HOW THE FOOD WE ARE EATING IS KILLING US
Have you ever wondered about the increasing number of illnesses, especially chronic illnesses like heart problems, cancers, mental health disorders, diabetes, etc? While genetics plays an important role in a number of these conditions, studies have also shown a strong link between diet and health. People with unhealthy dietary habits are at a higher risk of suffering from many diseases including a heart attack. It is estimated that over 45% of deaths from heart diseases, stroke or diabetes in the US are linked to diet. Despite advancements made in the 21st century to improve on quality of life, there’s never been a surge in the sale and consumption of unhealthy foods like in the present.
There is a saying, “You are what you eat”. Unfortunately, most of the things that pass for food today should not be considered food at all. Their intake should be regulated with the consumption of many banned even. Children who eat healthy meals will have better growth and development. They also have less risk of having a chronic illness.
The foods we are consuming daily is slowly killing us and many are not even aware because these type of meals are usually sweet, tasty and addictive. The food industry understand how prone to addiction humans are, so they spend a lot of money researching ways to make their products even more appealing and addictive. The temporary high you get off these ‘foods’ makes you seek them out to experience that pleasure again. This partly explains why when people are in a low mood, they binge on things that bring them some sort of reprieve and satisfaction, mostly unhealthy meals, popularly termed, comfort foods. Reports show that modern processed foods are more addictive than alcohol, heroin, and any other addictive drug currently classified as bad for our health.
Today, most of the items sold in these stores are no longer safe for human consumption, as about 80% of the average human diet is extremely unhealthy. Food corporations prioritize profits over the health of consumers, leading to the widespread production and distribution of cheap, processed foods. These foods are designed to be addictive, making it difficult for individuals to resist consuming them regularly. We no longer engage in clean eating habits because most of our most cherished foods are entirely loaded with things that can damage our health
A lot of the packaged foods are laden with chemicals devoid of nutrients which our bodies need and because our bodies can neither handle nor process these additives, it becomes toxic to our system resulting in sicknesses which decreases our quality of life with an overall decreased lifespan. We are also more easily fatigued and less motivated to complete our tasks.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
You should be filled with an urgency to act by stepping back to examine your diet. Are you eating good food or are you eating what looks like food? Embrace natural food and encourage the intake of quality, highly nutritious meals. Some foods that are bad for your health includes: Red meat, processed meats (ham, sausages, bacon, etc), baked foods (cookies, pies, cakes, biscuits), fried foods, salty foods, sodas, carbonated drinks and other sweetened drinks, foods with artificial flavours and colours, refined grains like white rice, white bread and white pasta.
Eating right requires discipline but it becomes much easier when it becomes a lifestyle. You can achieve this by setting goals for yourself. It may be as simple as swapping a soda for water, refusing to stop by the junk food shop, adding fibre to your diet daily, avoiding processed meal as a rule and saying no to sugar. It helps if you make the decision to eat out less as the foods made in restaurants do not care about regulating the amount of ingredients used like salt, fat or sugar. While this resolve may be easier for others to keep, it is not always the case for many. This is why it is important, if possible, to have someone you can do this with, an accountability partner. This way you are more likely to have the support needed to help you form a healthier dietary lifestyle.
SUMMARY
Food is medicine and everything you put in your body should nourish you as it significantly impacts your life. The skyrocketing increase in obesity, heart diseases, cancer, joint problems and other conditions are as a result of our food. Ensure that, as much as possible you also buy meals that are free from pesticides and other chemicals used to hasten growth of plants and animals. Read the labels on foods before buying, and where feasible, get your fresh meals from a farmer’s market. Consumption of excessive amounts of ingredients like salt, sugar and fat which are common in most addictive foods can be detrimental to our health. While we make individual efforts to watch what we eat, we also hope that the government will impose restrictions on the type of chemicals and additives used in the food industry.