Nutritionist Gajdošová: "Meat or milk substitutes are neither necessary nor better for humans, we should eat more intuitively"
Margaret, people today are capable of doing anything for a perfect appearance, they follow countless diets - and the effect often does not appear. How do you view the various fashion diets from the point of view of a nutritionist?
You are right that the modern nutrition situation is characterised by all sorts of extremes. Paradoxically, it's not usually a problem that people don't have information, but rather that there is so much of it that it becomes chaotic and it's hard to sort out what's true and what to believe. Add to this the desire for an express and promising sounding result, which many people feel they "have to suffer through", and rigid diets and restrictions offer themselves. And that, for me, is exactly the problem - as soon as something is based on reaching for a short-term solution, we can also expect a short-term result. It's no coincidence that statistically 75-95% of people who embark on these diets regain the weight they lost within five years.
If you had to pick the most bizarre diets out of a list of existing diets, which would they be? And which ones have the potential to work?
You could name the most bizarre diets - from the pineapple diet to the "fat-eating" diet to pseudo-detox diets. The only one that really works is a combination of a gently and sensibly managed calorie deficit accompanied by long-term sustainable and sufficient eating.
You state on your website that you believe in "natural eating". Could you elaborate on what you mean by 'naturalness'?
By "natural eating" I mean first and foremost the need to get back to the basics, the real thing. That is, the priority in eating basic foods that are naturally nutrient-dense, not eating ultra-processed foods. Although supermarket shelves are brimming with these nowadays, we are getting to the point where, although they often take us to great heights in terms of calories, this is unfortunately no longer the case in terms of nutritional fullness.
Many people today are convinced that vegetarianism or veganism is "natural". In your opinion, does it make sense to drink milk substitutes and eat meat substitutes?
As for my opinion on veganism and vegetarianism, although it is not a direction I would primarily subscribe to nutritionally, I still believe that one can function well and adequately in them, one just has to watch for potential deficiencies. Dairy and meat substitutes may find their use primarily from a position of source variety or in situations where allergies or intolerances, for example, call for them. However, I would by no means describe them as a necessity or even a 'better' option. But it always depends on the context.
In the context of "natural eating", there is also the simple matter of listening to your body - and eating according to what and when your body "asks". Is this one of the possible ways, in your opinion?
This whole idea is described and taught by the concept of so-called intuitive eating. I refer to it as the imaginary highlight of the eating journey and the point where everyone should want to get to. It is the most natural (adaptive) form of eating based on fully listening to and trusting your body's hunger, satiety and signals. In short, eating in a way where we know what, how and why, but without any external analysis and with the confidence that it is respectful of our health.
Although it sounds paradoxical, intuitive eating has parameters and certain "rules" or principles that must be ensured in order to function. Nutritionally, metabolically, hormonally and psychologically. In this day and age, where we live in a culture influenced by countless nonsensical rules and dysfunctional patterns, our bodies have a slightly skewed interpretation of what they actually (don't) need. In fact, if intuitive eating always worked, no one would be dealing with any problems with food, their relationship to it, being underweight or overweight, or anything related to it. Therefore, it is definitely not always a given and sometimes you need to "eat your way through" to it.
Although the term 'healthy eating' is undoubtedly very broad, there is a perception that it is very expensive and not for everyone. What are the possibilities of "healthy eating" for a person who, for example, cannot afford to eat fish regularly and, given the current prices in Czech shops, even fresh vegetables and fruit?
I hear the argument that healthy food is expensive every day. And yes, it can be. But it also doesn't have to be. Having a quality diet doesn't necessarily mean buying expensive fitness foods (it's usually the other way around) and obligatorily subsidizing your household with a ton of nut butters. If we focus on eating staple foods, we can instead work our way towards a lower budget. But the key to success is systematic planning and strategic shopping without waste. When it comes to the really expensive foods, such as fish, something is always more than nothing. If there are deficiencies in the diet based on lack of frequency - I'm referring specifically to omega-3 fatty acids, for example - that's exactly the time to supplement. As far as vegetables and fruit are concerned, it is not a bad choice to reach for frozen versions, which are often diametrically cheaper and more convenient in terms of quantity.
