Several weeks ago, I casually mentioned there was raw milk in my coffee, and based on some of the responses, you’d have thought I was the new spokeswoman for rat poison.

I personally am in the “if you want to drink raw milk, drink raw milk and if you don’t, don’t” camp. I don’t have a desire to promote raw milk – I’d really like to just drink it in peace when I feel like it. But one woman in particular couldn’t let it go, sending articles from the FDA, and threatening to report me to the Nutrition and Dietetics Ethics Board.

It was amusing and I’ll certainly keep you posted (and make it my entire personality) if the ethics board comes and beats my door down.

But it got me thinking a lot about who we listen to – and who we trust – for advice around our health. For example, here are a couple of the top options when it comes to consuming raw milk:

The FDA: funded by the pharmaceutical industry

The Raw Milk Institute: biased lol

Ok Megan, but what does the pharmaceutical industry have to do with raw milk? What’s it matter?

I don’t know. Probably nothing. But why does an industry that makes money off of Americans being sick fund the administration that tells us what foods are safe?

Reminder! I’m not promoting raw milk! I’m making a point. Boil, raw dog, electrocute, or radiate your milk at your heart’s desire!

Anyway, a common message I receive when women are deciding whether or not they want to invest in one of my programs is, “there’s just so much food noise – I don’t know who to trust.” And I believe it’s because they – or perhaps you – keep trying to turn to science for answers.

And of course you do. I mean, you hear me talk a lot about science all the time!

“A Biology-Based Method That Works!”

“Your body is not a math equation – it is a biology project!”

“This isn’t a diet – this is science.”

And when it comes to nutrition and weight loss – science IS important, but the question is – WHO can you trust?

Not only can “science” often be manipulated, but it’s also difficult to gather diet data in humans. They’re not the best at self-reporting and they’re complex beings. Take women for example. Why are so few nutritional studies done on women? Because our bodies change weekly with our hormonal cycle. Our bodies *literally* run on moon time.

The point is – humans are not uniform and that makes for poor data collection.

Here are a couple things we do know when it comes to nutrition, without a doubt:

1. About 2.5g leucine triggers muscle protein synthesis. This is approximately 30g animal protein – like 4-5 oz meat, 6 eggs, or 1.5 c cottage cheese. Muscle = good.
2. Too much glucose (carbs) in the blood = fat storage. We all have carbohydrate thresholds, but it varies from person to person based on muscle mass, activity level, and metabolic health.

REALLY? That’s it!?

In my opinion- yeah. That’s about all we know FOR SURE.

But is this because we’re really that bad at gathering nutrition data or is it because human beings are not meant to all eat the same foods?

I think the answer is likely somewhere in between, but what I do know is that at this point in history, most women have been on AT LEAST one diet and many more have been dieting for years and have absolutely zero connection to their own bodies and their own intuitions around what to put in their mouths. They have no idea how to tune into their own internal calorie counters (leptin + ghrelin, among others), they couldn’t tell you what their bodies needed if they had to, and their self-trust in every other area of life is lacking too.

Because if you can’t trust your body, the one place you’ve lived your whole life, what else can you trust?

I wanted to write this Sunday Letter as a reminder that while science is important and I’ve built my business on programs supporting our unique biologies, it’s time that we stop giving our power away to agencies, influencers, and programs and bring that power back to ourselves.

It’s easier said than done, but a great place to start is just by researching for yourself. Follow accounts that feel good to you. Pick up books that “feel” right (not because you’re looking for the next quick fix). Unfollow or toss anything that feels off to you.

Eat 30g protein per meal (Or don’t! But it does trigger muscle growth!). Moderate your carb intake. Eat fruits and vegetables. Eat whole food fats. Get most of your nutrition from whole foods vs packaged foods. Stop believing publications that tell you ultra-processed foods have no health implications (tune into that – do you REALLY believe it?).

Your body talks. You just have to relearn how to listen like you did when you were a kid before you were conditioned to look outside yourself.

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Megan