DIET.
It’s a word that society has taught us to resent because with it comes visions of dry rice cakes, chalky protein powders, and drawn out walks on the treadmill.
It always breaks my heart to hear people say they hate eating healthy because I truly believe we were created and designed to love the food God created for us.
The problem is that the food industry has loaded our “food” with chemicals and sugars, which make our brain become dependent on them. Did you know that the acronym for the Standard American Diet is “SAD?” It is just that – It’s SAD!
The standard American diet is quite frankly, a complete sham. Those at the top are not teaching people how to properly nourish our bodies, but instead they are encouraging us to poison our bodies! The standard American diet is filled with processed meat, dairy, unhealthy fats, and sugar! Research studies have found potential links between the standard American diet and risks of the following diseases and conditions:
Muscle Loss
Acne
Increased rick for Alzheimer’s and Dementia
Breast Cancer
Increased levels of IGF-1, a growth hormone associated with cancer risk
Thicker carotid arteries
High cholesterol
Enlarged prostate and heart attacks
Increased free radicals
Heart disease
Unhealthy inflammation and oxidation
Greater risk of inflammatory bowel disease
Reduction of inner blood vessel lining function
Declining kidney function
Lower back problems
Worsening of lung function and asthma control
Greater risk of pancreatic cancer
Greater risk of preterm delivery
Greater risk for prostate cancer
Obesity
Small stools
Decreased sex drive
Increased rick of Autism and Cancer in children
Increased risk of childhood diabetes
Traces of toxic waste in breast milk
If that list doesn’t want to make you run to your nearest juice bar, I don’t know what will!
As we can see, our eating habits in America have taken a drastic turn from what God intended our diets to be. Even our so-called “health foods” like low-carb yogurts and protein bars are bursting with chemicals, sugars, and synthetic materials. Our bodies, as brilliant as they are, simply do not know how to process chemicals. So, they in turn get stored in our organs and muscles, which then wreaks havoc on everything from our brain to our bones.
To make matters worse, GMO’s have now taken precedence in our foods. GMO stands for “Genetically Modified Organism.” To simplify, it is a plant, animal, microorganism or other organism whose genetic makeup has been modified using recombinant DNA methods like gene modification or transgenic technology.
What this means is that even our most basic food needs, like fruits and vegetables, are now being tampered and manipulated! Most of the produce at your local grocery store isn’t even real produce anymore. It could look like a vegetable and taste like a vegetable, but it is not a vegetable. It is a science experiment and we are the guinea pigs that they are testing it on.
Sugar has also become a common culprit that is the cause of sickness and disease.
Food manufacturers are loading our everyday foods with hidden sugars. It’s been studied that the average American will consume 150 pounds of sugar a year!
Some people think that they can avoid sugar by just looking for the word “sugar” on food labels, but food companies actually have sixty-one different names for sugar!
Sixty-one!
For many people, sugar is one of the hardest addictions that they will ever have to beat. However, it is one of the most dangerous substances in our foods, in my opinion.
It is highly addictive, more so than cocaine, and causes weight gain, depression, accelerated aging, skin dullness, and inflammation that is linked to numerous diseases, including cancer.
Next to renewing our mind, this step may be one of the most crucial when it comes to fighting disease! What you feed, grows. If we are feeding our bodies with chemicals and toxins, disease and bacteria will grow inside of us. However, if we are nourishing our bodies with organic fruits, vegetables, and grass-fed and finished meats, life abounds.
If you’re ready to get real about your health, then it’s time to see your food choices not just as a short-term bandaid, but instead as a pathway to a healthy long-term lifestyle.