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| Why The American Diet Is Dangerous And How To Defend Yourself With Organic Foods |
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| By vitanet1 |
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Even though we are supposedly living in a health conscious society,
there are more overweight and obese people than ever before. Since many
of us are trying to change our diet and live a healthier lifestyle, we
buy health books and magazines and find ways to cook more balanced
meals. We also limit our sugar and fat intake and become increasingly
aware of nutritional labels and the vitamins and minerals that we need.
Others, however, are suspicious of what they believe is a “health
craze”, due to the contradictory information we receive about salt,
sugar, red meat, and many other things. So what exactly is a healthy
diet and can it actually be done? The answer is yes. By changing
dietary habits in the four areas Americans have problems in their diet
(sugar, bread, water, and artificial foods); one can experience a
change in their health, energy, and overall well-being. The changes are
not complicated or difficult and can be applied at your own pace
without stress or guilt.
The first problem Americans face in their diet is sugar as we (as a
country) are consuming over 120 pounds per person, per year. Even
though there are natural sugars in fruits and vegetables, the problems
with Americans’ sugar intake is that the majority of it is refined
sugar. Refined sugar does not have the vitamins or minerals that are
needed by the body for burning and storing it, as sugar cane and sugar
beets do. Therefore, the body must burn the sugar by tapping into its
internal stores of nutrients, which can often lead to stress on the
body. High intake of refined white sugar can suppress the immune system.
The next problem is America’s bread. Because almost every bread item in
the grocery store uses refined and enriched flour, the bread we eat
lacks important nutrients, especially fiber. The best solution to this
problem is to find a grocery or health food store that carries
unrefined products, made with whole grains preferably organic sources.
This means not just breads, but pastas, cereals, and any other grain
dishes.
The third problem deals with water, a basic necessity to life. The
issue is not about pure water, but rather what’s in it and how it is
purified. Since our own sewage is dumped directly into our rivers from
every city in the nation, chlorine and other chemical agents are put
into the water to kill the bacteria in the water. However it’s a
loose-loose situation, as we either drink the parasites or the harmful
chlorine and bromine used to kill them. When at home, a ultra-violet
only and combined UV-ozonating treatment units are the best bet as a
water purifier. Although there is no ideal solution for our water
problem, any steps taken to protect yourself are better than not
knowing the dangers you face daily when drinking tap water. Bottled
water may be the only option for some but 99% of all bottled water
comes in plastic containers. In the past plastic has been known to
leach into the water its holding which is undesirable and not healthy.
Manufactures today claim that the plastic they use does not leach into
the water, but one doesn’t know for sure unless they have the water
tested for plastic polymers. Fortunately some people have well water
they drink from which is generally healthier due to the fact that the
water in your well has to go through 50 – 100 feet of dirt and this
dirt cleanses the water purifying it. Clean water is critical for good
health.
The final issue with the American diet is artificial substances and
processes. Almost every food label mentions numerous colors, flavors,
and preservatives. It is hard to believe that these functions are
simply for marketing, not nutritional purposes. We should take some
degree of caution when eating a product with many artificial
ingredients. It is simply adding more chemicals in your diet to be
ingested into your body and harm your health. Although the solution to
this problem is a bit more difficult, as we are surrounded by
artificially made foods, drinking soy milk instead of regular milk and
eating fruit instead of the usual processed snack is a good start.
Starting a garden in your back yard and sticking with natural and
organic foods can go a long way for better health even though buying
organic is a bit more expensive can you really put a price on good
health? By taking a few of the steps listed above you can be well on
your way to a better healthier life style. |
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About the Author
More information can be found on the website http://vitanetonline.com/ where advice on a wide range of vitamins, herbs, and organic foods can be found.
Source: ArticleTrader.com
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