Are You Eating to Live?
When you think about malnutrition, what are the images that come to mind?
You may think of famine in distant lands and the heartbreaking sight of starving children with empty bowls. What might surprise you is that when you look in the mirror, malnutrition may be staring right back at you.
That’s because malnutrition is widely misunderstood. The mal in malnutrition means bad. Bad nutrition doesn’t just mean not having enough food to eat. It also means not eating enough of the right foods or eating too much of the wrong food.
Underweight and overweight are both signs of malnutrition, and all forms of malnutrition can have a negative impact on your health and quality of life. Bad dietary habits are linked to a lack of energy, poor academic performance, low physical activity, concentration problems, and loss of memory. But the effects of malnutrition can be much more severe than that.
We have all heard the statistics about the health crisis in America.
Many of you have probably experienced that crisis or seen it firsthand. How many friends, family members, and loved ones do you know that are suffering from heart disease? Diabetes? High blood pressure? High cholesterol? Rheumatoid arthritis? Regular migraines? An alarming number of Americans suffer from preventable diet-related diseases, and many of them are dying.
The Americans in danger of dying are getting younger, too. The percentage of American children and adolescents suffering from obesity has more than tripled since the 1970s. We have children in elementary and middle school with Type II diabetes and the early signs of heart disease. This is the first generation that may have a shorter life span than its parents.
If these things concern you, rest assured that they can be corrected. These are completely preventable issues caused by dietary and lifestyle choices. A whole foods, plant-based diet can help every one of us achieve a healthier, happier future — and it’s up to every one of us to step up and turn things around.
So let’s go in on this problem together.
The best place to start is by developing a deep understanding of the essential role food plays in our health — the good, the bad and the eating habits that affect us all.
The Standard American Diet (S.A.D.) is in desperate need of change. The fast food and convenience food industries have made many unhealthy foods available to us at low cost. But fast food isn’t the only problem: You may think buying groceries and preparing meals at home is always a healthier choice, but a closer look at food labels may reveal more sugar, sodium, saturated fats and other harmful ingredients than you’d expect.
As a result, many Americans are overfed but undernourished. They feel stuffed, but their bodies are starving for essential nutrients. We are eating foods that are high in calories but low in nutritional value — and these unhealthy eating habits account for more deaths annually than tobacco usage and alcohol abuse.
The good news is that this problem is easy to solve.
It takes education and dedication, but it’s solvable. We already know the secret to a healthy diet. The healthiest countries on earth traditionally have whole food, plant-based diets.
In America, the problem is that our environment has changed. The food landscape has changed. The unnatural has become natural — and whole food, plant-based diets are considered a luxury rather than a necessity.
Your bodies crave and require real food for optimal health, performance and longevity. You may think you’re craving cake, but your ancient DNA is calling out for magnesium. I’m urging you to take your dietary choices back, and in so doing to restore your lives.
So, are you ready to eat to live?
If so, I’m here to educate, inspire and support you every step of the way. My promise is to provide you with a reliable, accurate and clear compass for your journey to a healthier and happier future.
I know that the universe of nutritional information can be really confusing: There’s a flood of information out there, a ton of fad diets that do more harm than good, and dietary advice that conflicts with other dietary advice. My mission is to help you make sense of it all and forge the best path forward. My commitment is to make this website the go-to place for sound nutritional advice, guidance and support.
If you’re ready to join me, let’s make this happen!
I invite you to keep up with these blogs, stay on top of your nutritional discipline and rise to the challenge of eating to live. This website will be a constantly growing resource for scientifically proven nutrition information and support. I can’t wait for us to make real progress on our journey together.
And if you’re looking for the information you need to start your journey strong, I’ve got you covered. Here are are the educational resources you’ll need to begin making positive changes to your diet:
