This is the 9th and last in a series of blogs on the “Reality of our Food and the Demise of our Health.”
But before we continue, let’s review one more time the definition of food, as that is the specific theme we will continue to pursue as we address the root of it all – inflammation!
Definition of Food
Food: substance consisting essentially of protein, carbohydrate, fat, and other nutrients used in the body of an organism to sustain growth and vital processes and to furnish energy. The absorption and utilization of food by the body is fundamental to nutrition and is facilitated by digestion. (Britannica)
Food: material consisting essentially of protein, carbohydrate, and fat used in the body of an organism to sustain growth, repair, and vital processes and to furnish energy (Merriam Webster).
Function and purpose of food: …to sustain growth, repair and vital processes and to furnish energy.
Four Words That are Interchangeable
We have been talking about the reality of our food and the demise of our health for a couple of months now. We have looked at the history of processed foods, food labeling – good and bad, who is affected by our food, semantics and so much more. Today I would like to sum it all up by answering the proverbial question “why does all of this even matter?” What difference does it make, if we want to consume foods that are laden with salts, sugars, fats, artificial ingredients, ingredients that have been genetically modified, conventionally grown with pesticides, anti-biotics, growth hormones etc.? Who cares, if it tastes good, why not?
I could sum up the answer to this in one word: “Inflammation.” (see the blog on “Self-Induced Inflammation”)But to expand a little more broadly, I always say there are four words that are interchangeable – if one of these words is there, the others are there as well. And they are:
When we first hear the word stress, most people automatically think of mental/emotional stresses – finances, relationships, work, even health challenges. But there really are two other types of stress as well:
- Mental/Emotional
- Physical
- Chemical
Some examples of physical stress could be breaking a leg, having surgery, not getting enough sleep, over-exercising – these are just a few of the many examples of physical stress.
And examples of chemical stresses could be, the air we breathe, the water we drink, drugs – over the counter, prescription and recreational –, alcohol, smoking, and yes, even and, especially, the foods we eat. Or more accurately, the “food-like substances” we consume. That’s what we have been talking about for 2 months, and that’s what we will wrap up with and hopefully hit home with, the primary reason to be cautious and informed about what you are putting into your body and the bodies of your children as well as the underprivileged.
Review of the Demise of Our Health
Let’s just take a quick look at some of the areas that I hopefully brought awareness to you in, and how they pertain to inflammation and the demise of our health.
Genetics or Lifestyle
We talked about how a very small percentage of diseases are truly due to genetics – like 7% or less actually. Eighty percent of the common, chronic degenerative diseases are due to poor lifestyle choices, in particular the choice of foods we consume every day. And the common denominator of all chronic diseases is inflammation. Food-like substances will always cause inflammation in your body as the ingredients in them are foreign to the body – they are not real “food.” The more you consume, the more inflammation there will be – plain and simple.
In summary, it’s not your genes, it’s the choices you make.
The good news is, when you make better lifestyle choices, including the foods you eat, your health can be restored! Your health is in your control!
History of Processed Food
Now you know, what once started off for our good – better food handling and pasteurizing for the sake of protecting us from food borne acute, and at times deadly diseases, has eventually evolved into the processed food industry making their own self-gratifying gains, in particular, the almighty dollar, by creating food-like substances at a much lower cost – at the expense of your health, unknowing to you. These artificial food-like substances are very inflammatory to the body.
Ingredients over Nutrition
By focusing primarily on the “Nutrition” component of the food label, the consumer’s attention is diverted away from the more vital aspect of the product they are consuming – the ingredients in that food. The more ingredients, the more removed from the food’s original state as a food. And the more removed a food is, the more inflammatory it becomes. Less ingredients = closer to real food = non-inflammatory.
Non-GMO’s, Organic, Gluten Free
Conventionally grown food that has been genetically modified or altered, as well as sprayed with highly toxic pesticides and herbicides is highly inflammatory. These practices are altering the food from its original state, thereby causing them to no longer be real food, but food-like substances. And food-like substances equal inflammation. Sadly, so does consuming grains, and foods made with grains that have been genetically modified with the hull still intact i.e. the part of the plant where the gluten is. And again, genetically modified foods, including grains with the hull/gluten, have become very inflammatory. Primarily through food sensitivity reactions in the body.
The Underprivileged
The majority of the underprivilege’s diet consists of food-like substances – packaged, processed, sugary items as well as fast food – anything cheap – all are extremely inflammatory to their bodies. This combined with an already under-nourished body causes an exponential disease crisis for these folks. Probably 99% of what they consume day in, and day out are inflammatory food-like substances. The sad part is some of this food is provided to them by the well-meaning educated (but unknowing) and financially able members of our communities. They are receiving insult to injury day in and day out to their bodies.
