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Dr Jane Genovese makes the latest research on learning, productivity and healthy living accessible to students, parents and teachers.
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The presentations Jane delivers are based on a combination of the best research and personal experience (particularly her years studying law and psychology and completing a PhD).
Creating Momentum is a teacher-led program that provides a new approach to working and studying.
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The other day, I watched a video of how crab sticks are made.
When you see how a crab stick is made, trust me, you’ll never want to eat one ever again (you can watch the horrifying video here).
Spoiler alert: There’s no actual crab meat in a crab stick.
Like many people of my generation, I grew up eating all sorts of ultra-processed foods. I developed a taste for chemical additives.
I remember always feeling hungry. I could never stop at just one chip, one biscuit, or one bowl of sugary cereal. I constantly craved more. I thought the reason I couldn’t stop at one chip was that I lacked willpower.
But it turns out that wasn’t the problem.
No one has a willpower problem when it comes to ultra-processed foods. As gastroenterologist Dr Trisha Pastricia explains in her book You’ve Been Pooping All Wrong:
“[ultra-processed foods] have been engineered to overcome our body’s normal signalling processes telling us we’re full, providing quick glucose spikes and driving us to eat more.”
So please, don’t blame yourself for eating that whole packet of chips. Blame the ultra-processed food industry!
In this blog, I look at the science behind why ultra-processed foods are so harmful to our health and what we can do to minimise their consumption.
It’s not my intention to overwhelm or scare you. My intention is to increase your awareness so you can make more informed decisions about what you eat.
We’ve been manipulated by the ultra-processed food industry
Many of us trust food manufacturers and the government to act in our best interests. But researchers who study the harms associated with ultra-processed foods will tell you this is completely naïve thinking.
I recently discovered The Lancet Series on Ultra-Processed Foods and Human Health. If you’re not familiar with The Lancet, it’s one of the top medical journals.
The series also examines the strategies used by big food corporations to completely transform our food system, maximising profits at the expense of public health.
To launch this Lancet Series, an event was held (and streamed online) where the researchers presented their key findings.
I watched this movie-length event online (you can watch it here). By the end, I felt angry by the conduct of the ultra-processed food industry, but inspired by these courageous researchers who were taking them on!
I believe this is among the most important work on food this decade. I encourage you to take the time to watch this launch event that unpacks the research. Here are six things I learnt from this Lancet Series on ultra-processed foods:
1. Ultra-processed food corporations are like Big Tobacco
Both industries are dominated by powerful corporations whose profits depend on driving overconsumption.
The ultra-processed food industry uses strategies straight from the Tobacco playbook. They employ sophisticated marketing strategies to build lifelong customers, fund studies to create doubt and confusion, and engineer their products to have us reaching for more.
2. Ultra-processed food products are more than just fast food
Ultra-processed food products are attractive products made with cheap ingredients and additives to maximise industry profits.
They contain things you wouldn’t typically find in your kitchen, such as protein isolates, emulsifiers, artificial colours (e.g., Ammonia Caramel 150c), and flavourings (e.g., Disodium 5′-ribonucleotide 635). Think soft drinks, chips, lollies, muesli bars, and fruit-flavoured yoghurts.
When I tried to explain ultra-processed foods to a friend, she said, “But aren’t all foods processed to some extent? Pasta is processed! Cheese is processed!” Yes, that’s true. But pasta and cheese are significantly less processed compared to ultra-processed foods.
This is where the NOVA food classification system can help simplify things.
This system was developed by Brazilian epidemiologist Professor Carlos Monteiro and his team at the Center for Epidemiological Studies in Health and Nutrition. This system categorises foods into groups based on the extent and purpose of processing.
How much of your diet comes from the foods in category 1?
3. Ultra-processed foods have displaced real food
Professor Monteiro said that in the last 20 years, we’ve seen a big shift in people’s dietary patterns. The ultra-processed foods in category 4 have displaced the foods in categories 1-3.
