I applaud the efforts of others who try to synthesize information in the health world. In many instances, new knowledge and research can lead to life-altering results for many people.

For others, the amount of information and misinformation out there is Oh. Ver. Whelming. You can find a credible (whatever that means) source to take either side in almost any nutritional debate.

As if the contradicting science isn’t enough, there’s a world of interactions happening in our bodies that haven’t been explored in a lab.

Consider all the things at play when trying to “eat healthy”:

• Science is always discovering information that could change something you learned.
• Seasons are always revolving and affect our eating patterns.
• Your body is constantly adapting and recovering to/from the foods you eat.
• Your energy level and hunger levels are constantly changing.
• The environment, your mood, and the people around you affect the way you digest and create energy from food.
• The way your food was grown and prepared affects the way the food interacts with your body.
• Your natural body type affects the way you process food.
• Food labels are deceiving in every way.

If you thought nutrition was confusing before, I’m guessing you could learn something in the next five minutes that would make it even more confusing.

So stop, take a breath, and forget about trying to do it “right.”

The key is to find what works for you and your lifestyle. Your values. Your body type. Your schedule.

Keeping your diet simple is one of the best ways to get past a lot of BS and start feeling good.

Michael Pollan came out with the best nutrition advice out there (in my humble opinion) in less than eight words:

“Eat [real] food, not too much, mostly plants.”

The goal of this post is to give you permission to relax.

If you want to make a change, start with ONE simple change.

The key is to start exploring your relationship with food and decide to experiment.

Pick ONE thing in your diet you can eliminate, and ONE thing you will replace it with.

Learn to cook ONE meal using quality ingredients that you could make on a regular basis. Make it, then make it again.

Try fasting for ONE cycle (16 hours, 20 hours, 24 hours). Take appropriate caution with this one, but it’s usually an eye-opening experience to see what it feels like to be really hungry again.

That’s enough ideas for now. You know what to do. Keep it simple. Pick one thing.

Most importantly, enjoy your food.