Happiful September 2019

PIXIE’S TOP FIVE HEALTH CLAIMS TO AVOID:
“WE HAVE AN EPIDEMIC
OF FATNESS!”
Using the word ‘epidemic’ for a
non-contagious phenomenon is
misleading. It creates panic and
implies that you can ‘catch’ fatness
from someone. Actually, we have
research suggesting that fat folks
tend to eat less around thin folks,
usually due to concerns about
being judged if they eat more
than the thin person. Fat people
already face so much hate and
discrimination, and implying that
you shouldn’t have fat friends in
case you become fat too, is cruel.
All humans need social interaction
to thrive, not just the thin ones.
Diet culture is insidious, yes, but
that doesn’t mean we’re paralysed
by it. Having an understanding of
these societal structures allows
us to be more compassionate
to ourselves and to others. We
know from research that shaming
others, or ourselves, into losing
weight doesn’t work. If we can
learn and practise self-acceptance,
we are actually far more likely
to treat our bodies well, and see
them as wonderful machines that
deserve to be taken care of. In the
end, I’m willing to bet you know
your body better than any headline
or Instagram ad ever could. Trust
that. And if that feels too hard right
now, reach out for help, because I
promise, you deserve it.
1. Anything that suggests there is one way of eating for everybody.
It does not exist.
2. Claims that food is toxic. It’s not, as it wouldn’t be edible
otherwise. Also, any chemist will tell you that the dose makes
the poison. In other words, anything is toxic in the right
quantity, even water.
3. ‘Guilt-free’ food. All food is guilt-free. You need to eat to survive,
just like you need to drink water, breathe, and go to the toilet.
None of those should involve guilt.
4. Anything that mentions the word ‘detoxing’. The more
someone uses that term to talk about food, the less likely they
are to actually know anything about human physiology and
biochemistry. Lucky for you, I have a biochemistry degree, and I
can happily say that you have a liver and kidneys that work 24/7.
No one food can replace that.
5. ‘This food cures this disease!’ Food is not medicine. Food does
not cure disease. A healthy, balanced diet is important for
health, yes, but there is no such thing as a specific food that can
cure a certain disease. (If you’re being really pedantic, you could
say that removing a food that you’re allergic to is a ‘cure’, but I
don’t think that’s quite the same thing!)
Pixie Turner (ANutr, MSc) is a nutritionist, science
communicator, and author. Her books ‘The Wellness
Rebel’ and ‘Become a Diet Rebel and Make Friends
with Food’ are available now. Follow Pixie on
Instagram and Twitter @pixienutrition