Return to Simple Whole Foods for Sustainable Health - Episode Hero Image

Return to Simple Whole Foods for Sustainable Health

Begin Again with Davina McCall · · Listen to Original Episode →
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TL;DR

  • Ultra-processed foods, often disguised with minor nutritional claims, constitute the majority of calories for a significant portion of the population, contributing to a national health crisis and undermining well-being despite the growth of the wellness industry.
  • Shifting dietary focus from restrictive dieting to nourishing whole foods, emphasizing plants and simple home cooking, is crucial for sustainable health, as evidenced by Ella's personal recovery and business success.
  • The wellness industry's proliferation of expensive gadgets and complex routines can create a marketing gimmick that obscures the fundamental, accessible pillars of health: connection, movement, and whole foods.
  • Building lasting healthy habits requires focusing on small, manageable changes that can be sustained over the long term, rather than overwhelming, unsustainable resolutions that lead to feelings of failure.
  • The mental load of decision-making around food is a significant barrier to healthy eating; simplifying meal planning and preparation, as with batch cooking or pre-planned meals, empowers individuals to maintain healthier choices.
  • True wellness extends beyond physical appearance to encompass energy levels, mood, and the capacity for meaningful relationships, providing a more potent and sustainable motivation than purely aesthetic goals.
  • Stress management, alongside diet, exercise, and sleep, is a critical but often overlooked pillar of health, and incorporating moments of calm can paradoxically enhance productivity and well-being.

Deep Dive

The core argument is that a pervasive national health crisis, fueled by ultra-processed foods and a confusing wellness industry, can be addressed through a return to simple, whole foods and sustainable lifestyle habits. This approach, championed by Deliciously Ella's founder Ella Mills, emphasizes practical, accessible changes over restrictive diets or expensive trends, ultimately empowering individuals to reclaim their health and well-being.

The pervasive reliance on ultra-processed foods, characterized by long ingredient lists and minimal nutritional value, has created a "national health crisis" where diets are deteriorating annually. This situation is exacerbated by a wellness industry that often promotes expensive gadgets and complex routines, leading individuals to believe that healthy living is unattainable or requires significant financial investment. The consequence is a societal disconnect from fundamental health practices, with a majority of calories coming from processed items and less than a quarter of the population meeting their daily fruit and vegetable intake. This creates a systemic failure where marketing gimmicks overshadow the proven benefits of simple, whole foods and consistent lifestyle choices.

Ella Mills' personal journey from severe illness to building a successful wellness brand highlights the transformative power of this paradigm shift. Her debilitating health issues, stemming from a diet heavy in ultra-processed foods, were not resolved by conventional medicine alone. The turning point came with the realization that dietary and lifestyle changes could be a powerful antidote, leading her to embrace whole, plant-rich foods. This personal success story directly counters the notion that healthy eating is expensive or time-consuming. By sharing her own initial struggles with cooking and a dislike for produce, Mills demonstrates that significant improvements are achievable through small, consistent steps, such as incorporating more plants, focusing on simple home cooking, and prioritizing nutrient-dense ingredients. This approach fosters a sense of empowerment, moving away from the cycle of perceived failure associated with restrictive diets.

The implications of this philosophy extend to building sustainable businesses and communities. Mills' brand, Deliciously Ella, was founded on the principle of making healthy food accessible and enjoyable, countering the idea that wellness must be complicated or exclusive. The success of her cookbooks, cafe, and food products demonstrates a market demand for genuinely natural, whole-food options, despite initial resistance from manufacturers accustomed to less healthy production methods. The brand's growth, from a small blog to a significant market presence, underscores the long-term viability of a business model rooted in authentic health principles. Furthermore, the emphasis on community and shared experience, facilitated through her blog and podcast, provides crucial support for individuals navigating their health journeys, reinforcing the idea that collective well-being is as vital as individual choices.

The takeaway is that addressing the current health crisis requires a deliberate simplification of our approach to food and well-being. By rejecting the noise of the wellness industry and focusing on the foundational principles of eating real food, embracing a plant-rich diet, and integrating simple, manageable habits, individuals can achieve lasting health improvements and foster a more resilient society. The success of this approach lies not in drastic overhauls, but in consistent, small "wins" that build confidence and empower sustained positive change.

