“But I just want to make sure I have the right answer!”

This phrase kept jumping into a conversation between myself and a new intern. She had recently begun her program whereas I was nearly 2/3 of the way through. The steep learning curve was just a little too much and she was throwing on the brakes.

The first few weeks in Clinical Nutrition are a test of endurance. Sun up to down are spent absorbing and practicing, rinse repeat. I’ve seen 3 interns cry on separate occasions and plenty more cut back on makeup, clean clothing, and likely even showers.

For most, the problem is the same. The “right” answer. I think years of House and Grays has tricked people into thinking every problem has a Eureka moment, where the clouds open up and the blind suddenly see. That may work, in a world that’s black and white.

I don’t want to spoil the surprise, but Nutrition isn’t this way at all. It is a constant struggle trying to find the right formula, or supplement, or diet for each patient. At any given time there may be 10 options and 100 combinations of those options to choose from. What I’m saying, is that the “answer” is a moving target, with an oversized bullseye.

I feel I see this all the time, in healthy individuals as well. They get so caught up in trying to find the right answer they’ve moved on before they see results. Something I like to call the Flip Flop Flab effect.   What we do know is humans across the globe have thrived on a wide range of diets. There’s no single right answer, and there never will be. However, some research shows that yo-yo dieting not only increases risk for cardiovascular disease, but in some cases leads to greater fat gain than not dieting at all.

Not to sound cliche, but when you do finally decide to improve your lifestyle, remember the words of Yoda;

“Do or do not, there is no try”

Ok so it’s incredibly cliche, but at the end of the day Nutrition isn’t black and white, it’s technicolor. Whatever you choose, make it sustainable and commit to it fully.

Be good to each other.

– J. Iufer