Dear EP,

Thanks for your question, and welcome to the wonderful world of Nutritional Terrorism, where the concept of “weight” has been given the dubious distinction as the deciding factor between “good” and “evil” and where “bad” foods are the compliant demons who try to move you ever so slowly to the dark side of health.

I feel compelled to warn the readers that this column may garner an “R” rating for its violent content. Hold on to your bran muffins and vitamin drinks – it may get a little stormy for those devotees of the Food Network and cult followers of the food pyramid.

All I want to know is who the hell woke up one day and decided that anyone who was not the weight the chart says they should be is not considered healthy. Come on, step forward, put down the bran flakes and fess up!

I have officially declared war on the War on Obesity. I would politely like those of you who are hell-bent on pushing forward with this “war” and who have characterized food as a weapon of mass destruction to stick a Krispy Kreme in your mouth and chew it at least 64,000 times.

Weight does not equal health! If you would like me to spell it out in M&M’s, I will do it.

These health terrorists and food police continue to bombard us with messages that distort the truth and result in all sorts of controversial nutritional and health messages. It is entirely understandable why we all become overwhelmed and confused about what is factual and what is not.

Having now calmed down, let me start by asking you why you feel the need to “manage” your weight? EP, you need to know there is no one “ideal” weight for everyone, and weight is determined primarily from your genetics.

Rather than focusing on food as a means to “manage” weight, try looking at food as the fuel your body needs for all of its daily activities. Although diets may result in quick weight loss, they usually result in weight gain later on.

Any time you hear a certain nutrient (i.e. fat or carbohydrates) should be restricted, this is unhealthy and often harmful for your body. Carbohydrates, protein and fat all serve important functions, and it is important that you do not short yourself of any of these.

Counting calories also can lead to obsessive behavior and doesn’t allow for the normal fluctuation in food intake from day to day. Any diet, whether it is calorie counting or the restriction of a specific nutrient, should be avoided in most individuals.

If you have a specific health condition, I would suggest speaking with one of the registered dietitians here at Olin Health Center to determine any necessary adjustments that may need to be made.

Just call (517) 353-4660 and make an appointment. It will not cost you anything and not count against your three visits!

So, if diets are not the answer, then what is? Believe it or not, our bodies have the ability to know what and how much food it needs. Turn off your brain and quit listening to the nutritional “static” that abounds, and listen to your body.

It is important to be able to identify your body’s cues of hunger and satiety and to distinguish from physical hunger versus emotional feelings. Balance and variety are essential components to achieving positive eating behaviors.

Giving yourself permission to include all foods rather than identifying foods as being “good” or “bad” is a vital step in learning to trust your body. Eating too much of any food (whether it be carrots, chocolate or Krispy Kremes – my favorite) and consequently too little of another, can result in lacking certain nutrients.

If you find you are restricting certain foods or you are eating the same thing every day, slowly try to incorporate new foods into your meals.

The ability to trust your body to know what it needs and to make up for its mistakes is what we refer to as “intuitive eating.” As you begin to place increased trust in your body and to make more varied food choices throughout the day, you will find you are creating a much more satisfying and positive approach to eating.

So, maybe the best approach for you is not to try to find the “truth” in the rhetoric of why we need to go to “war” or why something is “evil” and should be managed, but maybe the truth is found in listening to the voices of your body.

Weight is only a contrived concept! Let’s all drink and eat to that! Pass me a Krispy Kreme.

Carpe diem.

Dr. D.

Dennis Martell, Ph.D., is a coordinator of Olin Health Education and writes a weekly health column for The State News. E-mail him your questions at dennis.martell@ht.msu.edu.