You Are What You Eat

You are what you eat. Now there’s a well-worn phrase! It’s something we have all heard since we were children and although these sayings tend to become cliche, this is one that is not only true, but essential to our well-being. Food is our fuel. Most of us know that we need to eat for energy, but what we put into our mouths can also determine how well our bodies function. What we choose to eat can keep our systems ‘clean,’ healthy and running efficiently, or allow them to get sluggish and sick as toxins build up and disease creeps in. And this is not modern thinking. Already in the 4th century B.C. Hippocrates, the father of medicine, wrote, “Let your food be your medicine.”

So, if we accept this age-old adage as an important truth, why is it that we are not healthier? Why is obesity at an all time high? Why are we seeing more heart disease, stroke, and cancers than ever before? Why does there seem to be such a proliferation of food allergies and sensitivities and autoimmune disorders?

Part I: “You Are What You Eat” – The Bad News!

Of course there are the obvious culprits of fast and over processed foods. But what about those of us who are trying to make thoughtful, healthy choices for ourselves and our families? It’s no longer quite as straight forward as following the Food Guide. Sure, eating a variety of foods at every meal is still essential, but what about the quality of our food these days? Has our food, which should be our “medicine,” become our poison?

Unless certified organic, there are many factors which negatively affect the foods we put into our mouths each day:

Our fruits and vegetables and grains are sprayed with chemicals and pesticides and grown in over farmed soil lacking in nutrients and full of pollutants.

Unless we buy locally, ‘fresh’ produce is harvested well before fully ripening, sacrificing countless nutrients and shipped thousands of miles to get to our tables.

Some of these products corn, soy and canola, in particular may have undergone genetic modification (GMO).

Our meats are equally compromised. Consider the unsanitary and inhumane conditions under which the animals are raised and slaughtered. Not to mention the the antibiotics and growth hormones that are likely present, in spite of claims like “naturally raised.” And even if labeled ‘grain fed,’ there remains the likelihood of pesticides and toxins in the feed.

The same considerations must also be applied to eggs and dairy. The nutritional and health benefits of milk products are further damaged with pasteurization.

Fish is also under fire. Long touted as a super food because of the abundance of essential fatty acids, there are now concerns about the presence of toxins and heavy metals both in farmed and wild caught varieties of fish. There are also environmental and ethical issues surrounding the farming and harvesting of certain species of fish.

Another cause for concern is food additives. It doesn’t stop with monosodium glutamate! Read the label on just about any prepared or processed food and we find ingredients that we do not recognize and cannot pronounce. Just what is going into our food, and why are these additives necessary?

And then there is sugar. Refined sugar is one of the most used food additives. In addition to where we would expect it desserts, cookies, soft drinks and the like sugar can be found in many of what most people consider savory, health conscious food choices. It is in soups, breads, cereals, pasta sauces, side dishes, diet and ‘light’ foods, fruit sauces and ‘juices,’ salad dressings, many canned vegetables, even table salt. In fact, the average American eats more than 40 teaspoons of added sugar every day, according to the U.S. National Center for Health Statistics. That’s 305 cups of sugar a year!

We must also be wary of how it is packaged and cooked: aluminum cans, plastics that contain dangerous chemicals and even sex hormones which can leach into our foods, non-stick coated pans, and nutrient destroying microwaves.

Food is meant to nourish us, body and soul. Eating should bring us pleasure. We want to enjoy meals with our friends and families. Choosing, preparing and consuming food should be fun and relaxing. But how can we possibly navigate through all the possible threats posed to us by the food that is available to us? How can we ensure that we are doing all we can to keep our bodies healthy, functioning and resilient? Our everyday environments are full of toxins and pollutants both outside and in, putting tremendous stress on our immune systems and the cells and systems that struggle to keep out minds and bodies functioning optimally and free of disease.

Don’t be dismayed. There is hope! Read “You Are What You Eat” – Part II for some suggestions.