Over the last few years I have been introduced to an American writer called Brooks Kubik. I first listened to a series of podcasts he recorded for Strength Matters. I then went on to buy and read a number of his books including ‘Dinosaur Training’ ‘Knife, Fork, Muscle’ and ‘Strength, Muscle and Power’. Brooks is an advocate of old school training. Basic principles that stand the test of time and in some cases have been around for hundreds of years.
I received one of his regular emails based on nutritional advice from the 1930s & 1940s and thought it was well worth sharing. It’s amazing how the advice is the same as much of what is published today in books and magazines. Many would say that it’s common sense BUT the thing about common sense is that it’s not that common.
I’ll now hand you over to Brooks……
“I was reviewing some old books and articles on diet and nutrition from back in the 1930’s and 1940’s, and was struck by how much good advice they contained.
For example:
1. Eat plenty of fresh, green vegetables, particularly green leafy vegetables.
a. Fresh green vegetables and green leafy vegetables were considered to be what they called “protective” foods.
b. Meaning that they promoted good health and protected against illness.
2. If you cook vegetables, steam them – don’t overcook them into soggy mush, as most people do.
a. Likewise, serve them plain, not covered in some sort of cream sauce.
3. Avoid white flour and anything made with white flour.
a. This and the next tip were among the most common tips of the era.
b. There was a saying back then: “The whiter the bread, the sooner you’re dead!”
4. Avoid white sugar.
a. If you need a sweetener, use raw honey.
b. My personal thought – skip the honey.
5. Avoid loading up on high carb foods, even if they are a staple of the traditional meals in your part of the world.
a. No loading up on baked beans, grits, pancakes, biscuits or spaghetti.
6. Fresh green salads are a terrific food for strength and health.
a. Use a variety of fresh vegetables and different kinds of greens in your salad.
b. Lemon juice is the best salad dressing.
7. Eat plenty of fresh lean meats, served without spices, condiments, sauces, pickles,ketchup, etc.
a. There was lots of emphasis on simple cooking and simple meals back then.
8. Try food concentrates (which is what they called food supplements) if you wish, but understand that they can’t replace good food and healthy meals – and that it is much more important to purchase high quality food than to buy food concentrates.
a. This was interesting advice, given that it ran counter to the interests of the folks who sold the food concentrates.
9. Don’t stuff yourself.
a. This advice somehow got lost – and today, we are told to shove as much food as possible down our gullets – which is ALWAYS bad advice.
b. John Grimek had a BIG appetite – but even Grimek advised trainees against force-feeding or stuffing themselves.
10. Eat a variety of fresh foods to be sure that you consume all the different nutrients your body requires.
a. This was another very common piece of advice back in the day. You see it in virtually every old book or article.
Now, I don’t know about you, but I think there are some wise words there – and some pretty good advice for all of us. As always, thanks for reading and have a great day. If you train today, make it a good one!”
I hope you found this information interesting from Brooks and if you did I would recommend checking him out on social media and www.brookskubik.com. He is a fascinating guy and a wealth of no nonsense knowledge.
Yours in health,
James St Pierre