It’s called the S.A.D. diet for a reason.
S.A.D. stands for the Standard American Diet—and let me tell you, it’s a perfect name.
Because once you look at the science, the symptoms, and the suffering it causes, there’s only one thing to feel about it:
Sad. Furious. And ready to get the hell out.
As with all of these tips, this is my personal opinion of what works for me. I’m not a doctor, so check with your medical professional on anything I say here.
🧨 How Food Became a Silent Killer
We grow up being told to eat what’s on our plate.
But no one tells us what’s actually on that plate.
Highly processed grains.
Seed oils.
Artificial colors.
Frankenfoods engineered to trigger cravings.
Chemicals we can’t pronounce, let alone digest.
And here’s the kicker:
Most of it is sold to us as “heart healthy,” “low-fat,” or “fortified with vitamins.”
It’s a lie. A profitable one.
And the cost is measured in lives, limbs, and years lost.
🧬 Food Is Only the 6th Lever of Health… Unless It’s Poison
I’ve said it before in my other blog posts:
Food ranks sixth on the list of levers for health—after breath, water, sleep, movement, and sunlight.
But if what you’re eating is not food—but a slow poison?
Then it doesn’t belong on the list at all.
👉 It becomes an anti-health force.
👉 It doesn’t support your health—it suppresses it.
📉 I Was the Proof
I didn’t need a doctor to tell me something was wrong.
I had:
- Arthritis in my joints
- Obesity on my body
- High blood pressure in my veins
- Type 2 diabetes in my blood
And you know what else I had?
A shopping cart full of boxed “health” food.
Cereal, bread, low-fat yogurt, juice, protein bars—S.A.D. staples.
It wasn’t until I took my health into my own hands that I saw the truth:
💥 I wasn’t sick because of bad luck. I was sick because of bad food choices.
💀 Death by Diet: The Numbers Don’t Lie
Nearly 70% of deaths worldwide are now caused by non-communicable diseases—not viruses or bacteria, but things like:
- Heart disease
- Stroke
- Diabetes
- Certain cancers
- Obesity-related conditions
And what do these all have in common?
They’re not caught. They’re caused.
By what we put in our mouths, every single day.
The World Health Organization says millions of lives could be saved each year by better nutrition choices.
But here’s what they don’t say out loud:
🧂 What we eat isn’t food anymore. It’s an experiment.
🔁 A Downward Spiral: S.A.D. Feeds the Fire
Here’s what I’ve seen in myself—and in others:
- You eat S.A.D. food.
- Your energy crashes, so you move less.
- You sleep poorly because your blood sugar spikes.
- You gain weight.
- You feel bad.
- You reach for comfort food—more of the same S.A.D. “food.”
👉 And now you’re in a loop of destruction.
Your joints hurt.
Your brain fogs.
Your blood pressure rises.
Your doctor prescribes meds.
You take the meds…
And stay on the same diet that caused the disease.
That’s not health care.
That’s a trap.
😞 “Correlation Isn’t Causation” — But It Sure Ain’t Coincidence
The food and drug industries know exactly what’s happening.
They built it this way. They profit from it.
🚨 Make you sick with food. Keep you alive with pills.
They’ll scream that “correlation isn’t causation”—but come on.
When a population adopts the Western diet and sees a 40% spike in obesity and cancer within a decade, something’s not random.
Garbage in.
Disease out.
🧠 What S.A.D. Does to Your Mood
One of the sneakiest side effects?
Mental health.
I didn’t realize just how sad, foggy, and angry I’d become… until I cleaned up my food.
The inflammation caused by processed oils and sugar directly affects your brain.
You can’t think clearly.
You snap easily.
You feel unmotivated, helpless, and ashamed.
And the food that’s doing this to you is marketed as fun, exciting, and irresistible.
That’s not a snack. That’s sabotage.
🛑 How to Break Free (Before It’s Too Late)
Here’s what I’ve learned after decades of trial, error, and finally, success:
1. 🍳 Eat real food
Single-ingredient foods. Things your great-grandmother would recognize.
2. 🍖 Prioritize protein and healthy fats
They don’t spike your blood sugar—and they keep you full and focused.
3. 🧂 Eliminate seed oils and sugar
These are the silent destroyers. Start checking labels. They’re everywhere.
4. 📆 Plan your meals
Don’t let hunger make the choice. Be the one in control.
5. 🔄 Stay consistent
You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to be better than yesterday.
⏳ The Real Cost of the S.A.D. Diet
Let me remind you of the basic survival math:
You can live 30–70 days without food.
You can survive 3–7 days without water.
But without air, you’ve only got about 3 minutes.
That tells you the hierarchy of health.
But what food you do eat determines not just how long you live—but how well.
We all want more years.
But we also want better years.
So why give your body junk, when you want a premium life?
🌱 Final Thought: From S.A.D. to Strong
You don’t need to wait for a diagnosis.
You don’t need to hit rock bottom.
You can make the change today.
Just start with one meal.
One clean choice.
One refusal to put garbage into your temple.
Because your body isn’t a trash can.
It’s your home.
And it deserves better than the S.A.D. standard.
😊 See You Tomorrow, My Friend
Warmly,
Paul
