Did you know that the word diet first appeared in English in the 13th century. Its’ original meaning was the same as in modern English, “habitually taken food and drink.” But diet was used in another sense, too. In the Middle and early modern English periods to mean “way of living.” This is, in fact, the original meaning of diet’s Greek ancestor diaita. This derived from the verb diaitasthan, meaning “to lead one’s life.” This could be why we get dieting wrong these days – we misunderstood what it really meant.
The problem with diet culture
There are many issues with diet culture. It instructs us to eat less, take this pill, or buy that packaged food. It works, making it that much worse! We know it works because at the close of 2021, the Weight Loss market was worth $72.6, according to a study conducted by Marketdata LLC. Even more startling is that these numbers represent the US alone! The entire industry is built on the shaky foundation of self-loathing and unrealistic expectations, mostly of women. Imagine for a second though, we weren’t beholden to the lies and stories we consume about diet culture.
I’m with the Greeks!
Going back to the Greeks, even they realized the importance of the way you choose to live your life. Hippocrates, long argued the Father of Modern (Western) Medicine, realized the importance of 4 critical things:
- Movement
- Treating the human rather than the disease
- The power of food as medicine
- The power of rest
This is why we get dieting wrong – it’s not just about the food. These things all factor into a person’s true health or well being. However, modern living wants us to believe we have to earn our rest, at the expense of our endocrine systems. At Pomona Wellness, we believe there’s a better way. A way that is not only sustainable, but brings happiness, as well.
A better way
At Pomona Wellness, we look at all the factors of a person’s health and everything that comprises one’s “primary food.” Primary food includes things like the joy in your life, how much fun you have, and your stress levels. The actual food you eat becomes “secondary food.” If your primary foods are out of order, your secondary foods won’t serve you, or your body, optimally. For example, people under high stress are often drawn to foods high in energy density (e.g. calories) but low in nutrient density (nutrition). Another example is that rumbly belly immediately after eating, due to your upcoming meeting. These often lead to a significant increase in risk for acquired metabolic syndromes, like diabetes, obesity or non-alcohol fatty liver disease (NAFLD).
Maybe the reason we get dieting wrong is because we had it wrong to begin with. When you take control of your primary and secondary food, you can experience dramatically improved health and well-being. If you are ready to learn more, book a call with us to see how we can help you take control of your health. Check out the Pomona Wellness blog, Wellspiration, for even more motivation. You deserve to lead a rich life filled with abundant health and limitless joy.