Fitness is a science driven journey.
And so is sustainability.
So let us get it out of the way right away.
Poor food choices remain a leading worldwide cause of mortality and bad health. But, poor food choices doesn't just harm our own health and longevity, bad food choices and the production that is needed to create the lackluster food that so many bases their entire food life on causes huge, unnecessary environmental degradation as well.
So much so that the much needed (read essential to do) UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Climate Agreement is virtually impossible to fulfill unless we, as a global species make the switch to healthier, plant-based food choices.
This article will display how different food groups directly connect 5 health outcomes and 5 aspects of environmental degradation with each other.
So, let us for a moment reflect on one simple thing before you read further.
Food that is healthy for us, almost always display a low environmental impact. While the food that is bad for our health, oftentimes display a correlating negative burden on our planet.
A simple fact-based point.
One of the biggest culprits here remains animal-based agriculture versus plant-based food production.
Be it organic meat or processed, red meat scientifically speaking increases your risk of developing cancer and heart-related issues.
All while it requires countless more of the very limited natural resources we have on our planet.
Pollution wise that same unilateral disadvantage remain. Animal based meat give rise to a way higher resource demand while polluting exponantially more than plant-based food choices. And the price is worse health for you and the planet.
Now, die-hard meat lovers will shrug their shoulders and carry on as usual.
But that does not change the scientific reality of it. It is fine to love meat, but there is no way to love the taste and devouring of that juicy blood-filled meat and ignore the damage and bad health that you as a meat producer and consumer is responsible for.
The food choices we make, as individuals and society is a major driver of human health and environmental sustainability.
And that reality will never ever cease to be just because we are living in a day and time where some are prone to replicating 1984.
Did you know for instance that 9 of the 15 major risk factors for death all tie into poor food choices?
But poor food choices isn't just about people dying.
As a Personal Trainer, health and nutritional coach I am for obvious reasons equally interested in people's health and quality of life while they are in fact, still alive =)...
Because, crafting a healthy fit life free of coronary heart disease, type II diabetes, stroke, and colorectal cancers is way more fun and pleasant. And these bad puppies actually account for roughly 40% of worldwide deaths, and the major driver behind all of them are....
..Your own food and lifestyle choices.
So, keep those things in mind as you progress down my article.
Because food isn't procured out of thin air. We have to create it.
And agricultural food production is responsible for around 30% of global greenhouse gasses, while worldwide food production has laid claim to 40% of Earth’s landmass.... And causes various aspects of pollution that wreck havoc on our planet.
One of the most disastrous consequences of modern-day agriculture is the fact that it is responsible for 70% of Earth’s freshwater withdrawals from rivers and reservoirs. A sad reality which amongst other things greatly contributes towards our rapidly approaching peak groundwater apocalypse.
2050AD.
The developed world
[ Oceans run the risk of having more total weight of plastic than fish.]

So....
Good food is generally good for both the planet and your health, while the opposite remains true at large too. If it is bad for the planet its usually bad for you.
Granted, life isn't one easy spreadsheet. So, it still comes down to any given individual having to craft and fine-tune a food plan and healthy fit lifestyle that fits their uniquely individual life, needs, and goals. But, facts are facts and will apply even if we dislike them.
This means that in general, foods such as nuts, minimally processed (or raw) whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, olive oil... And yes, fish too is associated with greatly reduced mortality and poor health.
In fact, eating these 7 foods regularly is associated with a large improvement in health and risk for 20 of 34 health metrics.
Granted, long-time readers and Personal trainer and Nutritional clients will be well aware of the fact that I do not recommend people to eat fish in general.
Yes, fish is a very nutritious food choice, amazingly so even. So from a nutritional point of view its a very good choice, and for some, it might even be needed every now and then.
But fish is also very problematic in our current day and age, simply because fish species have cratered in numbered last few decades, like the majority of all other animal species, which makes it utterly impossible to keep fishing and consuming fish the way we have in the last 100 years.
And then there is the case of water-based pollution. Even if some prefer to keep the stance that as of now we can't say for sure that it is harmful for the human body to consume plastic particles, I do not belong to that group. Because, I mean, scientifically speaking, with all that we know of the human body, and plastic, and food, there is no way that it will turn out to be harmless to the human body to consume plastic particles day in and day out.
To make it worse, fish is like all other species on this planet, sucking up the toxins and chemicals of their surroundings and foods. And our lakes and oceans are today increasingly polluted with a lot of bad, bad things.
In other words, fish is wonderfully nutritious, but due to the environmental realities of our beloved planet and the globally plummeting fish species nearing a complete collapse, I do not recommend anyone that can avoid it to eat fish.
And while I am writing this article off of a new study, these findings all correlate to the previous knowledge and studies we have already established in the last few years and decades.
Further making the connection and necessity for the majority of our global population and food production to go plant-based.
You already know for instance that soda and other sugar-sweetened beverages (artificial or not), unprocessed and processed red meat are strongly associated with increases in bad health, obesity, diabetes, and cancer. And in the end, mortality itself.
Soda consumption is associated with a significant increase in CHD, type II diabetes, and stroke, and obesity, no matter if it is artificially sweetened or not.
While the consumption of red meat is associated with significant increases in disease risk for both mortality and CHD, type II diabetes, and stroke, amongst others.
While this remains true, the opposite still holds true too.
The more plant-based our daily food choices, the less risk of dying prematurely, or developing diabetes, cancer, heart-related issues, or obesity.
On top of all this..
The environmental impact differs by as much as 10 to 100x between a lifestyle that requires animal based agriculture and one that makes use of plant-based food choices.
So when we combine the way the different food choices impact our individual health and our planetary health we end up with the simple situation that a serving of red meat has a negative environmental impact that is 10 to 100 times larger than plant-based foods for GHG emissions, land use, acidification, and eutrophication.
All while being way worse for your individual health...
So the science-driven conclusion can only be what I have talked about and written about for many years now. And it is the same message as the one I keep educating and showing my PT & nutritional and health clients, chose to eat as much plant-based food as you can. It will only and always help your health & fitness goals. And always remember, planetary health will always go hand in hand with your individual health.
Boom.
(Down below you can find a link to one study that directly relate to this short article)
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