Why We Can’t Stop Repeating the Basics

“You may be thinking: How many times do we need to hear about eating vegetables and healthy fats? We get it already!”

The truth is, these reminders only feel repetitive to those already listening. For most, the message still hasn’t taken root. At Functional Medicine Los Angeles, we see every day how the simplest, most powerful health advice continues to be overlooked—and how much it costs us in the long run.

The Gap Between Knowing and Doing

Most people know vegetables are good. We’ve heard it since childhood. But knowing is not the same as living.

Take a closer look at what fills the average lunchbox today:

1. Candy bars posing as snacks
2. Pop-Tarts or donuts for breakfast
3. Sports drinks and artificially sweetened sodas replacing water
4. Hotdogs, instant noodles, and French fries treated as full meals

This isn’t just about children—it mirrors adult habits too. Many adults, already struggling with fatigue, weight gain, or chronic conditions, continue to live on processed foods, quick fixes, and sugary drinks. Somewhere along the way, “good enough” became the standard for nutrition.

Why the Message Must Be Repeated

Repetition isn’t nagging—it’s an act of survival. Here’s why we keep saying the same thing:

1. Nutrition education is still shallow. Many families truly don’t realize that drinks like Sunny D or Gatorade aren’t healthy for kids.
2. Food marketing manipulates. Labels like “low-fat,” “fortified,” and “whole grain” mislead consumers into thinking processed foods are nourishing.
3. Habits outweigh knowledge. Stress, cost, and convenience often pull people back to the very foods that harm them.
4. The consequences are undeniable. Chronic disease is not random—it’s built meal by meal, over years of overlooked choices.

This is why we return to the fundamentals: eat whole foods, focus on vegetables, and choose healthy fats. They are not outdated clichés—they are the foundation of health itself.

Moving Forward: From Basics to Action

At Functional Medicine Los Angeles, and particularly at our functional medicine burbank location, we believe that transformation doesn’t come from memorizing the latest nutrition trend—it comes from making small, repeatable shifts every single day.

Practical ways to start:

1. Replace soda or juice with filtered or fruit-infused water.
2. Swap instant noodles for a quick stir-fry with vegetables.
3. Choose nuts, seeds, or a boiled egg over candy.
4. Make vegetables non-negotiable: add them to every meal. Simple, repeatable, foundational.

We repeat these messages not because people don’t know—but because too many still don’t live them. While some roll their eyes at “eat your veggies,” millions of adults and children are paying the price of neglecting the basics.

✨ The fundamentals of nutrition never change, but our willingness to embody them can. That’s why we’ll keep saying it—until nourishing food becomes the rule, not the exception.

For residents in the area seeking personalized health solutions, functional medicine Toluca Lake offers programs focused on improving daily nutrition and energy levels.

Our team of functional medicine doctors works closely with people to address underlying causes of fatigue, digestive issues, and chronic conditions, providing holistic care tailored to individual needs.