Instead of drinking water, we crack open a can of soft drink or a juice box. Instead of having a bowl of oats for breakfast, we have a bowl of sugary cereal. Instead of pasta with a veggie bolognese sauce, we have a packet of store-bought Mac & Cheese or a frozen microwave meal for dinner.
In other words, most people are no longer cooking meals at home like our grandmas used to. They are eating ultra-processed foods that contain ingredients grandma would have baulked at.
4. Ultra-processed foods have led to an increase in chronic diseases
When proper meals that are made from healthy whole foods are replaced by ultra-processed foods, this leads to serious problems.
Studies show that the more ultra-processed foods you eat, the more fat, salt and sugar you consume, and the less fibre and protein you consume.
An overwhelming body of research shows that consumption of ultra-processed foods is associated with many chronic diseases, including Type 2 diabetes, obesity, depression, and cardiovascular diseases.
There’s also this nasty little thing called xenobiotics that ultra-processed foods contain.
Xenobiotics are toxic chemical compounds, such as BPA, emulsifiers, artificial sweeteners, and flavourings, that we are not physiologically adapted to consume.
As Professor Carlos Monteiro said:
“This is the perfect storm for chronic disease.”
5. The ultra-processed food industry has deskilled us
Not only are these food corporations harming our health and reducing our lifespan, but they have deskilled us. They have robbed us of the opportunity to develop valuable cooking skills.
As one researcher said, “Why cook when you can get takeaway?”
The message that came through loud and clear was that these companies do not care about our health. Their business model is all about maximising profits. End of story.
6. We need a real food revolution led by politicians
It shouldn’t just be up to the individual to make dietary changes. It’s clear that our current food system needs to change.
We need regulations that stop these ultra-processed food corporations from marketing their products to children. We need to tax these food products so corporations don’t make such massive profits. We need to make healthy foods (fruits and vegetables) more affordable for families, and much, much more.
But until we have strong political leadership to push for systemic change, what can we do right now for ourselves to fight back and reclaim our health?
Here are seven things you can do to take back your power:
1. Start cooking
We can start by cooking more meals at home. Every meal you cook is you taking back your power from the ultra-processed food industry. It’s you filling your body with the nutrients, phytochemicals, and fibre you need to function well.
Become someone who refuses to give their hard-earned money to these corporations that are chipping away at our health. You can do this by stepping into your kitchen and cooking a nourishing meal.
You don’t have to cook every day. To make your life easier, try batch cooking or as they say, “cook once, eat twice”. Personally, I like spending a couple of hours on a Sunday prepping some meals for the week ahead.
2. Don’t know how to cook? It’s time to learn
It’s never too late to learn how to cook. I didn’t learn how to cook until I was in my thirties. When I finally picked up some basic cooking skills, it was an absolute game-changer.
If you’re new to the world of home cooking, never fear. I recommend starting with some basic kids’ cookbooks (find healthy ones), an online cooking course on a platform like Rouxbe, or online videos of other people cooking (e.g., Jenny Can Cook).
The thing about cooking is it’s a skill. It’s something you need to practice. With time, you’ll get better. Before you know it, you’ll see yourself as someone who takes pride in cooking and fueling up on nourishing meals.
3. Download and start using Yuka
Yuka is a free app that informs and empowers people to make better food choices. Here’s how it works:
When you’re at the shops, you use the app to scan the barcode of the food product. It will rate the food item based on nutritional quality, the presence of additives, and the exposure to pesticides.
It is 100 per cent independent, which means it doesn’t take money from the ultra-processed food industry or any food brands for that matter.
4. Invest in basic cooking tools
Cooking requires some basic equipment, and it’s worth the investment. You’ll get that money back plus more life energy and better health.
So, what do you need to get cooking?
As a bare minimum, you’ll need a good chopping knife, a chopping board, a pot, a wooden spoon, a tea towel, some measuring spoons and cups, mixing bowls, and a stove.