Food Addiction
The large corporate food moguls have the top of the top scientist determining just how much salt, sugar and fat to put into their formula concoction to make you come back for more of their artificial food-like substances. And of course, these items are lacking in any nutritional value, and once again causing inflammation to the body. The adrenals that in part help regulate our dopamine response also respond to all inflammation in the body – a vicious cycle for certain. And to top it off, the adrenals also tell the liver to release the glucose, and the kidneys to regulate our fluid levels. When this gland is over-worked due to all of the responding to inflammation it has to do, a whole cascade of chronic diseases ensues. A tremendous catch 22.
Chronic Childhood Diseases
We addressed these chronic childhood diseases:
- Depression
- Obesity
- Suicide
- developmental disorders
- ADD/ADHD
- Anxiety
- Asthma
- Autism
- Allergies
- and cancer
A poor, inflammatory diet can be contributed to every single one of these diseases. Children today are consuming nothing but packaged, processed, fast food, fried food and sugars today, and it is evident by the statistics we discussed in last week’s blog.
Short List of Inflammatory Foods
Here is what I call the “short list” of inflammatory foods (also known as “acidic pH” foods):
Inflammatory Foods
- Fast Food
- Fried Foods
- PACKAGED and PROCESSED foods (this list of foods is huge)
- Sugars
- Animal Products *
- Grains *
*These last 2 are real foods, and can be eaten, but if you are going to consume them, I would highly encourage you to eat them in their organic, grass-fed, GMO-free, non-antibiotics or no growth hormone, form. When you consume these foods in their conventional form, you are consuming foods that have been genetically modified and/or fed genetically modified feed.
The first 4 however, aren’t even real foods; they are “food-like substances.” These foods have little to NO nutritional value to them, and in fact, they are literally killing us. Don’t be deceived by the front of the packaging, this is their billboard, their marketing space, not the truth when it comes to nutritional value, and especially when it comes to ingredients.
Short List of Non-Inflammatory Foods
And this is the “short list” of non-inflammatory foods (also known as “alkalizing pH” foods), healing foods, foods that can be our medicine:
Non-Inflammatory Foods
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Nuts & Seeds
- Good Fats (e.g., avocados, flax seed, olive oil, coconut oil – LOVE my coconut oil!)
- Water
These foods are healthy and healing to the body. You can have 4,000 calories of vegetables if you want, and you will not get fat. And truthfully, the same goes for the good fats—well okay, maybe not 4,000 calories of coconut oil, but these good fats will not “make you fat,” inflammation does!
I encourage you to use these lists as your new filter when trying to determine if a food is healing or killing you. There are many wonderful recipes out there using the short list of non-inflammatory foods. Look up “raw food” recipes or “alkalizing foods” or even non-inflammatory food recipes. You will be amazed at what you can do with fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and the good fats. And the recipes truly are delicious!
In Summary
The bottom line is this: what we put into and even on our bodies plays a huge role in determining the level of our health or the demise of it.
But our own addictions to food can cause us to sub-consciously put our head in the sand – we don’t want to admit the destruction food-like substances and processed sugars, in particular, are having on not only our own health, but the health of our children as well as those we truly care about – the underprivileged.
It’s hard to fathom that the poor state of our food supply has been intentionally placed in decline, directly impacting the decline of our health, for the sake of the almighty dollar. We don’t want to admit we’ve been duped. It’s hard, I know. But I have spoken truth to you over these past 9 weeks as we have addressed a very serious health problem – the reality of our food and the demise of our health.
The good news is, it truly is in your control to take charge of your health, and the health of those you love and care about. You CAN turn things around. Start making healthier life-style choices, beginning with putting real food into your body. Let food be your medicine as Hippocrates once said.
But it takes a commitment on your part – will you make a commitment to your health and your life, beginning today? Next week I will begin a series of blogs on our Mental Health – beginning with goal setting – perhaps committing to take charge of the foods you consume can be a goal you will set for yourself – your life just might depend on it.
Do you like to get a jump on your Christmas shopping? How about gifting that special someone who wants to learn more about their health with a copy of “Are You Being Deceived About Truth Wellness?” “Are You Being Deceived About Truth Wellness?”
Here are the other blogs in this series:
“The Reality of Our Food and the Demise of Our Health”
“Genetics or Lifestyle?”
“How Did We Get Here? The History of Processed Foods”
“Ingredients Over Nutrition Facts”
Non-GMO’s USDA Organic, Gluten-Free – Important Food Labels!
“Are We Sending the Underprivileged to an Early Grave?”
“Addiction to Food”