Action Items

  • Audit 50% of current recipes: Identify opportunities to incorporate additional plant-based ingredients (e.g., lentils, beans, vegetables) to increase fiber content.
  • Create a 7-day meal plan template: Focus on simple, quick-win recipes that minimize mental load and utilize common pantry staples.
  • Track daily plant intake: Aim for a minimum of 30 diverse plant-based foods per week, incorporating nuts, seeds, herbs, and various colors of fruits and vegetables.
  • Evaluate personal stress management practices: Dedicate 15-20 minutes daily to quiet reflection or mindfulness to improve overall well-being.
  • Analyze current ultra-processed food consumption: Identify 2-3 common items and explore whole-food alternatives to reduce reliance on processed ingredients.

Related Episodes

Key Quotes

"We are in a kind of national health crisis where our health is the worst it's ever been. Our diets get worse by the year. People think it's expensive and then it feels time-consuming because you've got so many steps. I think we just set ourselves up for failure, and you don't want to feel like a failure in January."

Ella Mills highlights that societal perceptions of healthy eating as expensive and time-consuming contribute to a national health crisis. She suggests that these perceived barriers lead individuals to set themselves up for failure, particularly at the start of the year, fostering a sense of inadequacy.

"But I don't actually feel like that's a fundamental issue. The challenge, obviously, is just the scale of these things. But it's so much more on the fact that something will say, like a very sugary cereal says on the front, "Supporting your family's health," but actually it has a sprinkle of multivitamin or vitamin D on it, and that allows you to make a health claim. And actually, when you look on the back of the pack, there's zero nutrition, like literally zero nutrition. And that's the normal breakfast, and it just doesn't set us up."

Ella Mills points out the misleading nature of health claims on processed foods, particularly sugary cereals. She explains that a small addition of vitamins can allow for a health claim, masking the lack of actual nutritional value in the product, which she argues is a significant problem for everyday diets.

"And I swear to you, if I can do it, you can do it, because I can't cook, and I've never cooked before, and I don't know what I'm doing, and this is all a humongous experiment."

Ella Mills emphasizes her own lack of cooking experience and knowledge when she began her health journey. She uses this personal anecdote to convey that her approach to healthy eating is accessible to anyone, even those who feel they cannot cook, framing her efforts as an experiment that others can replicate.

"And ultimately, it's just life is so demanding of everybody, and it comes with all sorts of ebbs and flows and trials and tribulations. And the reality is with most of those commitments, it's not that you don't have the willpower. I think that's such a myth. It's just that life will come at you as it does for everyone on different days, and it will become overwhelming. And the reality is, I think then executing those like huge grand plans becomes so difficult."

Ella Mills challenges the notion that a lack of willpower is the reason people fail to stick to health commitments. She argues that life's inherent demands and unpredictability make grand, sweeping plans difficult to execute, suggesting that focusing on smaller, manageable changes is more effective than relying on willpower alone.

"And I think that people now associate wellness with having to buy very expensive gadgets and gizmos and powders and all of these things. And ultimately, you don't need to do any of those things. Like, where all of the research really sits is in really simple things like connection with other people. One of the biggest markers of longevity and health span is being connected and feeling part of a community and feeling socialized with other people that mean something to you."

Ella Mills critiques the modern association of wellness with costly products and trends. She asserts that true wellness is rooted in fundamental, simple practices such as social connection and community engagement, which research indicates are significant factors in longevity and overall health span.

"And I think that's probably like one of the most important ones. I got to my perfect weight when I stopped dieting. Yeah, I bet you did. Isn't that interesting? I mean, ultimately, diets don't work. And they don't work because they kind of take over our life and they're too restrictive. And ultimately, like, life gets in the way. And then you fall off the bandwagon and you feel you have no willpower."

Ella Mills shares her personal experience of reaching her ideal weight after abandoning dieting. She posits that diets are often ineffective because their restrictive nature makes them unsustainable, leading to a cycle of failure and a perceived lack of willpower, rather than addressing the root causes of weight management.

