I’m the sort of person who doesn’t buy into the most recent fad diets out there that you’ll see plastered across news headlines at the checkout line in groceries. In fact, I’ve done a bit of digging to really uncover which diets “work” and which ones don’t, and more often than not it’s all up to the individual’s body, their total caloric intake, and generally what sort of exercise they do. A keto diet isn’t going to help you lose weight just because you follow it to a T based on someone else’s diet plan. Paleo diets aren’t going to get you anywhere if you load up on meat and only meat just because it’s part of the diet. That’s just not how it all works.

I think the only “tried and true” diet out there that is genuinely (and scientifically) beneficial to you and your body is something close to a vegetarian diet. While full on veganism can have its troubles (such as getting enough protein without the aid of dairy products or meat), vegetarianism meets a nice balance of both without needing to eat meat. I’d even venture to say that pescetarianism (vegetarianism plus eating fish) is even healthier simply because of the healthy amounts of proteins and fatty acids found in all sorts of fish.

No matter the case, though, I’ve recently resigned myself to cut out red meats, white meats, and processed foods. My fiancee and I love to cook original dishes, cultural dishes, and everything therein. I think we’ve just been missing a bit of direction with our diet, meaning we’re often found snacking on chips late at night, munching on candy boxes during a Netflix film, or slogging over a hunk of steak when we simply don’t need that much food.

I’ve been a huge fan of Japanese culture for a long part of my life, and I think there’s a reason most Japanese people stay small, fit, and healthy (which all contributes to their longer average lifespan compared to Americans). And I think that’s their dependence on fish, fresh vegetables, and smaller portions. What else could you really need in an island culture such as theirs?

Really, there’s nothing more that humans really need. It’s just that we’ve had such insane amounts of technological leaps and bounds over the past half century that food has become so entirely specialized and processed to save money. In reality, though, all you need to do is go back to our roots, make your own meals with fresh ingredients, and profit. Your body will thank you. Your mind will thank you. And your future self will thank you when you’re much healthier than you could have been had you kept your chips and candy boxes around.