Tribal diet wars hurt everyone’s health
Scroll through social media for any length of time and it’s impossible not to notice the intense tribalism around all things nutrition.
The followers of different dietary approaches, be it vegan, keto or carnivore to name some of the most vocal and animated tribes, are engaged in relentless promotion of their chosen nutritional path and constant criticism of anything or anyone that deviates even slightly from it. Open dialogue is absent. Polarisation is rife.
James Brown, co-founder and nutrigenomics director of DNA testing company and personalised health, fitness and wellness information provider Mudho, who has been immersed in the nutrition industry for more than two decades, explains why we’re seeing a dramatic rise in anger around both diet and lifestyle choices, and why an escalation in these conflicts will continue to hurt the health and wellbeing of those involved, and damage on-going efforts to provide clear and actionable healthy-eating advice to a confused and desperate general population.
Brown also reveals how genetic variations in an individual can affect nutrient absorption, stressing the importance of nutrigenetic testing to tailor individual dietary needs. This, he explains, can account for why some people thrive on extreme or very restrictive nutritional approaches, such as the Carnivore diet, which has a very vocal and passionate following with advocates claiming it has cured many health problems traditional medical interventions failed to address, while other people with a different genetic make-up or gut microbiome may suffer ill-health directly following this diet.
Discussing technological advancements and their potential impact on the health and wellbeing conversation, Brown backs the transformative potential of AI in personal health management, and predicts a future where AI coaches provide real-time health recommendations based on comprehensive data analysis. Brown also stresses the need for accurate, bioavailable supplements and criticises the current supplement market for its inconsistent health claims and poor product ingredients.
Finally, Brown also weighs in on one of the hottest topics in health: longevity. With high-profile figures, such as Bryan Johnson, David Sinclair and Aubrey de Grey, making huge claims about how close we are to unlocking lifespans that can be counted in centuries or even measured in millennia, does Brown believe humanity stands on the precipice of longer, healthier and happier lives for everyone? Or does he share the common skepticism that personal power, fame and enrichment is really at the heart of the leading longevity proponent’s claims?
