In a nutshell, being a certified nutrition consultant means I think about food a lot, and I've studied and researched the cascading effects of food choices on health extensively. The analogy of putting "sand in your gas tank" captures perfectly what happens when we fuel our bodies with low-quality, nutrient-depleted foods. The engine sputters, loses power, and eventually breaks down.
The most common "sand" foods that disrupt metabolic function and deplete energy include: refined sugars and high-fructose corn syrup, industrial seed oils (canola, soybean, corn, cottonseed), refined grains and processed flour products, artificial sweeteners, food dyes and preservatives, and conventionally raised animal products treated with hormones and antibiotics.
These foods create inflammation, disrupt gut microbiome balance, spike and crash blood sugar, and burden the liver's detoxification pathways. Over time they contribute to fatigue, brain fog, digestive distress, weight gain, and chronic disease.
Recommendations: Choose Premium Fuel
- Choose S.O.U.L. foods — Seasonal, Organic, Unprocessed, and Local — as the foundation of every meal.
- Replace refined oils with coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, and butter or ghee from grass-fed animals.
- Eliminate or dramatically reduce refined sugar. Use raw honey, pure maple syrup, or medjool dates in small amounts.
- Choose whole grains that have been soaked or sprouted to reduce anti-nutrients and improve digestibility.
- Prioritize pasture-raised, grass-fed, and wild-caught animal proteins.
- Read ingredient labels. If you can't pronounce it or don't recognize it as a real food, don't eat it.
Dawn Sitchon
Dawn is a Certified Nutrition Consultant (NC) from Bauman College of Holistic Nutrition & Culinary Arts. She works at Elevate Acupuncture & Wellness Center in South Lake Tahoe and teaches cooking classes at Lake Tahoe Community College.