Carbonated beverage consumption has been linked with diabetes, hypertension, and kidney stones, all risk factors for chronic kidney disease. Cola beverages, in particular, contain phosphoric acid and have been associated with urinary changes that promote many kidney stones.
Addiction to fat, sugar, salt, and cola is killing you. Medical research shows our health is greatly affected by what we eat. Eat an abundant variety of vegetables. Choose a rainbow of fruits every day. Choose whole grains, such whole wheat bread, brown spaghetti, and brown rice. Choose fish, poultry, beans, or nuts, which contain healthful nutrients. Use olive and other plant oils in cooking, on salads, and at the table, because they reduce harmful cholesterol and are good for the heart.
Sugar and sugary products are bad not only for your waistline, but for your brain function as well. Long-term consumption of sugar can create a wealth of neurological problems, and it can also interfere with your memory. On the other hand, sugar can also interfere with your ability to learn, this is why it is recommended to avoid pre-baked goods, sugar, corn syrup and products that are high in fructose.
Alcohol is known to harm your liver in the long run, and it also causes what is known as “brain fog”. Like the name suggests, the term of brain fog refers to a feeling of mental confusion, it acts like a cloud that impacts your ability to think clearly, as well as your memory. Have you ever noticed that you cannot remember common item names, or you cannot recall certain events or you are not sure whether they were dreams or they actually happened? This might be influenced by the high alcohol intake which impacts the balance of the brain. Fortunately, these symptoms are reversible provided that you stop consuming alcohol, or you limit your intake to one or two drinks per week.
Walter Willett muses that every day the government’s food stamp program buys Americans 20 million servings of soda, paying billions for a program that fosters the obesity that the government then has to pay again for in increased health care expenditures.
Willett laments the U.S. agricultural policy over the past four decades has created a food system where healthier fruits and vegetables are relatively expensive while high-starch, processed foods and red meats are cheap and widely available. The first farm bill was passed in the 1930s as a way to help the nation’s struggling agricultural sector, which at the time not only fed the country but, in a more rural America, also provided many jobs.
With ensuing technological changes in the years after World War II, the United States ramped up its subsidies, steering production toward what at the time was thought to be a healthy diet of starches and meat. The prices of those staples came down in the ensuing decades, while those left alone by government policy — fruits and vegetables — became more expensive. What is cheap today is what we made cheap. What we ignored, we made more expensive.
The problem, Willett says, is that we now know that a healthy diet is not dominated by processed starches and red meat, but is just the opposite. A healthy diet is composed of whole grains, nuts, beans, fruits, and vegetables, with red meat in moderation and very little refined starches and added sugar. The result is that today two-thirds of Americans are overweight or even obese, diabetes is rising across USA, and in some parts of the country, life expectancy is actually dropping.
If we judge by its impact on human health, the American food supply is a disaster. We’re not using the levers we potentially have to make an impact. It is wrong to blame the farmers for doing what was asked of them by the government. In addition, there is a lot that is right with the American food supply, which made food plentiful and inexpensive.
Subsidies to farmers make up just 15 percent of the farm bill’s expenditures. The lion’s share of expenditures in the bill go toward providing food for America’s poor through what was formerly the food stamp program, and is now the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
Fat and sugar aren’t simply unhealthy, but they hijack the brain in ways that resemble addictions to drugs. Food is addictive! Lab studies have found sugary drinks and fatty foods can produce addictive behavior. Brain scans of obese people and compulsive eaters reveal disturbances in brain reward circuits similar to those experienced by drug abusers.
Food companies now face the most drawn-out consumer safety battle since the anti-smoking movement took on the tobacco industry a generation ago. No one disputes that obesity is a fast growing global problem. In the West, a third of adults and a fifth of teens and children are obese.
The cost to society is enormous. Moderate obesity reduces life expectancy by four years, while severe obesity shortens life expectancy by ten years. Obesity has been shown to boost the risk of heart disease, diabetes, some cancers, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea, and stroke. The annual cost of treating illness associated with obesity in the West is estimated at half trillion euros.
