Welcome to Radical Vitality! In this episode, I speak with Dr. Adrian Chavez about science-based nutrition, how to know what health information we can trust, and holistic approaches to lifelong health.

In a world of fad diets and rampant misinformation, Dr. Chavez’s message of science-based nutrition that debunks health fads is just what we need! Dr. Chavez comes from an exercise science background. His interest in nutrition began from a performance and body composition standpoint, which gives his approach an edge. He recalls early on in his studies reading a lot of health books that he soon learned were flat out wrong. There is so much great nutrition information available clouded by misinformation and class barriers.

Because everyone’s lifestyle and genetic markers are different, there is no single best diet for health. However, the diet that helps protect each individual in the long run is ultimately the one that provides the right amount of energy. For the most part, this is found in a diet that provides all of your micronutrients, which is basically a diet not composed of processed foods. This includes eating enough nuts and seeds, getting adequate protein and feeling good! If you are trying to upgrade your lifestyle, Dr. Chavez emphasizes that tracking is a great method to build new habits, however a lot of people just use tracking to restrict themselves, which is not effective.

Dr. Chavez shares that body fat is not harmful to our health unless it is associated with metabolic dysfunction, and that actually healthy body fat levels are much higher than we think, which are certainly more than what’s portrayed in advertising. What’s more, when people restrict themselves for too long, when they gain it back, it’s purely fat and not muscle. What most people actually need is to gain more muscle.

Dr. Chavez wraps up by debunking and clarifying several social media trends: the differences between animal and plant proteins, warnings against worrying too much about normal blood sugar spikes in response to healthy carbohydrate rich foods, intermittent fasting as a magic cure, and collagen supplements.