Righto – I’m now well into my final week here in East Greenland and I’d say the diet has been a success so far. In terms of energy levels, health and mental state anyway. Last scale weigh I came in at 77.8kg which is a 12.4kg drop from my start weight of 90.2kg. Which I think is pretty dramatic for 55 days. Of course, we’ve gotta see what the blood tests say. We’ve been through the Before tests already but the big tell will be those After tests.
Food-wise I’ve had a great variety – down largely to freezers letting me eat what would normally be in season in mid to late summer which is generally the most plentiful season. And I’ve been pondering this a little – I guess if I was following the diet super strictly I’d only be eating seasonal food. So that I’d be totally aligned with my environment and its place in the seasons/year. But I think I’m pretty close and am getting a good spread of the correct food so I’m not too fussed about that. Hundreds/thousands of years back there would have been gluts/famines – if and when a whale was caught that would likely have been my only or at least main source of food for weeks. In winter here I wouldn’t have eaten crowberries, seagull eggs or ammassat (capelin fish that are in season here during late summer) – everything else would’ve been consumed though.
So I arrive back in London midday Friday (26th April 2024) and I was gonna get the blood tests pretty much immediately but we’ve delayed it by a day as flying can throw some results out apparently. So I’ll be heading back into London on Saturday morning after a 12 hour fast and then, BOOM. I can eat whatever I want again….
BUT – what does that mean? I’m loathe to lose the good changes that have happened so in my head I should be staying off the carbs and def off the sugar. But I really fancy a plate of spaghetti and maybe a pastry or doughnut with a flat white. I don’t think I’ll worry too much for the first few days though. But I will be even more aware of those carbs again this time around.
So what would I eat then if I were to duplicate my Greenlandic diet back in the UK. Interestingly this is where it gets difficult. Our food in the UK is so dominated by commercial interests that we’ve totally lost sight of what is natural for our environment there. In Greenland and other more remote areas it’s fairly easy to differentiate natural food from imported crap. Not so in England any more. Game comes to mind as my safest option – something that hasn’t been bred to be fatter and yield more meat and so is closer to it’s natural evolutionary path – as opposed to most farmed animals. Pigs would probably be my next go-to meat – wild pigs would’ve been a food source in the UK way back. Which would be unrecognisable to their modern cousins now – but if I aim for an organic variety at least that’ll hopefully cut out the hormones and antibiotics most factory animals are full of. Not to mention the terrible lives they lead. Domestic fruit when it’s in season – apples, berries, plums, cherries, pears – there are a fair few options there. Mushrooms. Honey. I’m gonna stay clear of processed stuff totally – which I find pretty easy. It’s the sugary treats that are the tricky ones. A lifetime of exposure to all the marketing and eating sweets and snacks is hard to move away from. I’ve been super good here in Greenland but then I’ve been by myself and getting food from hunters not a supermarket. Back in a family environment with other people influencing meals and snacks will be harder.
I think I’ll make it a mission now to investigate our food in England – specifically East Anglia. Taking a dive into what humans would’ve evolved with over our time in the eastern part of Britain. Actually sounds pretty interesting… Again, if anyone out there has thoughts on the subject and/or suggestions I’d love to hear from you!
21/04/2024
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What to eat now..?
12/03/2024
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This as well
21/04/2024
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What to eat now..?
12/03/2024
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Modern food is rubbish
21/04/2024
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What to eat now..?
12/03/2024
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and again…