As we all know, knowledge is power, this is especially true when it comes to living a healthy lifestyle. The more you educate yourself on, the more you are able to apply beneficial health enhancing practices to your daily life, helping your body to be as healthy as it can be. Over the weekend we had plenty of time sit and observe people (people watch, so to speak), through this it was tough not to notice that the average person's build is not fit and slender. The average person in America is overweight. We would even say that the average body build borders on obese. (Obesity is defined as over weight by 30 pounds.) And there is a very large segment of the population that is morbidly obese (over 40 lbs). It is no surprise that being over weight is a huge contributor to chronic disease. We would go as far as saying they are intimately related. Excess weight leads to heart disease, diabetes, circulatory problems, spinal problems, digestive trouble and the development of cancer, just to name a few. We sincerely believe people want to be healthy and they do not want a life-threatening disease, yet most people continue on a weight-gain trail. This reality brings us back to the original point that we were attempting to make. Knowledge or, to be more frank, lack of knowledge is the real cause of being overweight. Thus, it is the real cause of disease in society today. A trip to the supermarket and a few minutes of observation will lead you to the same conclusion. Look around and watch what people put in their carts. The amount of "junk" food that is sold is astronomical. Even the so-called "regular" food that we consider normal, the stuff in boxes and cans, is so full of chemicals, preservatives, trans-fats and omega-6 fats that it is literally sickening. There is a reason that these foods are called processed. The late Jack Lalanne once said, "If man makes it, leave it alone." Naturally, he was referring to processed food. The determinate question is, if there are certain chemicals and ingredients in food that lead to disease and cause weight gain, and if you knew what these ingredients were, would you knowingly eat them? We don't think so. The problem is that most people don't know. They are not aware of what is actually healthy and what isn't. The study of nutrition needs to be practiced and applied on a daily basis. There needs to be more of an emphasis on nutrition in our school systems. Not just the basics, but the science of nutrition. And it shouldn't be one or two lectures a school year, but it should be taught on a daily basis, like reading, writing and arithmetic. For we adults, it is not too late. Go to the book store and grab the latest healthy eating book (The Paleo Diet is a great read). You will learn a lot and be able to apply what you learn to help you and your family live long, healthy lives. What's more, when you go to the supermarket armed with greater knowledge of nutrition, you will undoubtedly find shopping (and eating) more interesting, satisfying and even fun. If healthy, organic and wholesome eating is new to you or you would like some more information feel free to contact us or ask us at your next appointment!
