When is good enough good enough? We often hear the cliche, don’t let perfect be the enemy of good. There’s wisdom in that. None of us will ever reach perfection. Allowing pursuit of perfection to stop us from progress is counterproductive.
But is good enough always sufficient?
Obviously, that’s going to depend on your definition of good enough. In some areas, good enough will depend on your overall goals. But when it comes to adhering to a specific diet plan, your health may dictate whether good enough is sufficient or perfect should be the goal.
I know it may seem a bit lofty to explore dietary adherence when we’re spending a lot of time just trying to make sure the eggs, lettuce, sprouts, avocadoes, and blueberries won’t kill us. But let’s assume for this moment that we have resources for locally grown food that is safe.
If you have celiac disease, research indicates strict adherence is necessary to eliminate damage. In that instance, it is not sufficient to avoid cake and donuts most of the time. That isn’t good enough for optimum health.
If you have an anaphylactic response to peanuts or shrimp or any other food (chemical or medication), strict avoidance is necessary to make sure you can continue to breathe. It may not even be good enough to avoid eating shrimp (or whatever you’re allergic to). You may have to avoid areas in which it’s cooked or surfaces it has touched.
When you are following a heart-healthy diet, you may be able to have the occasional problematic food. Discuss with your doctor what level of adherence is good enough for your situation.
For those with MCAS, it can be a bit of a mixed bag. You may be able to tolerate small amounts of certain histamine liberators while others may send you into an intolerable flare. Good enough may be good enough for everything but specific trigger foods, medicines, or personal care products.
Diabetes can also be tricky. You need carbohydrates in the form of fruits and vegetables, but too many carbs can elevate your blood sugar level. And what about the occasional piece of cake at a party? You may be able to tolerate a small piece of cake without a significant spike in blood sugar.
Whether or not you use insulin or a prediabetes management medication will also have an effect. With diabetes, it is important to have a plan and to adhere to it. But your doctor and nutritionist can help you determine if and when good enough is enough to manage your disease. This may change over time.
All of us want to breeze through a day eating when we’re hungry, drinking when we’re thirsty and choosing whatever tastes good in the moment. For some of us, that’s not a luxury that’s available if we want to keep breathing, avoid running to the bathroom, eliminate abdominal pain or cramps, and avoid rashes, kidney disease, heart disease, muscle weakness, peripheral neuropathy, or diabetic coma. For some of us, good enough may not be enough.
It would be great if this weren’t true. But fighting reality can mean prolonging symptoms, development of additional symptoms or complications, shortened life expectancy, and even sudden death from an allergy.
The best tool you have is to understand the parameters in which you can operate and have optimal health. That is the only way to know if good enough is healthy enough.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6647104/