Resources

External Resources

Books

  • "Deliciously Ella: Simple and delicious recipes for busy lives" by Ella Mills - Mentioned as the first book, which became Amazon's best-selling book that year.
  • "Quick Wins" by Ella Mills - Mentioned as a book containing brilliant, simple recipes focused on dinners with meal plans and shopping lists.

Articles & Papers

  • "The Times" - Mentioned as the publication where Matthew read an interview with Ella Mills.

People

  • Ella Mills - Founder of Deliciously Ella, author, and entrepreneur who built an empire helping people improve their well-being through food after recovering from a serious illness.
  • Matthew Mills - Husband and business partner of Ella Mills, instrumental in building the Deliciously Ella business.
  • Rihana - Nutritionist and co-host of The Wellness Scoop podcast with Ella Mills.

Organizations & Institutions

  • Deliciously Ella - Brand founded by Ella Mills, encompassing a blog, podcast, food products, and a cafe, focused on promoting healthy eating and well-being.
  • Walmart - Mentioned in relation to streaming an NFL playoff game.
  • NFL (National Football League) - Mentioned in relation to a playoff game between the Packers and Bears.
  • Amazon - Mentioned for streaming services and for its best-selling book list.
  • Lifelock - Mentioned as a service that monitors data points to protect against identity theft.
  • Racetrac - Mentioned as a place offering coffee, pizza, and breakfast sandwiches.
  • University of Phoenix - Mentioned for offering scholarships and savings on education.
  • Venmo - Mentioned for offering cash back on purchases.
  • Stash - Mentioned in relation to earning cash back with Venmo.
  • McDonald's - Mentioned for offering value meals, including snack wraps, fries, and drinks.
  • Lindt - Mentioned for its excellence dark chocolate.
  • Waitrose - Mentioned as a retailer for Deliciously Ella food products.
  • Tesco - Mentioned as a retailer for Deliciously Ella food products.
  • Sainsbury's - Mentioned as a retailer for Deliciously Ella food products.
  • Starbucks - Mentioned as a retailer for Deliciously Ella food products.

Websites & Online Resources

  • amazon.com - Mentioned for details on streaming services and free trials.
  • lifelock.com - Mentioned for signing up for identity protection services.
  • venmo.com - Mentioned for terms and conditions related to cash back offers.

Podcasts & Audio

  • The Wellness Scoop - Podcast co-hosted by Ella Mills and Rihana, discussing wellness topics and providing actionable advice.

Other Resources

  • Postural Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) - A condition Ella Mills was diagnosed with, characterized by a rapid heart rate upon standing.
  • Mast Cell Activation Disorder (MCAD) - A condition Ella Mills was diagnosed with.
  • Ultra-processed foods - Foods heavily discussed as contributing to poor health, often containing additives, preservatives, and flavorings.
  • Five a day - A public health guideline recommending the consumption of at least five portions of fruits and vegetables daily.
  • Mediterranean diet - Mentioned as a plant-rich dietary style.
  • Reset Month - An initiative launched by "Begin Again" to help individuals with New Year's goals.
  • Begin Again newsletter - A newsletter offering exclusive content, tools, and behind-the-scenes moments.
  • Wellness - A broad concept discussed in relation to health, lifestyle, and the potential for it to become a marketing gimmick.
  • Home-cooked food - Emphasized as a simpler and healthier alternative to ultra-processed options.
  • Meal plans - Offered as a tool to reduce mental load and simplify healthy eating.
  • Batch cooking - A method of preparing food in advance to save time and effort.
  • Frozen food - Discussed as a nutritious and convenient option, often misunderstood.
  • Organic food - Mentioned as a potential choice for healthy eating, though not deemed essential.
  • Manifesto principles - A set of guidelines for healthy living, including eating real food, enjoying meals, focusing on plants, and finding balance.
  • Gut health - Highlighted as crucial for overall well-being, supported by a diverse intake of plants.
  • Fiber - Identified as an essential nutrient for gut health.
  • Listen to your body - A principle emphasizing self-awareness and individual needs in health and wellness.
  • Stress management - Identified as a key pillar of health alongside diet, exercise, and sleep.

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