Major Backfire

Not too long ago I wrote a blog about natural detox products (http://mytraineroz.blogspot.com/2010/02/detox-products.html). It amazes me that "health food stores" have very little food and alot of self described magic pills.

If you open any major web page on the internet, you will see ads for Acai pills, weight loss formulas, erectile dysfunction cures, omegas etc... Our society has become overly obsessed with "healthy" yet North Americans are currently unhealthier than ever!

Where did we go wrong? As I mentioned in my above mentioned blog, step 1 is to eat REAL FOOD! Our society eats food out of boxes because it is faster and easier. Many also now have claims, such as "Now with Omega 3!" or "50% Less Sodium". Chances are if it is processed food, with a health claim, it is not healthy.

We have a current situation where 60% of North Americans are overweight or obese. The cost and strain that will put on health care is tremendous. On the flip side, we have an increase in young kids with anorexia. More and more teenage boys are developing eating disorders. Turn that around and there is also an increase in teenage boys with what is being called bigorexia (the desire to have unnaturally large muscles).

We have become so focused on being healthy that we have forgotten how to truly BE HEALTHY. Yes, taking a good multi vitamin may help. If you do not eat alot of fresh fish, Omegas are a good idea. Here too you have to be careful. So many of these products that line the shelves have an array of chemicals that have the potential to harm us.

We are starting to mistake "the look" for health. I think that the last few years of American history will teach us to keep things simple. All these processed foods have led to an increase in Type II Diabetes, cancer, obesity, cholesterol issues and hypertension. Not only in health has overdoing it turned around and bit us in the ass. Look at GM. Once the biggest car manufacturer in the world. They had Oldsmobile, Cadillac, Pontiac, Chevrolet, Saturn, Hummer, Isuzu and I may have missed one. What happened to them... that's right, they are now left with the basics that they started with.

That's what we need to do for health as well. Back to basics. 3 healthy homemade balanced meals. Snacks that were fruits or vegetables. Real food. Playing real games in real parks. I know with our hectic schedules, it is tough, but there is always a way. Even if you prepare food for 3 or 4 days at a time, you are eating real food,and I assure you if you try it, you will feel better.

Our current thinking has backfired majorly, and if you need help to change, please feel free to contact me on twitter at www.twitter.com/1proofpositive.

Back to basics

Most people who know me understand that I am not anti-medication, but I am very pro natural healing and "alternative" medicine. I fully believe that through nutrition, meditation and herbs, illness and disease can be prevented and cured.

I want to start with a short commentary about "alternative" medicine. I put alternative in quotations because it is truly the original form of healing. Herbs and plant extracts have been used way longer than tylenol. It is true that forms of treatment such as chiropractic and osteopathy are newer forms of healing, but naturopathy, reflexology, acupuncture and Chinese medicine have been practiced for thousands of years.

First Nations tribesmen on Canada, aboriginals of Australia and New Zealand, and Native American Indians all practice forms of natural healing based on tree extracts, herbs, and fragrances. Same goes for Shaman of South American tribes and tribes in Africa.

Our world has become a place of synthetic answers. Margarine is synthetic butter, only unhealthier. We have processed and artificial foods, food coloring and food flavours. We have pharmaceutical medicines, and synthetic cheaper versions of those. There are labs that create synthetic viruses with the desire to discover the cure.

I am not saying never use medicine. What I am saying is try something natural first. Personally I believe in chiropractic and Naturopathy. I believe in energy healing. I also believe that modern medicine should be a last alternative. That is my truth, and that is how I decide to live and treat and prevent disease in me.

There are pills for just about anything out there. One of the big issues affecting our world today is Type II Diabetes. What do doctors do? Here, take these! I guarantee you, in 95% of the cases, changing your diet, adding just a bit of daily walking, and perhaps some team or individual sport, and the diabetes can be controlled drug free. The increase in this disease comes as we become more chair bound, and our food becomes increasingly processed and fake.

Scientists caught onto this troubling trend, and an flood of synthetic sweeteners flooded the market. Aspartame, sucralose, splenda and sugar twin are all household names. People use them daily in coffee, tea, soft drinks and baking. Guess what! New research is showing what many have suspected for years... there is a link to these chemicals and cancer.

I cannot claim to cure or prevent disease, but here are a few tips that I know cannot hurt;
- eat organic foods whenever possible, and mainly fruits, veggies and whole oats
- avoid plastic products with BPA
- use organic cane sugar instead of processed white sugar or a sugar alternative like sucralose
- find an "alternative" healer that you are comfortable with and see them as needed
- walk, doesn't matter where or when, but walk daily

I am always available should you have any questions. I would also love to hear your comments.

All the best until next time!