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.