If you don’t have access to a stove, consider investing in an Instant Pot (see point 5).
5. Invest in an Instant Pot
I own my fair share of kitchen appliances, but if I had to pick my favourite it would be my Instant Pot. An Instant Pot is an electric pressure cooker that allows you to get a healthy dinner on the table quickly.
In my Instant Pot, I have made delicious pasta dishes, fried rice, soups, and curries. Once you get the hang of using it, you’ll be whipping up dinner faster than it takes to order takeaway and have it delivered to your door. Best of all, an Instant Pot won’t break the bank (I got my 8L Instant Pot on sale for $200).
6. Embrace the Brazilian food guidelines
In the Lancet series, the researchers said we need to shift from a focus on reducing fat, salt, and sugar in our meals to reducing our overall consumption of ultra-processed foods. This is what the Brazilian food guidelines set out to achieve.
The Brazilian food guidelines encourage people to eat whole foods that are minimally processed and to enjoy sitting down and sharing meals with others.
Instead of focusing on individual nutrients, the Brazilian food guidelines are a joyous celebration of food. For example, here are some of my favourite recommendations from the Brazilian food guidelines:
- Make unprocessed or minimally processed foods the basis of your diet
- Avoid ultra-processed products
- Eat regularly and carefully in appropriate environments and, whenever possible, in company
- Shop in places that offer a variety of natural or minimally processed foods
- Develop, exercise and share cooking skills
- Plan your time to make food and eating an important part of your life
- Be wary of food advertising and marketing
7. Have healthy snacks ready to go
Psychologist Dr Ashley Gearhardt asks us to consider what small steps we can take to remove the most harmful ultra-processed foods from our diets.
One easy place to start is with snacks.
She encourages us to think about having easy to prepare snacks, such as fruit and nuts, that we can have nearby in case we get hungry. She says you never want to be in a position where you feel like you’re starving and the only thing available are ultra-processed foods.
So doctor’s orders: stock up on healthy snacks!
To sum up
The researchers involved in this Lancet series made it clear: it’s not about never eating ultra-processed foods. The goal is to reduce your intake of these harmful food products and boost your intake of real foods. This is how you take better care of yourself.
What I’ve found is that once you start replacing ultra-processed foods with real foods, you kick-start a self-reinforcing feedback loop. Your brain and body begin to feel fantastic.
Every real meal you eat helps you be more clear-headed, which in turn helps you make better food choices. Before you know it, instead of craving chips and soft drinks, you’ll develop a taste for real food rather than chemically enhanced food products.
This is how we can change our lives and the way we feel. One bite at a time.
I know a woman who sells high-speed blenders for a living.
A few months ago, she casually mentioned that cottage cheese and pistachio nut butter were trending.
“How do you know this?” I asked.
“My company hired a new digital media strategist and that’s what she told us . . . I’m off to buy pistachio nuts!” she said.
For a brief moment, I felt a pang of FOMO (Fear of missing out).
My tranquillity was disturbed.
But I steadied myself. I took a moment to pause and reflect on what I’d just heard.
“Cottage cheese and pistachio nut butter are trending.”
I had a moment of clarity, and my brain screamed, “Who really cares?!”
Was it a problem that I didn’t know about these viral trends?
Of course not!
Up until this point, my life had been perfectly fine without cottage cheese and pistachio nut butter.
But I was grateful to have had this conversation because it got me thinking about the impact of viral trends.
A lot of what you see trending online and in the mainstream media is mindless pap. It’s influencers and advertisers trying to sell us things we don’t need to impress people we don’t even like. It’s a lot of noise and distraction that doesn’t add much (if any) richness, value, or meaning to our lives.
These trends can distract us from what’s truly important and even diminish our lives in the process.
The dangerous path of following trends
If you’re thinking, “Whoa! But it’s just cottage cheese, Jane! Chill out!”, please remember that not all trends are as harmless as a tub of cottage cheese.
