The Food and Health Disconnect

So it's common knowledge that foods can cause heart disease and obesity.  These are diet ideas Americans have clung to for the last 30 to 40 years.  Although the wrong foods are blamed, people still suspect that avoiding certain foods can help them reduce their risk of getting heart disease or getting fat.


Why is it that foods aren't widely implicated with other common health issues in our country?  It is estimated 1 in 2 Americans will end up with cancer.  Diabetes is estimated to affect 1 in 3 Americans by 2050.  Common autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, lupus, and Hashimoto's (thyroid disease) affect millions in our country.  Yet these health issues are not seen as nutritional problems by the mainstream.  Genetics and environmental toxins are often blamed but not food.  This is a cop out in my opinion.  A way for people to point the finger elsewhere rather themselves.


When was the last time you heard someone who was perfectly healthy but conscious of their diet say, "I can't eat that because it may raise my blood glucose too much"  Or "I can't eat that because it will cause a leaky gut"  Or "I can't eat that because it will bind to many important nutrients making them undigestible".  I did hear twice today people say they couldn't eat something because it had too much fat and cholesterol.


Heart disease is the most feared health affliction in America.  The problem is, there are plenty of other diseases killing Americans that nobody adjusts their diet to avoid.  Avoiding fat and cholesterol is kinda like jumping into oncoming traffic to avoid a suspicious looking character on the sidewalk.  You irrationally run from one perceived danger into possibly a more dangerous situation.  By the way, as the American diet adjusted to avoid heart disease, more Americans are getting heart disease and obese than ever before.  And yes, they are also getting the other diseases I mentioned at a rapidly growing rate.  Maybe the best thing would be to just avoid the typical prescription for avoiding heart disease and obesity and focus on eating to avoid diabetes, cancer, and autoimmune diseases.  The last 30 to 40 years haven't worked out so well, let's change things up and see what happens.  Let's just eat what has allowed humans to thrive for thousands of years without these diseases.


CP