When we look back at just the last half century, how many new chemicals have been introduced? How many have been determined to no longer be safe for human consumption?
What about glyphosate? Wasn’t it safe? Now the EU is banning it everywhere.
Which diet is the best for me? What about my lipid panel? Does cholesterol matter? Should I take statins? Don’t they cause more harm than good?
The questions can go on and on forever. The science isn’t settled on so many things – and it may never be. And when it is settled, they seem to “unsettle” it 20 years later when everyone gets cancer! Or we are told that artificial sweeteners are not only safe, but beneficial – only to find out that they have all sorts of concerns. Should you consume them?
There is countless interventions and ideas that come up in life that you just don’t know how to deal with – the data isn’t complete or your instinct just says, “this doesn’t seem right.”
So how do we approach these things? The Precautionary Principle.
A philosophical approach…
The Precautionary Principle is a philosophical framework (sometimes legal, too) that helps us deal with decision making when the science seems lacking and there isn’t conclusive evidence available.
The general idea is that you are better off taking a precautionary approach. It really is that simple.
Below, I’ll give a few examples – but I’m sure you can think of many obvious examples throughout your life where it would apply, too.
Chemical Whack-a-mole
BPA is safe. Now it’s not. Did you know that the “A” in BPA is just a designation of a specific Bisphenol? In other words, your plastic container may be BPA free, but is it Bisphenol free? Probably not. And that’s the game we all have to play with regulations and the never-ending introduction of new chemicals. Ban BPA, switch to a substitute that is more dangerous… and then market the product as “BPA Free” to confused consumers who think they are using a safe product.
The problem is, these chemicals rarely need to be proven as safe before they are introduced to consumers. We often find out much later on about their dangers. With countless new chemicals being developed annually, how can you possibly keep up? You can’t.
This is where the precautionary principle comes into play. What if you just take a precautionary approach and limit your chemical exposure as much as possible? This can be as simple as using glass and metal containers instead of plastic. (You should never heat food in plastic, ever.) And try using stainless steel, carbon steel, ceramic, or cast iron cookware when cooking your food, this way you avoid dangerous PFAS chemicals that are notorious in non-stick cookware.
Our Place is a great start for cookware and appliances with clean ingredients, though there is countless other options around.
Look at your body cleaning products and clothing – lotions, toothpaste, deodorants, pants and undergarments, etc. Try and review the ingredients lists and find the cleanest versions that you can.
Fortunately, there is some references you can use to help you along this path. I’d strongly suggest the book Fatal Conveniences by Darin Olien as a comprehensive guide to chemicals in our daily lives and how to easily avoid them.
Diet and nutrition
While the precautionary principle can apply to almost anything in life – diet and nutrition is an easy one to see where it makes so much sense.
Should I go carnivore? Vegan? Paleo? What about cholesterol? Liver health? Will this harm my gut microbiome?
My suggestion is to avoid radical and extreme approaches to diet and nutrition. For example, maybe it’s not the best idea to entirely discount the lipid hypothesis and declare that your lipid panel doesn’t matter at all. Maybe it matters a little, but not to the extreme that some doctors are trying to suggest? We don’t yet know as much as we wish we did. So why not remain cautious and curious?
Or maybe if you don’t need a carnivore or vegan diet as a specific intervention, consider a more balanced approach like Paleo. The radical elimination diets can work for some, but have notable concerns and risks for long term practitioners. In other words, avoid the extremes. You don’t have to be all one way or all another. There is a healthy middle ground.
Ultimately, we don’t have long term data or conclusive evidence on so many of these things – and yet you can easily get lost in health-X posts from influencers and commenters that are certain that they have every answer. Then comes along someone else who vehemently disagrees and makes a good case, too.
So take the precautionary principle into account. If it seems extreme, it probably has added risk that you may not want to take at this moment.
With the onset of AI in the health space and it’s ability to parse and analyze data better than any human can, many of these interventions will have conclusive answers before we know it.
So take a precautionary approach to your diet and health, for now.
I think it’s best to be cautious – an Appeal to Nature
There is so much unknown in the world. And the hubris of humans to think that we can change, fix, and modify the natural world without consequence. While we get so much right, it’s undeniable that we also get so much wrong. Our ability to recognize when it goes wrong without impacting the lives of people is a significant problem, as oftentimes we end up being the test subjects unknowingly.
For this reason, I tend to appeal to nature. Yes, it’s considered a poor argument if in a formal debate – as you cannot always assume “what is natural is good” and “what is artificial is bad.” But we aren’t in a formal debate. And when it comes to chemicals, nutrition and diet, and many other aspects of life, I think a little appeal to nature is warranted.
Millions of years of evolution is how we got here. And sometimes the unknown risk is not worth the benefit. As in, sure – I know ibuprofen will cure my headache and I’m ok with the risk of a side effect, but is a Diet Coke loaded with artificial sweetener worth the risk of long term impact to gut health?
Is glyphosate actually safe?
I don’t think it is. And so, I use the precautionary principle within reason.
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