I’ve been down a “food” rabbit hole for the past 7 years. When I first started my journey toward eating clean back in the day, my goal was purely weight loss. But over time, it evolved into a focus on overall health, longevity, and maintaining my well-being as I age. What I choose to eat has transformed, and more importantly, the list of what I don’t eat has grown each year. For instance, I knew nothing about seed oils five years ago, but today, I believe they are one of the worst things in our diet. I’ve spent over 1,000 hours listening to podcasts (nutritionists, biologists, etc) plus countless hours reading medical journals, articles, and watching documentaries on these topics. I even enrolled in a certified nutritionist program at one point but had to back out, realizing there was no way to fit it into my already insane schedule.

The deeper I’ve gone down this rabbit hole, the scarier the revelations. Some days, I wish I didn’t think about it so much because it can become an overwhelming, even negative obsession, leading to more sub-rabbit holes. I believe our current food system is the greatest threat to humanity. Seed oils, gluten, plastics, metals, pesticides, big pharma, factory farming ethics—the list goes on and on. If you ever bring it up in conversation, prepare for a long discussion. The obesity epidemic is real, and our systems only perpetuate the problem rather than solve it. As citizens, we deserve better. But it goes beyond just obesity—it’s contributing to cancer, autoimmune diseases, Alzheimer’s, and much more.

The health issues tied to our food system cause more preventable deaths annually than handguns, drunk driving, overdoses, suicides, and more, combined. I may be showing my age, but I still remember growing up in the ’80s, where seeing an obese person was rare. If we did, it was the subject of typical juvenile jokes because it just wasn’t common. Most of us didn’t know anyone with autism or food allergies, and autoimmune diseases were rarely discussed. A large soda back then is smaller than today’s medium.

Of course, it wasn’t all perfect. We grew up with the “food pyramid” pushing a high-carb diet, and we were the first generation targeted by the food industry, lured in with toys from fast food and cereal boxes. Looking back, you can see how this evolved before our eyes, but few millennials or anyone born afterward have experienced the “old normal.” And even the ’80s were a step down from the normal our Boomer parents grew up with. Our current system is shortening our lifespans, and it’s been the new normal for far too long. We need to course correct. Unfortunately, the media doesn’t cover this issue, schools don’t teach it, and we can’t count on politicians to fix it.

Some people who don’t eat clean view those who do as “health nuts.” But what’s considered “normal” food today is far from what was normal 100 years ago—and that old way of eating was far better for us. Changing this mindset is crucial, but lack of information is a significant barrier for many.

My Top 10 Rules for Food Choices:

1. Primarily eat food directly from animals or plants, just as God created it (no processing).

2. Little to no gluten.

3. No seed oils.

4. Avoid artificial sweeteners—they’ll make you crave more sweets.

5. No processed foods.

6. Limit alcohol intake to fewer than 4 drinks per week; none is better.

7. Replace margarine and imitations with real butter.

8. Follow the 85/15 rule when shopping (85% from the perimeter—produce and meat sections; 15% from the aisles).

9. Avoid anything with more than nine ingredients or words you can’t pronounce.

10. After earning it, reward yourself by occasionally breaking these rules.

Bonus: If you can, buy organic produce and farm-direct meat.

My “Other” Top 10 Health Tips:

1. No more tap water—quit today.

2. If you don’t exercise, start something. Anything. Can only run 0.25 miles? Great, do it four times this week and up it to 0.35 next week. Can’t do a pushup? Start from your knees. Even if you can only do two sit-ups, do them daily until you can do more. Just get started.

3. Low or zero-carb doesn’t always mean healthy. There’s “keto” and there’s “dirty keto”—know the difference.

4. Before committing to long-term daily medication, make sure you’ve addressed these seven areas: nutrition, fitness, water intake, sleep, stress management, supplements, and relationships. You’ll be surprised how many issues improve.

5. Stop relying on painkillers and sleeping pills—try cryotherapy instead.

6. Frequently use an infrared sauna for detox, immunity boosts, and better circulation.

7. Spend 5-10 hours a week outdoors in the sun. If you can’t, use a red-light therapy bed as a “sun supplement.”

8. The best food always comes in its purest form, no matter how heavily “healthy” processed foods are marketed.

9. Avoid prescription drugs and vaccines whenever possible.

10. We’re all busy, but aim for at least seven hours of sleep a night.