A few years ago, I was a meat-‘n’-potatoes kind of guy, and I felt like shit most of the time: I weighed 80 pounds more than I weigh now, I had stomach problems, I was tired and sluggish, and I lacked the energy necessary to live an active, fulfilling life.
Today, my diet is markedly different, and I’ve never felt more alive. And this is why:
Food. My diet today consists mostly of plants and unprocessed foods. I eat an abundance of vegetables: I’m particularly fond of avocados, spinach, broccoli, and anything green—not because they taste good, but because these foods makes me feel outstanding. I also eat fish, nuts, and seeds most days. My ideal meal looks something like this: a bowl containing a small portion of rice, half an avocado, a large piece of grilled salmon, a handful of almonds, and a massive spinach-carrot-cucumber side salad with almond oil and lemon.
Avoid. There are quite a few foods I’ve drastically reduced—or completely eliminated—from my diet: bread, pasta, sugar, gluten, meat (other than fish), bottom-feeding seafood (lobster, crab, and other garbagemen of the sea), most dairy products, and anything processed or packaged. There are many so-called experts out there—I am not one of them—but it was my friend, Common Sense, who advised me to avoid most of these foods. Think about it: besides humans, do you know of any animals who drink another mammal’s breast milk? What other animal eats bread, pasta, or candy bars? Our bodies are not meant to consume this junk (one can make a good argument for eating meat, but I know I feel much better without it, and feeling better is my touchstone). But Joshua, how do you get enough protein, calcium, iron? How does the world’s strongest primate, the gorilla, consume enough of these nutrients? Gorillas eat vegetables and fruit—leaves and bananas (many green vegetables are comprised of 20–45% protein). Evidence shows that we need less protein than we think.