“You don’t know nothin’, just like the lady said”

I tell myself this often when I think about how humans are supposed to eat. There are so many food camps out there that claim to be the right one. And yes, there is a story behind that saying. I will share it with you shortly. 

But first of all, it can be really mind-boggling navigating the various diets and the variations of the various diets. In my Week #2 newsletter 2025, I talked about my 8 Pillars for Optimal Health & a Healthy Terrain. Number one was “Eat life-giving, nutrient-dense food; avoid life-sucking food. Supplement at times”. I was asked to unpack this a bit. I will attempt to do this today.

What AM I Supposed to Eat?

Here a some different diets to choose from:

• Carnivore - Animal products only

• Eat Right for Your Type (Blood Type) - Diet differs based on one’s blood type (A, B, O, AB)

• Free stuff: Gluten-free, dairy-free, grain-free, sugar-free, seed oil-free, etc.

• Fruitarian - Mostly only raw fruits

• Ketogenic - High fat, low carb, moderate protein

• Mediterranean - Plant-based foods, with lean protein & healthy oils

• Paleo/Primal - Hunter-gatherer

• Vegan - Plant-based, no animal products

• Vegetarian - Plant-based, some animal products allowed like eggs, butter, maybe fish

• Whole Foods - No processed

“You don’t know nothin’, just like the lady said” - The Story

So, in high school my friend Rob had a paper route, and one day my other friend Jim was helping him. After they got done with delivering all of the papers Rob got a call that one lady was complaining that she didn’t get hers. When the guys got to her house to give her another one, Rob told her puzzled, “ I know we threw it right there on your porch today”. The lady snapped back, “You don’t know nothin’.” Which shocked them both. But a little later it struck them as hilarious. As they relayed this story to rest of our gang, “You don’t know nothin’, just like the lady said” became a favorite saying with all of us.

How Are We Supposed to Know What to Eat

Let’s consider our options for figuring this out:

• Common sense - This can be dicey, especially for some, but should come into play. 

• Research - This can be dicey too because diet studies using humans are difficult to do and because results may be skewed due to error or biases.

• Conventional Medical Wisdom - Most medical doctors only get a few hours of nutritional training in medical school. So their wisdom is usually not that helpful.

• Naturopathic/Functional Health Providers - They receive more nutritional training, but they can land in various food camps themselves. Their knowledge can be helpful.

• Expert health guru recommendations - These also vary in their recommendations, anywhere from strict carnivore to strict vegan, as well as anything in between. So, this also leaves a lot of room for confusion.

• Non-expert recommendations by others - Never mind.

• The Bible - What did God create for us to eat? What did Jesus, the Son of God, eat while He was on Earth? I started a list of verses about food that I keep in my Bible. Here are two from Deuteronomy: “ For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land…a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive oil and honey…”, Deut. 8:7-8 (NASB), and “These are the animals which you may eat: ox, sheep, goat, deer…anything (in the water) with fins and scales…You may eat any clean bird…”, Deut. 14:4-18. 

• N = 1 - A study designed for one individual to assess results. So basically you try to determine what foods work best for you based on trial and error. For example, if you know tomatoes always give you a stomach ache, then don’t eat tomatoes.

But I Do Know Somethin’

Here are some random conclusions about food that I have come to:

• Apples and arugula are more nutritious than Skittles.

• The carnivore diet may be a very good elimination diet, at least for short term.

• The vegan diet can be healthy for about six-twelve months until the body uses up its stores of certain nutrients. (I borrowed this one from a couple of health providers I know and respect.) 

• A lot of (good) research has shown that one can reverse pre-diabetes and even diabetes with a low carbohydrate diet.

• Some guts may be too sensitive to handle certain foods like grains, nightshade vegetables, high lectin foods  like nuts and beans, high oxalate foods like spinach and almonds.

• Sugar is empty calories and should be eaten sparingly.

• Outer aisle foods in grocery stores are better than most everything in the middle.

• God gave us food for sustenance and enjoyment.

• What is good food-wise for you, may not be for me. And vice versa. Due to genetics, food availability, individual health requirements, and current state of health, etc.

• The food we eat gives us macronutrients like protein, carbohydrates, and fat as well as micronutrients like vitamins and minerals. These provide our bodies with the materials and information they need to function and thrive.

Like Hippocrates said eons ago, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food”. I cringe to add this over-used quote, but it is fitting. So, what the heck.

In closing, I just want to add that on top of what you eat, it’s important to eat gratefully, in a state of relaxation, and to chew your food well.

There. That’s Pillar #1 unpacked. With as much as I know.

Eating to live life well,
~Vanessa
www.vanessamarsden.com
Instagram @wellnessadventure_RN