Some trends can evolve into hugely profitable industries that shape the worldview and behaviour of millions of people. Take smoking, toxic masculinity (i.e. the manosphere), and extreme dieting, for example.
Worst of all, it’s super easy to get caught up in trends, especially when you’re young and impressionable. Often, we don’t even realise we’ve been swept up in a trend.
I’ll be the first to admit I’ve purchased my fair share of gimmicky products over the years and gone down some unhelpful paths. For instance, when I was 18, while participating in a free meditation course, I followed a spiritual guru for a short time before realising it was not the path for me.
Thinking about fads, trends, and gurus reminded me of what Stoic philosopher Epictetus said:
“Become your own soul’s doctor”
What did he mean by this?
Epictetus was telling people to quit chasing after gurus and the latest trends.
In his book The Art of Living, Epictetus wrote:
“The latest fashionable sage or book or diet or belief doesn’t move you in the direction of a flourishing life. You do.”
Grab hold of the reins of your life
It’s time to take back your control. Instead of looking outside yourself for answers, look inward.
Stop following social media influencers and looking at their bland content (unfollow them). Block online ads (install an ad blocker plugin). Stop reading junk mail catalogues that stir up your consumptive desires (Put a No Junk Mail sticker on your letterbox).
In other words, dial down the noise and start tuning in to yourself.
What is it that you really want or need?
Once your basic needs are met, what you really need is very rarely something you can buy online or at the shops.
For me, when I’m feeling a bit down, I often just need a glass of water, an apple, some time outdoors, a little movement, a nap, or a chat with a friend to perk myself up.
What do all of these things have in common?
They are free or cost very little.
We know these things are inherently good for us. They may just not seem as interesting or exciting to our brains, which crave distraction and novelty.
Influencers and advertisers can’t make money off peddling drinking water (unless it’s bottled), going outdoors (unless it’s a commodified experience), or spending time with a friend.
But they can make money from peddling products!
Don’t get sucked in. Take control: The next time you feel tempted by a viral trend or product, pause and ask yourself if it truly adds value to your life. Reflect before you spend your money —become your own soul’s doctor.
When you become your own soul’s doctor, you know deep in your bones that you don’t need the rubbish that is constantly being marketed to you. You know that you are enough just as you are.
A few years ago, I became obsessed with optimising my time.
Efficiency was the name of the game.
In an attempt to be ‘time smart’, I started ordering my groceries online and having them delivered straight to my door.
Yes, it was convenient.
Yes, it was efficient.
But over time, I saw that this convenience and efficiency came at a cost.
I’m not talking about the $20 monthly subscription fee to the supermarket. I’m talking about the cost to my lived human experience.
The power of micro-interactions
Earlier this year, I realised that by having my groceries delivered, I was missing out on a lot of valuable micro-interactions.
I was depriving myself of experiences that made me feel connected to other people and my community.
You may be thinking, “Yeah, big deal, Jane! Don’t you have better things to do with your time than grocery shopping?”
My younger ‘optimised’ self would have thought so. And that’s certainly what the Big Tech companies want you to believe. Big tech wants you to believe that a good life is an optimised life and one that is friction-free.
While I used to think grocery shopping was a waste of my time, I don’t think this way anymore.
Shopping for food in person at your local farmers’ market, bulk food store, or supermarket is an experience worth having. It’s time well spent.
Besides acquiring the best fresh produce and ingredients, the in-person shopping experience offers unexpected micro-interactions.
Here’s an example of what I’m talking about . . .
Last week, I popped into a new supermarket to pick up a few items. I was looking for plant-based sausages, but after going all around the store, I couldn’t find them. I knew I needed help.
I approached a young employee who was busily stacking tubs of hummus in a refrigerator. I asked her if she knew where the vegan products were.
She said, “Oh, I think you’ll find them over here” and then she took off like a rocket. I was practically running with my shopping cart to keep up with her.
I said to her, “Wow, you walk really fast!”
