The author with a new favorite book.
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The older I get, the more determined I am to find ways to live a healthier and longer life. When we are young, it’s easy to take our energy and resilience for granted. We can seemingly eat or drink anything we want with little consequence. We can forego sleep and when we exercise, expect results pretty quickly.
But as we enter middle age and beyond, playing fast and loose with lifestyle choices has consequences that we don’t face in youth. Weight gain, low energy, joint and muscle pain, autoimmune and other illnesses considered “just part of getting older.” But does it have to be that way?
In Casey Means’ New York Times bestselling book: “Good Energy: The Surprising Connection between Metabolism and Limitless Health,” the author outlines lifestyle behaviors she claims will lead to longevity, health and weight management. Much of the text is scientifically based. Means, a Stanford-trained physician, left a promising career in medicine out of frustration with the health care system.
Early in the book, she opines that “The biggest lie in health care … is that medical leaders are absolutely silent on the things that are making us sick: food and lifestyle.” She also points out that she did not take one class on nutrition during medical school — none were offered. She shares shocking statistics on the poor health of our country, noting that: “Six out of ten adults are living with a chronic illness. About 50 percent of Americans will deal with mental illness sometime in life. Seventy-four percent of adults are overweight or have obesity.” With statistics like this, it’s clear we have work to do.
After she tired of treating patients with surgeries and medications that didn’t get to the root of the problem, Means became focused on how metabolic function affects overall health. She believes that what we eat, how we exercise, quality of sleep, technology use and even how we connect with nature impacts our overall health.
In her book, Means lays out a comprehensive plan for overhauling each of these components, starting with diet — explaining in scientific detail why some foods are good for us and others aren’t. It’s interesting that we live in a country of food abundance, yet so much of it is processed and chock full of addictive ingredients such as added sugar, salt, seed oils and preservatives. Many of these ingredients have been shown to negatively impact our health, leading to diabetes, heart disease and other complications.
That information — along with the recent news that the FDA has banned Red Dye No. 3 (an artificial coloring used widely in beverages, candy and other foods) after it was shown to cause cancer in lab animals — certainly makes the case for choosing fresh over processed foods whenever possible.
We may feel virtuous when reaching for a granola bar advertised as “low carb, high protein” when a handful of almonds and a piece of fresh fruit is actually healthier and just as convenient. And if you need confirmation, just try scanning the UPC codes on your favorite snacks with a nutrition-analysis app (I use “Yuka”). You may be shocked to find that some tortilla chips are a healthier choice than those misleadingly marketed veggie chips (I was) — proving it’s all in the ingredients.
After finishing the book, I felt a bit overwhelmed — who can implement all those changes at once, and where to start? And do we stand a chance at achieving good health with all that we are up against? Instead of fretting, I chose to take a “baby steps” approach — prioritizing what changes would have the most immediate impact and adding more over time.
My current priorities are reducing sugar (no surprise), eating fewer processed, pre-packaged foods and more super foods — nutrient dense and immunity boosting (these are listed in the book and on the website caseymeans.com.) I’m also working on getting better sleep, doing more strength training and spending more time in nature — and less on electronics. Some days, I do better than others, but it’s a journey.
There are several other interesting recommendations in the book — including regular exposure to heat extremes (saunas and cold plunges), getting rid of scented cleaning supplies and candles (which contain harmful toxins) and using health-monitoring devices such as continuous glucose monitors and sleep trackers.
Living in a time where much of our diet consists of plentiful yet often-unhealthy and even harmful foods, where we are tempted by technology every waking moment — to the detriment of exercise and social interaction — can seem like an uphill battle when it comes to our health.
Will our society shift to encouraging better nutrition and lifestyle choices to prevent poor health outcomes? Only time will tell. In the meantime, individuals can take control of their own health by learning more about how diet, exercise and other factors affect their bodies. Books like “Good Energy” are a good place to start.
Readers share their tips and challenges for leading a healthy life:
Jenny Kapolnek: “I made a conscious decision to change my ways because I was having chronic muscle pain flare-ups even though I was exercising. I realized I needed more frequent and challenging cardio. I added more distance and speed to my walking. My challenge is staying on track. Started using ‘Noom’ for accountability, which I really need. It all made a huge difference for both activity and eating.”
James Beberman: “Food. Definitely food. Who wants to give up everything that tastes good?”
Rich Montgomery: “For me, it’s working on my feet all day and then trying to exercise before or after. Plus the fact that my three favorite hobbies — reading, collecting obscure movies and cooking — directly conflict with healthy eating and an active lifestyle.”
Traci Bosch: “When I found out I had to be gluten-free, that was — and still is — a challenge. It’s hard to eat out or at others’ homes because I never know when I may get ‘glutened.’”
Trevor May: “Others in close proximity living unhealthily. Location, location, location; one’s environment is key to their success. Osmosis is a real phenomenon.”
Kim Hislope: “Time to be able to do these types of things away from work deadlines.”
Dan Parker: “Our food in this country is filled with chemicals and sugar. It’s hard to find non-processed food that is also affordable.”
Joy Sheehan: “Having like-minded friends and family who can support and appreciate the same mentality and discipline.”
Nelena Neff: “Motivation. Discipline. Time.”
Claire Prudhomme: “The hardest thing about living a healthy lifestyle is overcoming the ‘bad’ habits I developed when I was younger, fit and small — never believing anything would change. I thought I could eat anything I wanted and I would burn it off. Staying consistent with eating well and exercising has been a struggle at times. Time management and physical challenges often throw me off track, and those physical struggles can lead to emotional setbacks. That’s when the cravings for all the tasty treats come in. Thankfully, I don’t let indulgences last too long and always find my way back to being more health-conscious.”
Felicia Greenwood: “Trying to do it all — up against the natural aging of my body. Exercise, read labels, eat more greens, get protein and collagen, iron and sleep.”
Nancy Dankle: “Fitting in weight-bearing exercise to promote good bone health. During winter months, getting exercise outdoors is difficult. I tend to hunker down with books and puzzles, chunky sweaters and comfort foods that aren’t always healthy.”
