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It is not all our fault that we eat too much or eat unhealthy foods. We are constantly bombarded with marketing and advertising on TV, on the streets, at stores, and restaurants. Pictures of food are in our sight wherever we go. Temptation is all around us on every corner. Fast food restaurants are everywhere for a reason. Fast food restaurants make it easy for us to eat, anytime, and for relatively low prices. Convenience is tempting, too. With our fast pace life, who has time or skill to plan and prepare meals like mom or grandma use to make? The answer to this question is where the problem lies. You can literally order your food at fast food restaurants, get it in your hands within minutes, and have it eaten in another few minutes, all for a few dollars. We have grown accustom to certain tastes, so; if you want a burger, hot dog, fried chicken, pizza, spaghetti, Chinese food, ice cream or snacks, it’s right around the corner. We end up eating refined foods with low to no nutrient value, high in sugar, salt, and bad fats, and loaded with chemical additives. These additives are additive and cause food cravings. You have satisfied your hunger but, you are hungry again in a few short hours. Eating nutrients depleted food means malnutrition. You are actually eating more and starving yourself. The cycle of eating starts all over again. Your body needs nutrients and signals you to eat. You end up paying for more food, not only with your money, but with your waistline. What about the sizes of food in your order? As you eat more, you want more. Is it any wonder why we are an overweight and obese nation? It’s not your fault. The food and restaurant industry needs your money to make profits. Nutrition Action interviewed Marion Nestle, author of Food Politics, about how the food industry influences what we eat. This is what came out of the interview. The food industry is a commanding strength backing up our food choices. They are a business and like every business, they are here to make money selling their products. If they are publicly traded companies, they not only have to make sales, they have to increase their profits every quarter. They do it in several ways: Marketing and advertising campaigns. They advertise on television during certain times that will benefit their sales – children’s programs are very profitable. Vending machines at schools, sports facilities, airports and the like. Chemicals added to their products that make them taste “good” so you will choose their product over someone else’s. Adding something to their product consumers think is healthy. Companies pay supermarkets to get their products in stores at eye level, at the end caps and near the register. Do you think the government will protect you against the food companies and their products? Every food company has a lobbyist working for them. They are responsible for keeping their products in good standing with the government agencies. As an example: If you eat refined processed foods, the government won’t tell you to stop eating this high calorie, nutrient deficient food that is not good for you. The Government will tell food companies not to put certain additives in their product if it is proven to be dangerous to our health. An example is: Trans-fats are now known to be harmful to health. The USDA advises a minimum to no intake of trans-fats. Now, the food companies have to find another product to replace it. Hoping not to change the flavor, texture or taste so you will still buy it. Another man-made product will likely develop due to this action. In the documentary movie, Super Size Me, Morgan Spurlock resolves the obesity epidemic while interviewing experts and putting his own body through a test – The “McDonald’s only” diet for thirty days straight. The movie discusses corporate responsibility, nutritional education, school lunch programs and how we as a nation are eating ourselves to death.3 Morgan wanted to see what would happen to his health during this month long diet. The Rules were: 1) If asked, “Do you want to supersize”, he had to say “yes”. 2) If McDonalds didn’t sell it, he couldn’t eat it. 3) He had to eat everything on the menu during the 30 days. 4) He had to eat 3 meals a day at McDonalds. Spurlock documented the condition of his health before, during and after his month long eating plan. He got medical tests from a cardiologist, gastroenterologist, and general practitioner. He went to a dietician and exercise physiologist. His results showed he was in good shape, weight and health before he embarked on this documentary movie. These were the consequences during the 30 day period: After 5 days – gained 5% of body weight, felt depressed, pressure in his chest, exhausted. After 12 days – gained 17 pounds. After 18 days – headaches, felt bad, cholesterol went from 165 to 225. After 21 days – couldn’t breathe, felt hot, had heart palpations. Doctors advised to stop the diet because his liver was failing. After 30 days – gained 24 ½ pounds, liver turned to fat, cholesterol jumped up 65 points, body fat went from 11% to 18%, depressed and exhausted most of the time, mood changes, sex “0”. He craved food more when he ate it and had headaches when he didn’t eat it. He consumed 30 pounds of sugar and 12 pounds of fat. You may not eat 3 meals a day at McDonalds or other fast food restaurants. But, think about how often you do eat out during a week or a month. You could be wondering why you feel bad or are hungry all the time. Morgan’s experience could be what you are experiencing. It’s not your fault. Fast food is addicting. The only way to change your health is to change what you are eating. Dr. T. Colin Campbell in his book, The China Study says, “There are powerful, influential and enormously wealthy industries that stand to lose a vast amount of money if Americans start shifting to a plant-based diet. Their financial health depends on controlling what the public knows about nutrition and health.” This is why I set out to learn as much as I could to take care of my health. I made a lot of mistakes along the way. I kept shifting my food choices until I discovered what my body needs to be healthy. Control over government regulations does not only apply to the food industry. Control comes from the pharmaceutical companies, too. When it comes to your health, they have to make money. Pharmaceutical companies financially support and promote their drugs in medical schools. They supply drug samples and incentives to doctors so they will prescribe their drugs to patients. And, it is reported, consumers pay more for their “medicine” in the U.S. than any other country in the world. Does that make you feel better? The drugs you take are meant to help you get better. The added ‘benefit’ – you can get side effects from them. They can cause allergies, headaches, failure to other organs and who really knows what else can happen over a long period of time taking drugs. How can you deal with these influences? If you are overweight, obese, or been diagnosed with insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, pre-diabetes or, type 2 diabetes it is time to look at what and where you are eating. The only way to stop the vicious cycle of poor health and questionable eating habits is to stop what you are doing right now. It isn’t working. Committing to your health is the best start for change. 1. Nutrition Action Health Letter, Center for Science in the Public Interest, October 2011. How the food industry influences what we eat an interview with Marion Nestle author of Food Politics. 2. The China Study, startling implications for diet, weight loss and long-term health, T.Colin Campbell, PhD with Thomas M. Campbell II, (p.249) 3. Super Size Me, a Film of Epic Portions, filmmaker Morgan Spurlock. My work is devoted to an alkaline diet and lifestyle. It will feed the body the nutrients needed to give you the energy to sustain your life, stave off disease, and slow down the aging process. To help you with your nutritional goals toward better health, I would like to share this Guide with you completely free! Discover What Food Labels Don’t Tell You! Visit www.janefalke.com and complete the form on the right. While there you may also read articles, find recipes, and contact me for nutritional coaching.
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