Over the years, thousands of books have been written about healthy diets and lifestyles. In many cases, the information in those books has been proven false or outdated.
For example, not too long ago, it was thought that the key to preventing heart disease and weight maintenance was to eat less fat. While many people do get too much fat in their diets, we now know that it is not just the fat.It is the "kind" of fat that people choose to eat.
It might surprise you to know that cigarette smoking was recommended for weight loss in the 1950s. It might not surprise you to learn that a number of different weight loss drugs have been recalled over the years. At first, these drugs were hailed, because they helped people lose weight.
Books have been written about the obesity epidemic, too. But, what is really causing it? There are lots of theories. What is shocking is that some of the authors claim that being overweight or obese is not a health problem. Other authors call it a disability. Some groups have attempted to have obesity covered under the American Disabilities Act.
While an overweight person might not like to hear it, learning about healthy living, means learning to control your weight. Being overweight is not a disability. The obesity epidemic is not a bunch of "hype". The restaurants and the food industry are primarily to blame for the problem.
The marketing and labeling of foods is not well regulated in the US. The government must be concerned about the company profits for economic reasons. They cannot come out and say "do not eat these foods or do not visit these restaurants" even if it would be in the public best interest to do so.
The food industry argues that they are trying to inform people about healthy choices, but they fought regulations requiring them to list the amount of trans-fat (the worst kind) in processed and prepared foods. They are still not required to list trans-fats on foods meant for schools, hospitals, cafeterias or other institutions.
How can people make the healthiest choices, if they do not know what they are really eating? The best suggestion is to choose "real" food. Without exception, all fruits and vegetables are good for your health. You might need to cut back on the white potatoes, if you care about healthy eating.
Some dietary experts question whether the white potato should even be considered a vegetable. It is mostly starch. But, do not let the National Potato Council hear that. Whole grains, such as oatmeal and wild rice are also good choices. Breads, as a general rule, are not very good choices.
Fish and lean poultry are generally better choices than beef and pork. But, it is possible to make fish and poultry unhealthy by processing it, packaging it and adding a lot of salt to it. The more we learn about healthy living, the more we realize that we have been lied to by some restaurants and food manufacturers. It should make you mad enough to stop supporting their business.
