Dave’s Nutritional Philosophy
“My entire life has been immersed in sport - including swimming, basketball, volleyball, water polo, golf, football and triathlon. Throughout my youth to the present day, I have never had an opportunity to share my nutritional philosophy.
There have been numerous articles and dialogue commentary about my “unusual”, “cutting edge” and “wacky” eating practices. However, the comments only slice a small segment of my lifelong nutritional beliefs. Anyone who is outspoken about their nutritional practices never receives justice regarding their true nutritional background or profile. So, when the opportunity presented itself to write an overview for Igennus, I welcomed it with open arms!
The daunting challenge is to write a quick summary of my current philosophy. This I cannot do without backtracking to my earlier roots in sport and my passion in “finding” optimal nutrition. Understanding my definition of nutritional philosophy takes me back to over thirty years ago when I was an undergraduate in college. My nutritional extremes were a bit unconventional and certainly not healthy! So, to define my nutritional philosophy I need to take you back to the 70s and share some snippets of my nutritional disasters and successes. My nutritional practices evolved slowly, parallel to my athletic achievements. Simply, it took me a long time to get it right!
1975 - Junior year in college (20 years old). Challenged to eat a “zoo” at a local ice cream parlor. This consisted of 8 pounds (3.5 kg) of ice cream.
1982 - 1987 - By this time I did not eat red meat, I ate huge amounts of beans and legumes, ate a very low-fat diet, and ate a minimal amount of cold water fish.
1987 - 1992
I added nuts to my diet - predominately walnuts, almonds and Brazil nuts. I began eating peanut butter sandwiches daily. I was concerned with optimal fueling before, during and after exercise, but sought out “recovery” foods. I ate foods that contained 100% of RDA for calcium, magnesium, iron, and vitamins B, C & E. I started advising “health enthusiasts” in nutrition. I eliminated high sodium packaged foods.
1993 - Present
I began eating chicken, fish or turkey 3 - 5 times per week. I eat no beef. I eat a predominately plant-based diet. I eliminated all juices, hydrogenated oils, trans-fatty acids, and refined carbohydrates (except in training and racing. We need them!). I eat no cheese - except light parmesan on some Italian dishes. I seek out foods and supplements to reduce or slow down aging and to enhance my healthy internal and external systems.
I focus on 10 key elements in maintaining optimal health:
- better mental clarity
- enhancing sleep
- increasing cellular antioxidant levels
- clearing toxins from my body
- maintaining lean muscle mass
- maintaining bodyweight
- enhancing joint, tendon and connective tissue integrity
- maintaining naturally high levels of testosterone and growth hormone
- elevating my immune function
- keeping my energy and motivation for being healthy aged 50 plus, and providing sound information to others on healthy living.
My nutritional philosophy is neither one practice nor one sacred message - it is the sum of many elements and an accumulation of nearly three decades of nutrition catastrophes and nutritional successes. With a background in exercise physiology and a voracious appetite to understand and unravel nutritional information, my philosophy is now well established. At the same time, I am continually on the lookout for more nutritional information.
I have realised that proper health requires a layering of physical, psychological and emotional harmony. We need to have a sound foundation in all three aspects - one aspect cannot flourish if another area is floundering. Nutrition can go a long way towards achieving equilibrium but I am always searching for that optimal balance which is pivotal not only for my personal well-being but also in the advice that I give to other health conscious people. In future articles and podcasts, I would like to answer some of your health concerns and delve deeper into the ten elements that I have listed.
Everyone needs a sounding board to implement positive change. If I can offer a glimmer of nutritional advice that would be a great start for all of us. Start sending me your nutritional concerns and I will share these on this website.
Good luck and remember that sometimes subtle changes in your health can make a world of difference in your whole body existence.”
Dave Scott
