The Obesity Epidemic

Obesity is a serious health issue that has reached epidemic proportions. A recent Parade Magazine Poll asked if the US Government should pass laws to fight Obesity. 66% responded yes, noting it is a public health threat. But anyone with a weight issue knows that losing weight is not as simple as reducing calories and exercising more. The sad truth of the matter is that our food is making us fat. Yes, we pay a price for extended shelf lives and tastier treats.

The addition of chemicals, artificial ingredients and the dangerous combination of fats with carbohydrates create food addictions, and can cause the body to store food as fat. It is no secret that the hybridization of our foods through genetic modification has increased availability of food across the nation and worldwide, but the long term effects have never been publicized. Any threat to the world food supply is not tolerated by shareholders who put their investment in front of the health of their nation. One simply needs ask themselves how many people in their inner circle are being affected by cancer and diseases that twenty years ago was unheard of or rare? It is no accident that as our foods became saturated with hormones or pesticides and our personal care with sodium laurel sulfates, BHT, Parabens and other chemicals and plastics like BPA that you can begin to see the rise in the obesity problem. All these toxins store in our fat cells. When we stuff our children with processed foods filled with nitrates, MSG and processed sugar, these neurotoxins overexcite their bodies and brains and they get labeled as ADD, ADHD or Autistic.

When we eat foods laden with these chemicals and preservatives or artificial sweeteners like Equal, Aspartame or Splenda, we are forcing our body to handle a foreign chemical it is not equipped to deal with.

Since these foods have no nutrient density, the body is not being supplied with the fuel it requires to burn off the extra calories. One becomes fatigued, too tired to exercise, or the body aches so exercise is not a pleasant option to consider. We become addicted to the very foods that our bodies cannot tolerate as we feel hungry for more but more of those foods never fill us. It just stimulates our drive for more unhealthy foods. There is a reason the ads for a certain potato chip claims "You can't eat just one" or a popular hamburger is called having a "Big ___Attack” This should be taken literally.

Have you ever seen an obese person eat? Often times they actually eat very little. Yet, they continue to gain weight. Consider a high performance vehicle that does not have regular oil changes, or tires properly inflated. After enough time it will become a jalopy that sputters and kicks and finally doesn't turn over anymore. That is the same thing that happens to the human body. We are a finely tuned engine, but after years of filling up with sodas, chemically laden foods, MSG, Aspartame, and unhealthy personal care products it has no choice, it starts to break down. Eventually, something gives way; maybe we develop digestive disorders, headaches or body pains. Or we don't drink enough water to help the kidneys and colon do their job of elimination. The obese person is oftentimes literally starving but because their bodies are no longer able to assimilate their food, it stores as more fat.

The first place to start is your head. Resolve to no longer be a slave to processed foods. Toss out foods with ingredients you can't pronounce. Switch to Whole Grain (not whole wheat) carbohydrates. Remember this mantra. The whiter your bread, the faster you’re dead. Look for 1 gram of fiber for every 100 calories on the label to start with. Add just 1 fresh fruit and 1 raw vegetable to your diet daily, soon it will become a good habit. Switch to natural sugar like Sucanat or Blue Agave Nectar that does not cause the blood sugar to rise.

Consider a cleansing program that helps the colon move the sludge out or a Far Infrared Sauna that helps the fat cells release toxins. There are many natural options available to you without having to resort to dangerous drugs or invasive surgeries. Look in your phone book under Nutrition, Biofeedback, Colon hydrotherapy and even Holistic Weight Loss. You have options that can help get you back on the road to vibrant health before your finely tuned engine stops turning over. Just simply cleaning up your diet can help you eliminate body aches and pains, reduce the need for prescription drugs and put you back on the speedway of life. You might even shed a few pounds. Go out there and rev it up.

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