Why the Term “Everything in Moderation,” is a Bad Idea.

I want to share a fantastic blog post by Shannon Harvey from “The Whole Health Life.”  The statement, “everything in moderation” comes up a lot in my practice.  The term “moderation” is hard to define and it means different things to different people. For example, The World Health Organization recently released a report calling processed meats like bacon, sausage and deli meats a Class 1 carcinogen. I have friends who say they love bacon and only eat it “in moderation,” knowing that the WHO does not recommend eating it at all. Our biases and preferences dictate what each of us defines as moderate.

Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, a physician who helps people reverse heart disease with a low fat, whole food, plant based diet says “moderation kills,” and when it comes to reversing disease, it does. I know that Dr. Esselstyn would agree with Saint Augustine who said, “Complete Abstinence is Easier Than Perfect Moderation.”

What if you are not trying to reverse a preventable disease and you just want to “be healthy"? Is it possible to eat your vegetables and your chocolate chip cookies too?  Is there a balance to be had? Where is the line between being a healthy eater and crossing into an eating disorder like orthorexia, which is a preoccupation with healthy food?  Click here to read the post.