Obesity, put the blame where it belongs... Your Diet!

I found an article in health news this morning to be quite interesting and wanted to share it with you...

The article, titled "Fat epidemic linked to chemicals run amok", is claiming that a recent discovery of natural and synthetic chemicals, being referred to as obesogens (how clever), could be to blame for this countries obesity problem as well as the many obesity related diseases. There is actually a sub heading to this article that reads "Fast food not solely to blame for obesity, new research suggests."

At first glance I began to think here we go again, blaming everything but an unhealthy diet for this countries many health related problems that have all reached epidemic proportions, but the meat of the article takes on a very interesting subject which puts a lot of long overdue blame where it belongs; on toxic chemicals both environmental as well as in this countries mainstream food supply and commonly used products. I have listed a few examples below, from the article, to help drive home a point I've been posting about for some time.

• The dangers of pesticides in our fruits and vegetables... "Every day the average American is exposed to an estimated 10 to 13 different pesticides and/or their metabolites (breakdown products) through food, beverages, and drinking water.Some of those chemicals can mimic estrogen during development, which can lead to weight gain later in life. Others can spur unnecessary fat-cell formation at any age."

The solution... "According to the Environmental Working Group, you can reduce your pesticide exposure by nearly 80 percent simply by choosing organic versions of the 12 fruits and vegetables shown in its tests to contain the highest pesticide load."

• Hormones steroids and antibiotics in our beef supply may be disrupting the way our own body's hormone system operates.
  

The solution... "Organic beef has none of the weight-promoting steroid hormones of conventional beef, while grass-fed beef has been found to have more omega-3s and more conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). CLA is a fatty-acid mixture that's been linked to protection against cardiovascular disease and diabetes; it can also help you lose weight, according to a meta-analysis in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition."

• The dangers of Soy and Corn which is being fed to all of the non-free grazed meat being sold in this country, and is found in all processed foods as fillers preservatives and proteins (SOY) or as sugar (High Fructose CORN Syrup).
  

In other words... "The result of all that extra soy could be — get ready for it — more fat. This is particularly true for people who were given soy-based formula as infants. You see, soy contains two naturally occurring chemicals, genistein and daidzein, both of which are estrogenics, which can spur the formation of fat cells... High-fructose corn syrup, too, has been fingered by some experts as a possible player in the obesity crisis. HFCS is found in countless items, from bread to ketchup to Life Savers to cough medicine. Recent research indicates that a diet high in HFCS may trick your brain into craving more food even when you don't need it."

What we eat means everything, so make the right choice and eat health... Fresh Organic fruits and vegetables, natural whole grains and legumes, free grazed beef poultry and eggs, wild caught fish, and very little processed foods.