#232 - How do you afford nutritious food when you live in a food desert and why investing in nutrition is an investment in yourself | Shawn Stevenson & Dr. Casey Means

Our environment and culture directly affect the food choices we make. Ultra-processed foods are convenient and cheap, and they’re the main source of foods in food deserts, typically located in underserved communities. Yet ultra-processed foods lead to worsening metabolic health. How do you afford and access nutritious food? Shawn Stevenson and Dr. Casey means discuss how Stevenson, author of “Eat Smarter Family Cookbook” grew up without easy access to whole foods, how he transformed how he eats despite his environment, and how those changes led to a reversal of poor health and chronic pain to an improved quality of life and even earning potential. Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠ Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health. Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health. 🎙 What Shawn Stevenson & Casey Means, MD, discuss: (10:00) — Ultra-processed foods are convenient and cheap (20:03) — Stevenson describes the moment when he changed his mindset (27:20) — The foods we put into our bodies affect us at the cellular level (32:17) — Focus on controlling the “controllables.” (35:30) — The family that eats together boosts their health together (41:23) — Schedule social meals (44:19) — The most common factor across Blue Zones is strong social bonds (49:19) — Cooking is an essential skill for health (1:03:16) — Investing in better health generates improved energy capacity (1:08:58) — Stevenson shares his tips for affording nutritious foods Transcripts & Show notes 🔗 Helpful links: Watch the conversation on YouTube: https://youtu.be/rKptwQrvzuk?si=P9gfeK952dWjMrYA Find us on YouTube: https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1