|
|
|
|
|
Weighty Issues
By Brit Elders
As a generalized population we are overweight and we are starving to death.
Are you shaking your head saying, “Wait a minute! That’s a contradiction if I ever heard one.”
Well, unfortunately it’s not. An estimated 70% of the U.S. population is overweight or obese. The latest data from the National Center for Health Statistics show that 30 percent of U.S. adults 20 years of age and older (that’s over 60 million people) are obese. And this is not a problem that is limited to adults. The percentage of young people who are overweight has more than tripled since 1980. Among children and teens aged 6 through 19 years of age, 16 percent (over 9 million young people) are considered overweight. That’s in the US. The statistics for the population of children worldwide are just as grim: more than 22 million children under the age of five are severely overweight. That figure increases to 155 million for school-age children.
Extra pounds are a common issue that affects both adults and children. It is currently the cause of more illness than anything else, including cigarette smoking. Type 2 diabetes, pulmonary problems, high blood pressure, arthritis, osteoporosis, cardio-vascular problems, and various forms of cancer have all been linked to excessive weight.
But… Couple that with the fact that as a population, we are staving ourselves and you have a recipe for disaster, no matter what age group is being examined. Did you know that almost 20% of Americans are suffering from clinical malnutrition? As if that weren't bad enough there is an additional 70% suffering from sub-clinical malnutrition. That's 90% of the American public! That leaves only a minute 10% of the population who are working to maintain their health by proper eating.
How is this possible? We are malnourished because we choose the wrong foods for the wrong reasons. We consider convenience above nutrition. We look at cost before nutrition. And we reach for psychological gratification over nutrition. Are you ready for the stats? Low nutrient foods that are consumed annually by the average American include 140 pounds of sugar, 22 pounds of candy, 60 pounds of cakes and cookies, seven pounds of potato chips, and at least one can of soda every single day. These types of snacks are nutritionally bankrupting your body.
It seems that we have forgotten that the reason we eat is to fuel the body and the mind and to provide a source of nutrition to maintain healthy cells. In short we are starving ourselves to death and suffering the consequence of illness.
A form of this starvation is something that most everyone has experienced on those days when you just can't concentrate. The mind says, "You need fuel." The body agrees and the hand reaches for a candy bar. You take a bite. A few minutes later you start to feel some energy. The thought process begins to function. But then... suddenly you are back where you started and maybe even a little worse. You are feeling lethargic and can't concentrate or focus on the tasks at hand. You mind repeats more adamantly, "You need fuel!" Again you grab a quick-fix-pick-me-up and again you cycle through feeling good only to feel worse.
The problem is that you are not grasping the critical word the mind is trying to impart to you...fuel. Fuel is not a candy bar, doughnut, handful of potato chips, or bowl of ice cream. It isn't any nutritionally empty or processed food. The refined sugar in a candy bar raises the glycemic index or blood sugar. But this is only a temporary fix that provides minimal nutrients. You begin the yo-yo effect of momentarily feeling better before you tumble backwards in the cycle. A pear, an apricot or a cup of low fat yogurt will also raise your blood sugar, which brings on that more alert feeling, but the nutrients that you garner from these foods will help you sustain the "fuel" aspect of the food for longer periods of time.
The simple truth is that we are a world of sugar addicts. The more refined sugars and simple carbohydrates that we consume, the more we continue to raise our glucotoxicity levels. If that term sounds frightening, it should. Glucotoxicity is a multifaceted problem, which, as the name implies, means you are poisoning your body. The effects of glucotoxicity can include premature aging, destruction of tissue, increased oxidation in the body, and lowered immunity. The end result is that our bodies and minds suffer from its effects and we don’t even recognize that a problem or potential problem exists.
Eliminating sugars and processed foods, from your fuel intake increases your energy, stamina, and mental alertness. Removing refined sugar from one’s diet is a primary step re-educating one's eating patterns. Sugar has a devastating effect on those that are dealing with diabetes but there are also numerous studies have shown that sugar mat feed cancer and might act as fuel for viruses and bacteria in the body. You can't remove sugar completely from your food but it can be greatly reduced.
Natural sugars found in fruit do less damage than processed or refined sugars. Your body digests them quickly and easily and the nutrients help the body properly use and maintain the energy derived from the nutritional value of fruit. Feed your sweet tooth cravings with fruit, whole grain muffins sweetened with apple juice, or even a little organic maple syrup. You won’t experience the yo-yo effect and you will garner the nutrients and micronutrients that are required to manufacture and maintain healthy cells. Those tiny happy cells in turn create a healthy body and mind.
Removing sugar from you diet may seem like an enormous obstacle, but it is really just a tiny step from which you will reap huge benefits that you will begin to see and feel almost immediately. But keep in mind that two of the biggest advantages will not be visible or felt. You will be helping to protect your body from diabetes and other illnesses and, if you are replacing sugar with healthy alternatives, you won’t be part of the population that is starving. |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
