Mar 23 2009
You are what you Eat
Eating and dieting has always been one of the huge areas of problem in my life. I try new things all the time and try to do what is right for myself and my family. I am sure you know, it is not easy. Well, once again I was thinking about the way I eat and am I taking care of myself and that old expression came to mind, “You are what you eat.” Have you ever really thought about what it means? And do you think about it when you’re making food choices?
In some ways, we do become what we eat, literally. Have you ever seen an example of your blood plasma after eating a fast food hamburger? I saw a documentary and what was previously a clear liquid becomes cloudy with the fat and cholesterol that’s absorbed from eating a high-fat hamburger.
And it got me to thinking more, when you think about it, we also become what we don’t eat. When we switch from eating meat to a vegetarian-based diet, we become less fat, less prone to many types of cancers. Our cholesterol can improve. When we’re leaner and eating fewer animal products, then many other health and fitness issues are reduced. The incidence of Type II diabetes is reduced. Blood pressure falls into normal ranges. When you’re healthier, you’re taking fewer medications. Even if you have a prescription drug benefit in your health plan, you’re still saving money with fewer co-payments on medications.
If you have a family history of high cholesterol or high blood pressure like I do, then it’s particularly important to revise your eating habits. Moving towards a more vegetarian diet has been shown statistically to reduce the incidence of so many of the diseases of industrialized countries. Vegetarians are statistically healthier than omnivorous persons; they’re leaner and live longer.
Again I think it’s time to think about what I want to be and to eat accordingly? Do I want to be sluggish and fat? Do I want the risk that goes with eating animal products, with their high fat content? Or do I want to look like and be what vegetarians are? Leaner and fitter with a longer anticipated lifespan. It’s never too late to change what I’m doing and increase my chances for a longer, fitter life.
I’ll Let you know how this goes and if I make some changes to better my life and maybe live longer and stay healthier for my family.
All of this is so logical to me. My head understands what you’re saying, and I know I should be eating my veggies and avoiding my fats.
But that chocolate cake just looks and tastes SOOOOOOOOOOO good!
I think I know what we need to do. It’s all about psychology. I want the cake because I shouldn’t. It’s taboo, and therefore irresistible to me. We need to start a reverse psychology movement. Someone publishes a news story about how chocolate cake is the secret to long life and health, and publish another story about how broccoli will clog my arteries and add a roll to my tummy, and I would bet you I would no longer long for that chocolate cake. Pass me the broccoli…I want the taboo.
Perfect ideas, I like it…..Or maybe we make cakes out of broccoli? Tomato candy bars? Could start a whole new revolution in food copy cats… What do you think? Will it work?