Convenient or Healthy?
Convenient or Healthy?
The Constant Dilemma of Our Times
Convenience is the modern mantra. Everything is at our fingertips—from food delivery apps to instant streaming services. But what if this relentless pursuit of convenience costs us more than we realize? In a world where ease trumps effort, the consequences on our health are often overlooked.
Mr. Skeptical folds his arms and adds, “I like convenience. Who wants things to be hard?”
“There are advantages to doing hard things; I wrote about that here.” Nonetheless, I agree everyone likes convenience, but I’m saying that sometimes there’s a price to pay, and it’s often at the cost of our health.
Mr. Skeptical rolls his eyes. He’s such a prick!
Subconscious Fat at 30,000 Feet
Let’s compare AirPods' new technology with old-school wire headphones. A few years back, over 200 scientists sent an appeal to the United Nations and the World Health Organization concerned about the electromagnetic field (EMF) emitted from Bluetooth wireless devices like AirPods.
Mr. Skeptical pouts his lips in annoyance. “Well, I just Googled, are AirPods unhealthy?” He shows me his cellphone where he looked it up.
I smile, pointing to his screen, and I add, “Do you see there’s a sponsor for this information? This article was made by a company called Soundcore, which sells earbuds. Do you think they might be biased?”
Subconscious Fat at 10,000 Feet
The convenience industry thrives on providing quick fixes—ready-to-eat meals, fast food, and gadgets designed to reduce physical effort. But this culture of convenience doesn’t just streamline our lives; it strips away the challenges that once kept us healthy. The pursuit of comfort is a double-edged sword—what makes life easier can also make it unhealthier.
Mr. Skeptical furrows his brow. “But isn’t convenience innovative? Isn’t that a good thing?”
“Yes. But at what cost?”
“Give me another example of something that you do that is inconvenient but healthier.”
“I prefer to avoid tap water. In my home, I use an inexpensive filter to make my water cleaner. And this is my point. If it’s not that expensive and might improve your health, then why not do it?”
“Because many people will think why spend the money on a water filter when maybe it’s not needed.”
“And that’s where I return to my mantra that ‘health is your greatest wealth.”
As expected, Mr. Skeptical rolls his eyes again. I add, “Take something like deodorant. I use one without aluminum, and maybe it costs a little more, but so what? I feel my health is worth that.” See my previous post on deodorants here.
Subconscious Fat at Eye-Level
Our ancestors didn’t have the luxury of choosing convenience. They lived in a world that demanded physical effort and resourcefulness. Compare that to today’s reality: ultra-processed foods loaded with preservatives, sedentary habits, and constant screen time. It’s not just our waistlines that suffer—it’s our mental and physical resilience.
Mr. Skeptical sighs, “So what? We have busy lives. We don’t have time to be chasing mammoths.”
“The issue isn’t just time, Mr. Skeptical. It’s our willingness to sacrifice health for the illusion of saving time. Convenience foods are calorie-rich but nutrient-poor, leading to energy spikes and crashes. The Frankenstein American wheat we consume, escalators, cars, and even smart home devices—removes the need for movement. These habits create a vicious cycle of inactivity and poor nutrition, undermining our health from the inside out.”
Mr. Skeptical rubs his chin. “So we’re all doomed because we like things easy?”
“Not doomed, but misled. Convenience should be a tool, not a default.”
Practical Suggestions and Conclusions
I’ve already mentioned how I use a water filter, aluminum-free deodorant, and wire-connected earphones over Airpods. Here are a few more things I do that are healthier without being too inconvenient.
1. When I put my cellphone away at night or in my pocket I put it on airplane mode. Scientific studies have shown that EMF from a cellphone can decrease sperm count and testosterone in men.
2. I use toothpaste without fluoride. And I’ve been doing that for decades and haven’t had one dental problem since.
3. I drink spring water over other waters. Spring water can have important minerals that are healthier, so I choose that when I can.
4. Being on an animal-based diet is sometimes difficult when going out to eat. However, I don’t meal prep, but I do carry with me go-to snacks like Chomps beef sticks, pork rinds cooked in pork fat, and cheese crisps that don’t require refrigeration.
Convenience is seductive, but sometimes the most valuable things in life require effort. They demand resilience and a willingness to step outside the easy path. So, next time you reach for the convenient option, ask yourself: Am I saving time, or am I sacrificing health?
Be aware.
PS Links on Facebook and Instagram. Instagram LIVE workout every Tuesday at noon Eastern time. Full disclosure: Chat GPT was used to research and enhance this post.
PSS A virtual Meat-Up Meet-up event will be September 25th at 4 PM. This event is the first of a two-part series with the charity Mentality Matters called Total Body Revolution.
Another reason to put phones away at night that I thought was compelling was explained to me more or less as follows. Our biology has not caught up with modern technology, and so when we see a notification light come on when we’re sleeping, our body as a whole reacts to the sudden burst of light as a potential threat, because it shouldn’t be there. It would be like sleeping under the cover of dense foliage, and then having that foliage parting to reveal moonlight and starlight. The body is like, “Did a predator just pull that foliage away?”