Did you know that Americans are sick and getting sicker? In medicine we have all the latest technology and pharmaceuticals. We have highly trained specialists and well equipped medical centers. We have access to all the latest and greatest in medicine but yet we are becoming more and more unhealthy. Why is that? What is wrong with us that is making this happen?
According to this article, more than 100 million adults have pre-diabetes or diabetes. About 122 million have cardiovascular disease and about 840,000 or about 2,300 people per day die from it. Three out of four or 75% of adults are overweight or obese. What all of this means is that there are more of us who are sick than who are healthy. READ THAT AGAIN. There are more of us who are sick than who are healthy. Wow! But what is making us so sick? I think you know the answer to that question. But in case you don’t, I’m about to tell you.
IT’S THE FOOD! It’s what we put in our mouths every day at least three times per day. Our poor dietary habits are causing at least a half a million deaths per year and it is the leading cause of mortality in this country.
According to the findings in this study, dietary factors were found to be associated with a substantial number of deaths from heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes. These diseases are not only a significant drain on our physical health but they are also straining the healthcare system.
We are seeing more and more evidence of type 2 diabetes and cardiac disease in younger and younger members of our population. Young children are presenting with the cardiovascular system of someone much older and in poor health. Obesity in children is a growing concern. Children are more sedentary, preferring to play with electronic devices rather than outside with their friends. Couple that with a high consumption of highly processed and fast food, sugary soft drinks, and foods that have been stripped of nutritional components and filled with preservatives to extend shelf life and you have the perfect storm for a shortened lifespan. This is the first generation that is not expected to have as long a lifespan as the generation before.
This is startling information but what can be done about it? It is a very complicated issue with a lot of underlying issues. Over-scheduled families don’t have time to cook wholesome meals at home. Parents are weary of fighting with kids to get them to eat healthy food. Families find it more affordable to eat highly processed fast food than to eat healthy alternatives. Overwhelm and confusion from so much information overload about what foods are good to eat lead people to give up trying to figure it out. Misleading labeling on processed foods makes people believe they are eating something good for them when in fact it is often quite the opposite.
One of the easiest ways to choose quality food is to eat food that doesn’t come with a label…meaning food that is from nature. Eat from the produce aisle of the grocery store or eat grass fed, pasture raised, hormone and antibiotic-free meats in small quantities, or wild caught fish. Your plate should consist mostly of vegetables, some fruit and a small amount of animal protein, if any. Stay away from processed foods and anything in a box with ingredients that you wouldn’t put into a recipe. Remove sugary breakfast cereals and soft drinks from your diet completely. Following these few tips can help to improve your diet a lot.
I work with people to help them understand how to discern what is healthy vs. what is not only unhealthy but downright harmful. I help them learn to read labels and provide ideas on food preparation that is simple and quick for busy families. Go to my website for some easy healthy recipes and see below to contact me for a no strings attached call to see if I can help you.
As a health coach, I work with women who are facing serious health challenges like heart disease, metabolic syndrome and diabetes or who have been diagnosed as having a precursor to a serious health issue such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol or high blood sugar. I help them make food and lifestyle changes so they can get healthy, live longer and enjoy a fuller, happier, more energetic life. If you would like to have a free consultation about the health challenges you have and the improvements you would like to see in your health, click here to schedule a no strings attached call.
