The FDA regulates the use of the words healthy and healthful with respect to diet. This represents a bit of a problem and that is: The words healthy and healthful must first be defined in order to regulate their use.

Does Anyone Actually Follow These Charts? Doubtful

The FDA in it’s infinite wisdom (note the sarcasm) has resorted to regulating the exact macro and micro nutrient amounts in a serving of a food item in order to allow the use of the words words healthy and healthful on their labels.

This of course is a futile attempt to regulate such an encompassing term. If you ate two servings of this food item wouldn’t it become unhealthy by their definition? What if you ate that food item with something else that didn’t fit within their definition of healthy? Is it healthy to eat these foods if you’re feeling sick or have an allergy to them? If the package says it’s healthy does that mean it’s healthy for everyone?

These are just the first question that come to mind when trying to regulate and control the use of the word ‘health’. The point is you can’t do it. Health has no meaning except for the one you personally assign to it. You can choose where you want to draw the line and what to include in your definition.

Brad Pilon and I attended (online) a nutrition workshop held by the FDA where they explained how they were regulating the marketing use of the words healthy and healthful and it was an eye opening experience.

In todays Phi Life podcast we discuss the FDA’s attempt at regulating these words and how futile it is.

Health has to be a personal definition that you alone come up with.

Listen to our podcast here on –> Defining Health

John

I met up with a friend for my morning coffee today and we got onto the topic of body image (go figure) and we ended up talking about what a healthy body looks like.

This is when I realized that we all have a built in image in our heads of what we think a healthy body should look like.

I’m sure right now you have a picture in your head of what you think a ‘healthy body’ should be. And I also guarantee that most people have the same image in their heads as well. (In fact know they do because this has been well studied)

The point is that when people say things like:

“I want to get in shape”

or

“I want to lose weight”

or

“I want to gain some muscle

What they are really saying is:

“I want to look healthy”

It might sound superficial but it’s not. Our best guide of what is healthy is our eyes.

Unfortunately it has become socially unacceptable to point out that being 40 pounds overweight simply isn’t healthy, likewise with people who are grossly underweight. There are actually groups of people who are trying to lobby governments to make it illegal for doctors to recommend weight loss for people who are overweight! ARE YOU KIDDING ME!

Self denial runs deep for these people. Those people who are trying to ‘accept their size and shape’ are just accepting a less healthy body. Plain and simple.

I will be one of the first to say it and let the hate mail pour in.

A healthy body is also a good looking body. They are one and the same and cannot be separated from each other.

Think of it this way. Would you go to the gym diligently and eat a strict ‘healthy’ diet if it somehow gave you perfect health (as measured by all levels of physical emotional mental and social health)

BUT

this same lifestyle made you grossly overweight?

The answer is most likely no because it’s not possible. I’ll bet you’re having trouble even imagining that right now; How can a grossly overweight body also be a healthy body? — It can’t.

With that said there are always levels or degrees of relative health associated with various sizes, but the range is much more narrow than you probably think.

The fact remains, you and I both have a built in image of what we think is a healthy looking body. I didn’t put that image there, and neither did the media, it’s something we have evolved to recognize at a basic level. (this is evidenced by research showing the same body images are selected as the best looking by people from all different cultures and societies and socioeconomic status from around the world)

Your eyes cannot tell a lie when it comes to the look of a healthy body.

So I want to know what you think a healthy body looks like, if you feel so inclined I’d like you to describe your ideal healthy body in the comments section.

John

CHEERS TO YOUR HEALTH

The word “health” and its derivaties like “healthy” are loosely thrown around all over the fitness and nutrition industry and media.

But how do YOU define ‘health’

The World Health Organization has a simple definition as follows:

Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.

Look at that statement for a moment. Can you think of any moment during any day of your life when you could truthfully say that you fit into this criteria?

I’d say all of those things almost never apply to any of us all at once…except perhaps during sex and after about 6-8 alcoholic beverages (with full intentions of having at least 2-3 more drinks after the first 8 rounds are done!)

This seems like an unrealistic criteria to be shooting for per se.

But as you will find with just about everything in life, its all relative.

It seems more realistic that health would have a much more personal and relative definition for each of us.

Health is relative to your age, the health of other people of your gender and age, how ‘healthy’ you were 5 years ago, and even how ‘healthy’ you were 5 days ago.

For example, I currently have tedonitits in my left tricep tendon, its not nearly as bad as it was 6 months ago.

I can lift approximately 70% of the weight I was lifting before I got the tendonitits, but compared to the guys I am working out with I am still strong.

The tendonitis doesn’t really stop me from doing anything in my life (besides lifting heavier weights)

So would I be considered healthy right now?

Could I say that most of my body is healthy besides my left tricep tendon?

In reality you could easily make the case that all areas of science, medicine, human biology, environmental biology, sociology, politics and economics all have an impact on your ‘health’.

Its up to you to define where you draw the line on what health means to you and what you can do about it.

So whats your definition of health?

John