To which she said, “Oh… sorry!”
I said, “No, don’t apologise! I think it’s great!”
We arrived at the plant-based sausages, I thanked her, and she sped off again.
This brief social interaction probably lasted less than 60 seconds, but it made my day. It got my heart rate up and put a smile on my face.
I felt inspired by her young person energy. It also dawned on me that I could probably push myself a little harder in my next workout session.
I’m not exaggerating when I say my life was enriched by this tiny social interaction. Had I just ordered my plant-based sausages online, I would have missed out on this joyous experience.
The science of talking to strangers
This experience got me thinking about why I love talking to complete strangers so much. Unless I encounter a total grump, I usually always leave the interaction feeling better than before.
I was curious. Had any research been done on this?
It turns out quite a bit!
Dr Gillian Sandstrom has written a book that explores the many benefits of talking to strangers. It’s called Once Upon a Stranger: The Science of How “Small” Talk Can Add Up To a Big Life.
In an interview, Dr Sandstrom explains some of the benefits of talking to strangers. She states:
“The first benefit that we’ve found consistently is just that it puts you in a good mood. When you talk to a stranger, you usually walk away feeling a bit happier and more connected, which we know is so important for humans.
Another thing from the research is that we tend to learn more than we expect to when we talk to strangers. It brings novelty into our life, makes our life richer. There’s research about how well-being can arise from not only happiness, purpose, and meaning, but this third source: psychological richness. I think talking to strangers gives you richness, because it brings novelty and learning and those kinds of things into your life.”
Famous author Kurt Vonnegut understood this psychological richness that came from talking to strangers out in the world (not online).
He could foresee the problems associated with technology back in 2005 (well before social media, online shopping, and generative AI became widely adopted).
In a PBS interview, Vonnegut tells a story about going to the shops to purchase a single envelope.
Before leaving the house, his wife says to Vonnegut:
“You’re not a poor man. You know, why don’t you go online and buy a hundred envelopes and put them in the closet?”
Vonnegut continues the story, telling the PBS interviewer:
“I pretend not to hear her. And go out to get an envelope because I’m going to have a hell of a good time in the process of buying one envelope.
I meet a lot of people. And, see some great looking babes. And a fire engine goes by. And I give them the thumbs up. And, and ask a woman what kind of dog that is. And, and I don’t know…
And, of course, the computers will do us out of that. And, what the computer people don’t realize, or they don’t care, is we’re dancing animals. You know, we love to move around. And, we’re not supposed to dance at all anymore.”
The ‘Computer people’ Vonnegut referred to are the Tech bros of today. They have designed apps that have made us addicted, isolated, and lonely.
But we don’t have to go down this path. We have a choice.
Instead of choosing convenience, efficiency, and comfort, we can choose real contact with the world and people.
This is why I am resisting using AI. It’s why I don’t use any social media. It’s also why I have now gone back to buying my groceries in person and avoid the self-service checkouts as much as possible (even if it means waiting in line for five minutes).
Not every trip to the supermarket is a joyous event
Sometimes the checkout person is dead tired and doesn’t want to talk (which is fair enough). Or I’ll try to strike up a conversation and the other person doesn’t want to talk (this is rare, but it does happen).
You also need to be careful about who you choose to strike up a conversation with. Some people can be dangerous and unhinged, but in my experience, most people are kind and friendly.
If you have concerns about ‘Stranger Danger’, Dr Sandstrom suggests:
“Choose a situation that feels safe, such as a public place in broad daylight with plenty of people around.”
She goes on to add:
“In my life, instead of being a danger, strangers have been game changers.”
I couldn’t agree more.
Even if you do end up talking to someone who is a grump or not in the mood for a chat, you’ll learn something about yourself and the human experience.
To sum up
By resisting the pull to be efficient and by seeking out micro-interactions, your life will be a whole lot richer. As Kurt Vonnegut once said: “We are here on Earth to fart around, and don’t let anyone tell you any different.”