Eating is one of America’s favorite pastimes. Wherever people gather for whatever reason, there is usually food involved. I’m not surprised about that because eating food serves many purposes:
1. Eating brings pleasure
2. Eating brings comfort
3. Most importantly, eating fuels our bodies.
Just as we talk about the uh-ohs in other areas of our lives, there are uh-ohs in eating too! You’ve probably never thought of that before, but it’s true. Food was intended to be fuel for our bodies. In earlier years, our ancestors ate what we call whole foods, meaning we ate foods as close to the source as possible. Because our ancestors ate that way, they were healthier than some of us are today. Then came the era of fast foods (some call it junk food), soda pop, and processed foods. On the surface, these foods seemed like a great idea! It made our lives easier, so it seemed. It tasted so good, and we could get it quickly. What could be wrong with that right?
Little did we know that there was a price to be paid for the convenience of “fast foods,” soda pops, and processed foods. This is the uh-oh I was talking about. Doctors and scientists have found out and are telling us that there is a correlation between eating fast foods, soda pops, and processed foods. Uh-Oh. Since the dawn of these convenience foods, there has been a rise in certain diseases known as lifestyle diseases. These diseases are high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity. They call them lifestyle diseases because people have a choice whether to eat the foods that contribute to these diseases or choose the foods that protect against these diseases.
Get more info at https://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/resources-publications/benefits-of- healthy-eating.html. You can get much more information by simply googling healthy eating or going to the above CDC website. If you desire to start or beef up your already-started healthy eating plan, here are a few things that can help:
1. Be intentional about your goal to eat healthily
2. Perhaps you could plan out your menu and shop for only what you will need
3. Don’t keep lots of unhealthy snacks in your home
4. Include in your diet lots of fruit and vegetables
5. Eat the rainbow. Meaning eating lots of colorful fruits and vegetables
6. Eat smaller portions. If you take these few baby steps above, you will be on your way to a healthier you in no time.
Cheers to a healthier you.
