In the past 30 years, there has been a shockingly vast increase
in the U.S. obesity rates. The amount of obese adults in America has
doubled from 15% in 1980 to 30% in 2010. Even worse, the number of obese
children has more than tripled within that time, raising the likelihood
of an even more obese adult population in the future of America.
Furthermore, obesity is only one of the many diseases that have
drastically increased over the last few decades. The causes of this
decline in U.S. Health are plentiful, but one of the biggest
contributors is the increasingly poor nutrition of our country. Below
are six changes you can make to improve our nutrition and help you avoid
becoming one of these dangerous statistics.
1. Eat Organic: Organic foods are free from harmful pesticides, hormones, and antibiotics that can contribute to heart disease, obesity, and many other health issues. In addition, organic foods tend to have a denser nutrient content so you will be getting more of the vitamins and minerals that your body needs to maintain proper health, energy, and immune function.
2. Shop the Perimeter: The healthiest foods in grocery stores reside on the perimeter of the store such as the fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, and the bulk section containing grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. These whole foods contain more nutrition per calorie and also contain more fiber, less fat and sugar, and wholesome, natural ingredients. The middle isles of the store tend to contain more processed, high fat, high sugar, and heavily salted foods with more chemical additives and preservatives. Although the packages may say things like "healthy" or "natural", these are usually just marketing schemes and the healthiest foods remain the ones on the perimeter of the store.
3. Meat as a Garnish: In some of the healthiest countries, such as China, meat is added as a garnish to the main meal of vegetables, legumes, and whole grains. Meat is very acidic and contain saturated fats, which can both contribute to obesity, heart disease, and other health concerns. However, adding it in small portions to your meals a couple times a week can be beneficial because of the nutrition it contains. But remember that in order to reap the benefits it must be organic. The negative health effects of conventionally farmed meats far outweigh the benefits.
4. Avoid Dairy: Although many of the dairy ads (paid for my the National Dairy Council) claim that milk is an important source of calcium, that is not entirely true. Yes, dairy does contain a fair amount of this important mineral, however there is more to the story. Dairy is also highly acidic and when you eat too many acidic foods, your body tries to restore its naturally alkaline balance by leaching minerals from your bones. So in reality, consuming milk or other dairy products daily could actually be weakening the bones, not to mention many people cannot properly digest dairy products, which results in dairy allergies.
5. Healthy Fats: There is a big difference between the saturated fats found in a piece of meat and the healthy omega-3 fatty acids found in foods like nuts, seeds, and fish. Saturated fats can contribute to heart disease and inflammation, while omega-3 fatty acids actually help prevent heart disease and reduce inflammation. To meet bodily requirements of these essential fatty acids, you can eat 1.5 oz of nuts or seeds each day and/or eat fish twice a week. Make sure the fish you are eating is on the list of fish that are safe to eat (low toxicity): http://www.doh.wa.gov/ehp/oehas/fish/fishchart.htm
6. Limit Sugar: The body only needs 1 teaspoon of sugar in the blood to function properly. That is approximately 4 grams. A 12 ounce can of soda contains about 39 grams of sugar. Drinking this would cause the blood sugar to exceed the healthy amount by almost ten times! High blood sugar can lead to a weakened immune system, obesity, infection, and ultimately diabetes. For optimum health, drink only water or herbal teas and limit the consumption of sweet foods to naturally sweet fruits, berries, and root vegetables.
...
1. Eat Organic: Organic foods are free from harmful pesticides, hormones, and antibiotics that can contribute to heart disease, obesity, and many other health issues. In addition, organic foods tend to have a denser nutrient content so you will be getting more of the vitamins and minerals that your body needs to maintain proper health, energy, and immune function.
2. Shop the Perimeter: The healthiest foods in grocery stores reside on the perimeter of the store such as the fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, and the bulk section containing grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. These whole foods contain more nutrition per calorie and also contain more fiber, less fat and sugar, and wholesome, natural ingredients. The middle isles of the store tend to contain more processed, high fat, high sugar, and heavily salted foods with more chemical additives and preservatives. Although the packages may say things like "healthy" or "natural", these are usually just marketing schemes and the healthiest foods remain the ones on the perimeter of the store.
3. Meat as a Garnish: In some of the healthiest countries, such as China, meat is added as a garnish to the main meal of vegetables, legumes, and whole grains. Meat is very acidic and contain saturated fats, which can both contribute to obesity, heart disease, and other health concerns. However, adding it in small portions to your meals a couple times a week can be beneficial because of the nutrition it contains. But remember that in order to reap the benefits it must be organic. The negative health effects of conventionally farmed meats far outweigh the benefits.
4. Avoid Dairy: Although many of the dairy ads (paid for my the National Dairy Council) claim that milk is an important source of calcium, that is not entirely true. Yes, dairy does contain a fair amount of this important mineral, however there is more to the story. Dairy is also highly acidic and when you eat too many acidic foods, your body tries to restore its naturally alkaline balance by leaching minerals from your bones. So in reality, consuming milk or other dairy products daily could actually be weakening the bones, not to mention many people cannot properly digest dairy products, which results in dairy allergies.
5. Healthy Fats: There is a big difference between the saturated fats found in a piece of meat and the healthy omega-3 fatty acids found in foods like nuts, seeds, and fish. Saturated fats can contribute to heart disease and inflammation, while omega-3 fatty acids actually help prevent heart disease and reduce inflammation. To meet bodily requirements of these essential fatty acids, you can eat 1.5 oz of nuts or seeds each day and/or eat fish twice a week. Make sure the fish you are eating is on the list of fish that are safe to eat (low toxicity): http://www.doh.wa.gov/ehp/oehas/fish/fishchart.htm
6. Limit Sugar: The body only needs 1 teaspoon of sugar in the blood to function properly. That is approximately 4 grams. A 12 ounce can of soda contains about 39 grams of sugar. Drinking this would cause the blood sugar to exceed the healthy amount by almost ten times! High blood sugar can lead to a weakened immune system, obesity, infection, and ultimately diabetes. For optimum health, drink only water or herbal teas and limit the consumption of sweet foods to naturally sweet fruits, berries, and root vegetables.
...