Diet Related Chronic Diseases

Last week my post  "Obesity And The Dietary Guidelines For Americans 2010", I spoke of Diet Related Chronic Diseases and listed 2 of the 5 that are most prevalent.   I also expressed how important it is that we as Americans become educated in regards to detrimental eating behaviors in order that we take the responsibility as individuals to enhance our Nations health and the health of future generations

American Home's And Insufficiency

The nutritional recommendations for  individuals by the Dietary Guidelines additionally understands that currently almost 15 % of American homes are actually not to be able to obtain sufficient food  to satisfy their particular requirements basically because of limited finances. This nutritional guidance will help them increase the dietary and nutritional content for the necessary foods even with their financial  resource difficulties.  A number of other's do not really eat  the ideal  amount  of specified nutrients, despite the fact that they've sufficient means to achieve a  healthy diet and lifestyle. The dietary information and guidelines might help these individuals select a  balanced and  nutritionally healthy and acceptable diet program by following The Dietary Guidelines For Americans 2010.

Consequently because  of  the changes in the way the majority of us eat as well as the way we live, numerous chronic diseases are actually progressively affecting Americans so adversely that "Diet-related chronic disease, including obesity, is a defining public health issue of our time."  says Margaret A. Hamburg, M.D., Commissioner of Food and Drugs.  Certainly, diet-related chronic diseases  including obesity,  diabetes, coronary disease, cancer, and osteoporosis, are the most prevalent illnesses which have increased over the past years and the major cause of death in America as well as other countries.  These chronic disease have additionally  caused a great financial  toll on our society and the communities in which we live.

Chronic Diseases Are Preventable

Below you will find the list of the final 3 chronic diseases that have placed the heaviest toll on  American lives and the  society in which we live.  Please take the time to read the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010 as it could help save your life or the life of a loved one, and at the very least, the Guidelines have been designed to give you recommendations that will assist  in developing  healthier alternatives as it relates to diet, nutrition and physical exercise.  Diet plus a lifestyle of inactivity, plays a major role in chronic diseases and  although most chronic diseases are long- term, they are preventable.  Making improvements in terms of diet and exercise can help reduce the risk of these chronic diseases.  It is a choice and it is all up to you to make necessary changes that will have a determining factor on the quality of your health as well as the health of your children.  Here are the final 3 of the most detrimental chronic diseases.

The Heavy Toll Of Diet- Related Diseases

Diabetes
• Nearly 24 million people—almost 11 percent of the population—ages 20 years and older have diabetes. The vast majority of cases are type 2 diabetes, which is heavily influenced by diet and physical activity.
• About 78 million Americans—35 percent of the U.S. adult population ages 20 years or older—have pre-diabetes. Pre-diabetes (also called impaired glucose tolerance or impaired fasting glucose) means that blood glucose levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be called diabetes.

Cancer
• Almost one in two men and women—approximately-41 percent of the population—will be diagnosed with cancer during their lifetime.
• Dietary factors are associated with risk of some types of cancer, including breast (post-menopausal), endometrial, colon, kidney, mouth, pharynx, larynx, and esophagus.

Osteoporosis
• One out of every two women and one in four men ages 50 years and older will have an 20 osteoporosis-related fracture in their lifetime.
• About 85 to 90 percent of adult bone mass is acquired by the age of 18 in girls and the age of 20 in boys. Adequate nutrition and regular participation in physical activity are important factors in achieving and maintaining optimal bone mass

The new guidelines stress the need for the consumption of a nutrient-dense diet, as well as  sustaining an ideal calorie intake and exercising regularly.  These recommendations and guidelines have  been created in order to help promote wellness and health, prevent long-term and chronic diseases and debilitating and serious health issues along with minimizing the threat of the current obesity epidemic.

We Can Stop THe Obesity Epidemic

We can stop the obesity epidemic as well as take the necessary measures to prevent those chronic diseases which are caused by poor eating habits and inactivity. We as Americans can become a healthier Nation again. but starts with each of us being more aware, seeking out the knowledge and taking action.  If we do not, obesity and chronic diseases will continue to take a devastating  toll on our lives, as well as our children's lives and the generations to come.

