Healthy Eating

What’s For Dinner?

Here in the United States, obesity has become an epidemic and the incidence of obesity is continuing to climb at an astounding rate. This climb continues in both sexes, all ages, all races and all educational levels. Among adults, obesity prevalence increased from 13 percent to 32 percent between the 1960s and 2004. In 1991, only four states had obesity rates of 15 percent or higher, while in 1998, 37 states had exceeded this level. Currently, 66 percent of adults in the United States are overweight or obese. Childhood obesity is particularly troubling because it often starts children on the path to health problems that were once confined to adults, such as diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Though there are many factors involved in obesity, diet is probably the most directly related. The biggest question is what to eat. Today there is much conflicting information as to what foods are good for you and what foods to stay away from. It seems that the information itself often changes and new studies refute yesterday’s latest breakthroughs, muddying the waters even further. Watch television, read the newspaper, listen to the radio or surf the internet and you are guaranteed to find the latest and greatest diet being plugged by everyone from celebrities to athletes to girl next door.

How does one choose what goes into their body? Ultimately, the answer lies with what is required for us to express health. Unfortunately, most people are simply interested in losing a set number of pounds in a short period of time and, therefore, turn to fad diets that simply restrict calories with little regard to nutritional requirements. Most diets are successful for some of the population for some of the time, but are too restrictive or unhealthy for long-range health habits. To successfully change dietary habits, people must first change their belief system to recognize that one’s choices determine our health and each piece of food placed in our mouth will have a profound impact, both good and bad, on our health.

Consider the following when you are deciding what’s for dinner. First, to increase longevity, it has been proven that one should decrease the calories taken in. Secondly, all food choices should be as close as possible to the whole food source found in nature. The more a food is processed, the less value it has for us and, through additives, preservatives, colorings and dyes, the more it can be toxic. Thirdly, the more raw food consumed, the better. Cooking starts the denaturing process and reduces the nutritional value. Fourthly, limit meat to grass fed, free range, hormone- and antibiotic-free sources and consume only wild fish. The further up the food chain a fish is, the higher the toxicity, and so amounts should be limited. Bottom feeding seafood also tends to be higher in toxins. Lastly, hydration should come from a highly-purified source of water. Studies have shown that societies that follow this type of regime, such as the modern-day hunter-gatherer tribes, tend not to exhibit the chronic illnesses that plague today’s western civilizations.

A diet of fresh fruit and vegetables, nuts, seeds, organic meats and water consumed in smaller portions will provide most of the nutritional requirements to express health. Due to the depletion of soils, picking of unripe fruits and vegetables, and the distance that food travels from ground to plate, even good food choices are lacking in nutritional content and so supplementation is often necessary. We recommend a whole food source multivitamin, omega 3 fatty acids, probiotics and vitamin D3.

What’s For Dinner?

Here in the United States, obesity has become an epidemic and the incidence of obesity is continuing to climb at an astounding rate. This climb continues in both sexes, all ages, all races and all educational levels. Among adults, obesity prevalence increased from 13 percent to 32 percent between the 1960s and 2004. In 1991, only four states had obesity rates of 15 percent or higher, while in 1998, 37 states had exceeded this level. Currently, 66 percent of adults in the United States are overweight or obese. Childhood obesity is particularly troubling because it often starts children on the path to health problems that were once confined to adults, such as diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Though there are many factors involved in obesity, diet is probably the most directly related. The biggest question is what to eat. Today there is much conflicting information as to what foods are good for you and what foods to stay away from. It seems that the information itself often changes and new studies refute yesterday’s latest breakthroughs, muddying the waters even further. Watch television, read the newspaper, listen to the radio or surf the internet and you are guaranteed to find the latest and greatest diet being plugged by everyone from celebrities to athletes to girl next door.

How does one choose what goes into their body? Ultimately, the answer lies with what is required for us to express health. Unfortunately, most people are simply interested in losing a set number of pounds in a short period of time and, therefore, turn to fad diets that simply restrict calories with little regard to nutritional requirements. Most diets are successful for some of the population for some of the time, but are too restrictive or unhealthy for long-range health habits. To successfully change dietary habits, people must first change their belief system to recognize that one’s choices determine our health and each piece of food placed in our mouth will have a profound impact, both good and bad, on our health.

Consider the following when you are deciding what’s for dinner. First, to increase longevity, it has been proven that one should decrease the calories taken in. Secondly, all food choices should be as close as possible to the whole food source found in nature. The more a food is processed, the less value it has for us and, through additives, preservatives, colorings and dyes, the more it can be toxic. Thirdly, the more raw food consumed, the better. Cooking starts the denaturing process and reduces the nutritional value. Fourthly, limit meat to grass fed, free range, hormone- and antibiotic-free sources and consume only wild fish. The further up the food chain a fish is, the higher the toxicity, and so amounts should be limited. Bottom feeding seafood also tends to be higher in toxins. Lastly, hydration should come from a highly-purified source of water. Studies have shown that societies that follow this type of regime, such as the modern-day hunter-gatherer tribes, tend not to exhibit the chronic illnesses that plague today’s western civilizations.

A diet of fresh fruit and vegetables, nuts, seeds, organic meats and water consumed in smaller portions will provide most of the nutritional requirements to express health. Due to the depletion of soils, picking of unripe fruits and vegetables, and the distance that food travels from ground to plate, even good food choices are lacking in nutritional content and so supplementation is often necessary. We recommend a whole food source multivitamin, omega 3 fatty acids, probiotics and vitamin D3.

City Chiropractic Location

Address

806 SW Broadway #350,
Portland, OR 97205

Office Hours

Monday  

9:00 am - 6:00 pm

Tuesday  

Closed

Wednesday  

9:00 am - 6:00 pm

Thursday  

2:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Friday  

9:00 am - 6:00 pm

Saturday  

Closed

Sunday  

Closed

Please sign up using the form below or call us at (503) 224-9513 to make an appointment

!
!

Please do not submit any Protected Health Information (PHI).