Eating Out and You – Healthy Living and Nutrition

Official seal of the National Organic Program 

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One of the first and most important things you can do as a consumer  is to obtain a handy Fast-Food Nutrition Manual. It will be easy to see in print the calories, fat, cholesterol and sodium content of your favorite foods. Chinese,  American, Mexican, Italian or Greek – you can visualize it effectively when it’s in black and white.

All Calories are Equal. But Some are More Equal than Others

Eat smart while frequenting popular restaurants. Don’t say you don’t eat there, because most of us do in a pinch. Everyone is busy, tired and running-on-empty. Overworked, we overlook the most important thing for ourselves and our families – proper nutrition in regard to our overall health and healthy living.

Obesity is a major contributor to disease and death, as we all know. Exercise regularly and faithfully take your vitamins.

Shop smarter, and purchase fresh, organic produce on a regular basis. The more processed any food is, the worse it is for you. No one’s body requires extra chemicals, fats, sodium and sugar. The more a food product is altered and refined, the higher in saturated fat and sodium it is likely to be. Never over-indulge when dining out, and go easy on sauces, dressings, gravies, extra cheese and cream. Monitor your meat and bread intake, and do not “super-size” any of your meals.  Rely on a “doggie bag” whenever possible. You will get another “free meal” out of it, and simultaneously curb your calorie intake.

Watch your body and maintain your fitness level now, and you will have no need for costly or dangerous medications for serious health conditions in the future.

Obesity in Kids-Time to Change

Obesity in America’s kids is rising, sadly. It has been noted in the health industry that over 9 million kids between the ages of 6 and 19 are overweight. We have been warned and encouraged to change, but the numbers are not showing any change for the better.

Even Michelle Obama has jumped on board with her anti-obesity campaign, “Let’s Move”. She even started a garden on the White House lawn and brought in local children to help. All to encourage eating fresh fruits and vegetables. She even gave cooking classes for those kids in the White House kitchen to teach those kids how to use them. An awesome endeavor.

Did you know that one study shows that over 7 million American kids have high cholesterol? Did you know that Type 2 diabetes continues to rise among children. Sleep Apnea, strokes, cancers, even coronary artery disease have been showing up in America’s children. These are suppose to be diseases for old people.

Where have we gone wrong? Many school cafeterias have eliminated the soda, junk food and candy, bringing in healthier foods. Some schools have even banned bringing these items in from home. This is all a step in the right direction, but parents you need to jump on board and help your child to work toward better health.

Lifestyle change is a good place to start. Many of our children get very little exercise. Encourage this, even better, exercise with them. Take a walk together or go swimming at the town pool.

Eating habits need to change. Most kids do not eat nearly enough fruits and vegetables. Teach your child healthy eating habits. Buy fresh foods, not packaged foods.

Portion size does matter. In America we have seemed to super-sized everything. Do a little research and find out what the portion size is for your child.

We need to stop this epidemic of obesity in our children, It needs to start in each of our homes. As parents we need to do our part. Step up and be part of the solution. Help reclaim your child’s health.

The Cost of Obesity

Obesity is on the rise. We see the expanding waistlines all around us. The super-size portions and sedentary lifestyles are leaving their mark on the American population. Many people are slowy eating themselves to death and it is costing the health care system billions.

Obesity is the number two cause of preventable deaths in America. Over 60 million adults are considered obese. The average American is basically 25 pounds over weight. All this extra weight is taking its toll on our health care system.

Obesity is causing a rise in health problems such as diabetes, hypertension, coronary artery disease, strokes, cancer, even sleep apnea. It is not just affecting adults either, over 9 million children are experiencing many of these problems also.

Over $147 billion a year is spent on direct and indirect problems related to obesity. The average American spends $34oo a year on health costs, an obese person closer to $5000. The numbers are staggering. America spends $4.1 billion dollars on hypertension (high blood pressure) a year. We spend $8.8 billion on heart disease, also every year. The real mind blower is that we spend $98 billion a year on diabetes. Insane amounts of money are being spent treating diseases associated with obesity. When will we realize we as individuals must do something about this problem?

This epidemic of obesity must stop. It starts with each individual taking responsibility for themselves. Learn to eat fresh, healthy, balanced diets. Get out there and start exercising, even if it is just slowly. America can not handle this strain we have placed upon our health care system. The cost of obesity is more than our economy can bear. Each of us needs to do our part to make a change.

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