In writing my articles and teaching and coaching my classes I probably sound like a broken record telling those I work with to eat whole foods, not processed and fake foods.
Let me explain just why I talk about this subject so frequently.
Yes processed and refined so-called foods do contain calories, actually lots of them. But, what they do not supply is enough essential nutrients, or the nutrition your body needs. Eating them might fill you up but does not give you what you need to completely support the entire systems of your body.
During one of the studies conducted by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) it reported the following:
80 percent consumed less than the RDA* for vitamin B6
75 percent consumed less than the RDA for magnesium
68 percent consumed less than the RDA for calcium
50 percent consumed less than the RDA for vitamin A
45 percent consumed less than the RDA for vitamin B1
45 percent consumed less than the RDA for vitamin C
34 percent consumed less than the RDA for vitamins B2, B3, and B12.
*RDA means the Recommended Daily allowance of nutrition, and it isn’t much.
There was another study at the Boston University School of Public Health which examined dietary intake of men and women from the Framingham Study which was conducted from 1984-1988. The dietary data indicated that 30-50- percent of subjects exceeded cholesterol intake, and 6 to 45 percent exceeded the recommended intake of sodium which was less than 3 grams daily.
Just imagine how bad that study would be today in 2010.
This isn’t all. More than 90 percent of the subjects exceeded the recommended daily fat intake. Less than 3 percent of them met the dietary fiber guidelines. It was found that less than 91 percent of Americans do not eat the suggested three daily servings of vegetables and two daily servings of fruits. Not only that but now those have been raised to be 9-12 servings of fruits and vegetables due to the decline of nutrition of whole foods in the years since that study was done.
Learn what each nutrient means to the body. When you understand the importance of nutrition it will help you understand why it is so important to get enough of them.
Americans are not consuming enough whole foods as their source of nutrients.
Look at the carts of people in the stores, including your own. What do you see? You see bottles and bottles of cokes. No nutrition there-just sugar and chemicals or artificial sweeteners and other chemicals. Then you see packages, boxes and cans of so-called foods, no whole foods there. How many carrots, greens, onions, avocados, leeks and other whole foods do you see.
Whole foods are found usually on one side of the store. Meats are usually on the outside perimeter of the store, so I generally tell my students to shop the perimeter of the store.
We should buy from farmers or grow produce ourselves. As we age, we would do well to have raised beds that are easier for us to handle. We have learned that we can have hoop houses of tunnels to help us grow vegetables in cold weather. Then we will at least be able to grow part of our own whole foods at home.
We need whole foods-not foods that are parts of foods, fractionated type foods mixed with chemicals and preservatives that do no good for the body at all.
The health of our community, and yes our entire nation is at risk. It is up to each and every one of us to do our part to improve the nutrition of ourselves and our own families.
If we won’t take responsibility, who will?
See what Dr. Paul Clayton says about disease such as heart disease, compared with whole foods and what they have in common. He specifies that lifestyle is the source of our health or our lack of it. Be sure to watch the video at: www.squidoo.com/Prevention-Heart-Disease
If you have any questions contact me at: AWellnessCoach@Gmail.com. Please do ask your specific question as I don’t know which article you’re referring to. Thank you.
Educate yourself; begin by taking small steps to move toward improving your health and those you love.
You can do it!
(Carmel Aaron lives in Heber Springs, has a degree in biology and has been certified by Proevity in Nutrition and Glycemic Indexing, and takes ongoing Wellness classes. She owns and operates Anatomy Academy Wellness, where she teaches a Certified Wellness Weight Loss Coaching program as a GKCC. To get in touch with Carmel: AwellnessCoach@Gmail.com)
Heber Springs, Ark. —
