The human body is a delicate balance at all levels, from individual microscopic cells to complex organ systems, and should be cared for with the utmost respect. Humans have particular nutritional needs influenced by personal tastes and inclinations, natural shapes and sizes, blood types, metabolic rates and genetic background (Seidenberg). The most important factor in how an individual feels is the quality of fuel used for daily functions. If the quality is rubbish, the body can only do so much and the individual feels terrible, or known today as "normal". Conversely, if the quality is natural, it allows the body to function at peak performance and the individual experiences an unknown positive energy. The optimal human diet is one designed uniquely for the needs of the individual, as demonstrated by the various successes and failures of the Standard American Diet (SAD), the Paleolithic diet, the Mediterranean diet, vegetarianism, and veganism. To achieve the greatest state of health, it is imperative that an individual has a complete understanding of the relationship between the body and the foods used to fuel it. When the general public was confused and looking for structure and education in the components of a healthy lifestyle, the United States government was hatching a sinister plan. The original Food Pyramid was conceived in 1992 against an uncertain scientific background, which has since been disproven countless times (Willett). falsely advertised as healthy, this diet has led to a deficiency in one or more nutrients at the recommended daily allowance (RDA) level for 92% of Americans (Hyman). Some of this deficiency can be directly attributed to food. Over the years marked by drastic genetic modifications in laboratories, food has become... half paper... also including fish, eggs, legumes, nuts and seeds ("More People Trying"). Carbohydrates are key in moderation and should come from healthy sources with a lower glycemic index (GI) such as fruit (Berman; Whitney). Due to the atrocities of genetic modification, foods that should naturally be able to provide all the necessary vitamins and minerals are no longer able to do so and the use of supplements is recommended to compensate for what has been lost with modern techniques agricultural (Hobson). An individual can be on the path to a healthy life if he follows Michael Pollan's simple advice: “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.” (qtd. in Hobson). It is absolutely imperative that each individual takes the time to understand how their body reacts to all types of food and takes note of this to ensure that subsequent meals contain only the optimal fuel for personal health..