be healthy and well. Odds are, it’s a very different “prescription” from your spouse, your parent, and your friend. Good. It should be.