Unhealthy Foods
Have you ever thought about the food you take? It is often said that you are what you eat. Let’s take a look at the processed foods which are very common today. They are very tempting especially for people who have a busy lifestyle as they have an advantage of saving time. They are exceptionally sweet and addictive, but the reality is that they are harmful to our bodies in the long term. Since they sometimes come with a low price tag, this makes it hard for many people to resist them. However, it is imperative to look at the hidden costs that processed foods have on our health. It is difficult to eliminate all processed foods from your diet but you can eliminate some of the worst processed foods.
Chicken nuggets
They are ubiquitous finger foods which are very attractive and satisfy hunger very easily. You should not go for them even if you get them in the freezer section or in a restaurant. They are usually made with more salt, preservatives and fat than anyone needs.
French fries
They contain very high amount of calories such that eating them regularly can make diabetes and weight management difficult. Their nutrition is also very low since they have very little effect on the blood sugar level. If you really want them, bake them at you home without oil.
Potato chips and other fried snacks
They undermines ones efforts to reduce weight. They do this by adding much salt, calories and preservatives without much nutrition or fiber which can help in slowing down its digestion.
Soda
They are empty calories without anything nutritional. They also contain substances which can hurt you especially the high fructose corn syrup which is worse than sugar. It has been proved to cause blood glucose spikes damaging the liver cells. Soda contributes to obesity and encourages bacterial diseases and cancer by providing an acidic medium in the body.
Hot dogs and other processed meats
The vast majority of processed meats and hotdogs in the market contain loads of artificial flavors, MSG, salt, cheap unhealthy fillers and other preservatives. Mechanically separated meat is normally processed under extreme pressure and heat losing their nutritional value.
Fast- food hamburgers
It is a diabetes risk factor. This is according to a study that was carried out recently which showed that, women eating them in restaurants two or more times a week are likely to receive a diabetes diagnosis than those who do not.
Sugary cereals
Breakfast cereals especially those in brightly covered boxes taken in many households. But they have added sugar which contributes to diabetes. Although high fiber diet has been proved to manage and prevent diabetes, these cereals have very low dietary fiber. Look for cereals which provide about 5 grams of fiber and avoid those with large amounts of sugars.
Chips
These contain a lot of fat and calorie and are salted in most cases which make it more harmful for your health. You should avoid chips as much as you can as the amount of calories and fats they contain are more than your body needs and they end up accumulating in your body adding to your weight. They are a leading cause of obesity and all its harmful effects.
Granola bars
Their marketing is exceptionally deceptive encouraging people to buy them. The fact is that they have very high amounts of high fructose corn syrup, HFCS to make them sweet. Some have very tiny pieces of honey but most of the sweetness is derived from HFCS. At times, they are loaded with lots of sodium and fats making them unhealthy.
Store-bought cookies, crackers, cakes and muffins
All these foods have been grouped together because their effects on the health are similar. Beyond the high levels of salts and sugars, they also contain trans fat. Trans fat is added to make them more profitable since it is cheaper than healthy fats. It also prolongs their expiry date and improves their outer texture.
Powered iced tea mixes or prepared flavored iced tea
They are really tempting as they are very easy and cheap to make. They are made from inexpensive tea bags and then kept in the fridge in a jug. They are not as healthy as their preparation could suggest. Instead, they are very unhealthy since they are heavily loaded with artificial flavors, high fructose corn syrup and other sugars.
Margarine
It is an alternative form butter which is used by very many people. The main disadvantage about it is that it is full of trans fats which are linked to many problems related to health such as obesity. It also contains free radicals, preservatives, emulsifiers and hexane. All these components are harmful for your health.
Microwave popcorn
This food is popular among snackers and movie goers but it is still one of the unhealthiest foods you can take. The genetically modified corn used to make it is unhealthy as is the preservative chemicals and the processed salt. Additionally, it contains diacetyl which is a chemical which is known to destroy lungs. If you have to take popcorn, stick to the organic kernels that you can prepare on your own using healthy ingredients such as coconut oil and grass-fed butter.
This post contains a powerful message. It's time this message went viral. Basil Venitis, venitis@gmail.com, http://themostsearched.blogspot.com
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