There are loads of minerals in dirt, in fact. All of the essential vitamins, minerals and enzymes for healthy human life can be found in the rhizosphere of plants, so why not suck on some dirt? Because you can’t eat that… and even if you could, I don’t want to know you. You could just suck on a rock for all your mineral deficiencies, but it’s much easier (on your teeth) to walk into a pharmacist’s and get supplements in digestible form.
So what does all this mean? Eat a wide variety of plant-based foods. Eat as much as you like. It’s still good for you. Eat it raw, if you like. Juice, snort it, whatever gets you off. You should avoid grain-based foods most of the time (stuff that is designed for birds) unless you know that your body can properly digest the stuff. That isn’t very many of you, by the way.
If you’re eating too much meat, you may notice that your sweat or urine starts to smell stronger. It’s a relatively simple way of telling, and the fix is even more simple: eat more plant material. If you are eating too much plant material, try adding a little more animal. Even eggs and fish can be a great start, and for some reason, a lot of vegetarians give that the thumbs up.
And of course, if you are eating too much processed crap of ANY kind, and you aren’t where you want to be health-wise, you may need to put it down and start eating real food. Do it right most of the time, and your body can deal with the occasional misguided choice. It’s the 80/20 rule, and it rocks. Just get the 80 percent right first.
Ash (ash@weekendsurfwarrior.com)
