How Did Eating Become So Complicated?
By: Don Feazelle
Tags: Diet, Food, Life, First World Problems, Health

While growing up — the 1960s and 1970s — meals were simple. Mom put meat, potatoes, a vegetable, and bread on the table. You drank water or milk — powdered milk mixed with whole milk to stretch it through pay periods. It tasted like powdered chalk mixed with water. Supposedly, powdered milk was good for you.

If you turned your nose up at mom’s meal, you didn’t eat. The mantra, “Children are starving all over the world. Now eat.” Dad’s Imperative, “EAT YOUR FOOD or go hungry. If you smarted off, you might wear the red of dad’s belt on your bottom instead of the red catsup around your mouth.

After a night or two of going to bed hungry, you appreciated brussels sprouts like a good steak.

In the Twenty-first-century, first-world living has changed in many ways. The simplicity is gone. I was thinking about our plans for last night. My eldest son, his wife, and their brood of five came over for pizza.

I know what you are thinking, “That’s easy. Order Domino’s, Papa John’s, or your favorite delivery pizza.” And we did that. My daughter-in-law ordered one cheese pizza with extra cheese and a spinach pizza with white sauce. Let me alliterate for you. I paid for and picked up the pricey pizza.

But here’s what complicates matters. In our home live three 58 plus-year-old semi-adults — my wife, my mother-in-law, and me. I am the semi-adult. All three of us are on health-related diets. My wife has celiac disease — no gluten. My mother-in-law has arteriosclerosis. Also, she is allergic to everything under the sun, including statins. To control her cholesterol, she eats vegan. I am a type 2 diabetic — watch those nasty glucose-raising carbs.

For many years, I followed the recommended Standard American Diet. I exercised and walked daily and still could not keep my A1C down. For those wondering, the A1C measures your average blood glucose levels for 90 days.

At one point, I took four different diabetes meds — the cost over $250.00 per month. I gave myself insulin injections, along with three different oral diabetes meds. Like an accountant over a balance sheet, I counted calories.

With diet apps, I tracked my calories and macronutrients:10 percent fats, 30 percent proteins, and 60 percent “good” carbs. Oh, and can’t forget to eat loads of soluble and insoluble fiber. Whatever that means. Daily, I ate more fiber than a cow. Well, maybe a baby cow.

On average, my fasting glucose blood levels ran between 250 to 300 fasting and would not budge. I had numbers that would make a pro bowler proud, but your doctor concerned. For perspective, non-diabetics measure between 80 to 100 fasting.

At that time, my doctor told me to watch my carb intake. It will cause your blood sugars to spike. But he also explained that 60 percent of my calories should come from carbohydrates.

I scratched my head, “Watch your carbs but eat mostly carbs???? Well, he is the guy with all the degrees, training, and licenses.”

Then I found out about the Keto diet. I flipped the Standard American Diet on its head: 70 percent fat, 25 percent protein, and 5 percent carbs. I read all the positives and negatives of this diet. So March of 2018, I suffered through the Keto flu and made life changes.

The truth is that if I did not get my diabetes under control, it was going to kill me anyway.

I checked my sugar more often and noticed immediate results. My high glucose levels started falling like the temperatures in mid-January, Barrow, Alaska. Falling temperatures might be a lousy illustration because of global warming, but you get the idea.

First, I went off the insulin, then off the Amaryl and Januvia. Now, I take two low doses of Metformin 500 mg twice a day. My A1C is down in the safety zone.

The fat peeled away, and I weigh between 155 to 160 pounds. I haven’t been this low since my twenties.

You might think, “By eating all those fats, your cholesterol is through the roof.” But it’s not.

I may stay Keto for life. I am healthier now than in my 40s. Besides, fish and plants provide much of my fats, not only bacon and butter.

One size shoe does not fit all. The Keto diet is not for everyone. One’s well-being is the ultimate goal. Find what works for you and work it.

Now, to get back to these first world complications, We ordered the pizzas for the kids and grandkids. Remember, my wife — celiac disease? We prepared a Freshcetta Gluten-Free frozen pizza for her.

Oh, and my mother in law — arteriosclerosis. She made herself two low-fat vegan pizza with the fake mozzarella cheese. She froze what she didn’t eat.

Me-the diabetic? I found Quest Low Carb frozen pizzas at the store that everyone hates but shops in any way — Walmart. Quest pizzas have 6 grams of net carbs per serving. I threw in some extra Galbani’s Authentic Italian cheese. How do I know the cheese is authentic Italian cheese? It says so right on the packaging.

At my house, we routinely prepare and eat three individual meals. Often, my wife and my meals overlap. We eat many of the same foods.

Most of the time, my mother-in-law cooks for herself. A Kentucky mountain girl, she lives on beans with hoecakes or cornbread.

I miss the simplicity of my childhood meals. I know, first world problem, but this problem is better than many of the alternatives — the main alternative NO FOOD.