America is in true health crises and preventable diseases are out of control. For the first time in history, we may be witnessing a decline in the American life span. Even worse, our younger generations may have shorter life spans than that of their parents.
There are many things contributing to our health crisis, but one of the biggest causes is obesity. According to the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), obesity, poor physical activity and the associated illness is overtaking tobacco as the leading cause of preventable death in this country. Preventable death!
Overweight and obese individuals are at an all-time high. About two-thirds of adults in the United States are overweight, and almost one-third is obese. And rates of obesity and Type 2 diabetes are ballooning in our youth. With this increase, so has related health care costs risen. Three-quarters of U.S. health care spending now goes to treat “preventable chronic diseases.”
Most chronic diseases are linked to the “SAD Diet:” the Standard American Diet. What is the typical diet in the United States? Diets full of processed foods, sugar, fat and synthetic ingredients. Couple that with little or no exercise, poor sleeping habits and overmedication, you can see why we are in trouble.
The majority of our foods are highly processed, high in simple carbohydrates, refined sugar, unhealthy fats, synthetic chemicals and flavorings. Inside the body, these things can wreak havoc on our immune system, create oxidative cellular damage, encourage inflammation, negatively affect our mental abilities, and ultimately, lead us to disease.
How do you protect yourself? The easiest way is to adopt a healthy diet. Minimize or eliminate fast foods. Read labels carefully to buy the least amount of chemical-laden foods. And eat a whole food-based diet, including plenty of fruits and vegetables. These will provide antioxidants to counter the damaging effects of poor nutrition and provide the proper vitamins, minerals and macronutrients your body needs to function, your metabolism to run smoothly and help you maintain a healthy weight.