Related articles

• The 2010 Dietary Guidelines: What's Changed? (fyiliving.com)
• Dietary Guidelines for a Fresh Start (foodfromthegarden.wordpress.com)
• Eat Healthy and Enjoy Life (thistimethisspace.com)

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Azar Colter

azar.colter1@gmail.com

Skype:azar.colter

Weight Loss Success!  Glenda's Story

A few months ago, I read a story about a woman who had achieved something so incredible, I could not help but to read her story over and over again.  Each time I read it, my profound admiration for her and her phenomenal weight loss success as well as her journey, grew and grew.  If you look in the dictionary for the word "Success", Glenda's picture should be there.  This is a story about a woman who weighed  340 pounds.  She had not been able to tie her own shoes or even see her own feet in over 15 years… but she lost 197 pounds!  She says in her unbelievable story

"I was trapped in a body weighing in over 340 pounds and was ashamed of the fact that I had not been able to reach my feet for 15 years. I felt that God did not give me bones and joints to carry that amount of weight as a person 5'5" with a small frame.  My lifelong relationship with food, lifestyle choices and decisions dealing with life, heartache and disappointment brought me to where I was in January of 2008".

I wanted to put this story on my blog when I first read it, but because of computer problems, I never had a chance to bookmark it. Yesterday morning, I was reading an article "Dare to Walk 20 Minutes A Day" on the LiveSTRONG site and there she was…Glenda, holding up a pair of sweat pants that were three sizes larger than her tiny frame, which she once wore with no room to spare.  Now I could go on and on about this amazing weight loss story, but I will let you read it for yourself….and be inspired!

(Click on Inspiration And Motivation tab above to read this incredible story!)

Gluttony In America

Gluttony is defined by the dictionary as excessive eating and drinking".  However, metaphorically speaking, just about anything one does excessively is gluttonous.  Gluttony is all about excess, and in America, we  know all too well about  excess.  It was documented just 2 years ago, the typical American ingested over 200 pounds of meat annually, and that equates to more than 1/2 pound of some type of meat, each and every  day, 365 days a year. 

Food consumption habits have harmed our overall health and wellness but even more disturbing, our deplorable eating habits have drastically affected the health  of our kids for far too many years.  As  the majority of you  may already know, the obesity crisis is the #1 health topic these days due to the fact that obesity in America continues to grow out of control. Two out of every three adults are both overweight or obese. However, the worse part is, one out of every three youngsters fall into the same category, either severely overweight or obese.

What Have We Been Teaching Our Children?

We have actually been teaching our children the exact same detrimental eating habits and in the end, it is going to be our children who will truly suffer and  become sicker than we are already, they don't deserve it.  Here is another alarming fact for you to chew on. Over the past 40 years, obesity rates in America have escalated by 659%.  Can you wrap your head around that fact.?  It is almost incomprehensible

Super Sized And Sick

As a nation we are living in a fast food, microwave generation.  Americans eat so much more away from home today than at anytime in our country's history and it just gets worse.  Most restaurant food is far  less healthy for us compared to what we eat at home (sometimes).  On top of that, the portion sizes in most restaurants are gigantic and, for a few pennies more, your already humongous sized meals can be "Super Sized.   We have evolved into a nation of "Sick, Super Sized" people.

Economic Backlash

But gluttony is not just about the excessive, overwhelmingly massive amounts of food  we as Americans consume on a daily basis.  The economic backlash of obesity  is devastating. The high financial cost of obesity in America is at an  all time high.  Alarmingly, research shows that in America alone, obesity related illnesses claim over 850 lives a day and over 300,000 lives each year.  More than half our nation's population are well over their recommended weight  and qualify as obese.  Pediatric diabetes is fast approaching epidemic rates.  Do you know that the The United States spent $75.1 billion last year on medical expenses, such as drugs, doctor visits and hospitalizations, related to obesity according to a study published in the journal of Obesity Research. So what is the core cause?

Gluttony Is A Sin

America is a nation of gluttonous people and not only is it shameful, gluttony is a deadly sin, just like envy, greed, anger, sloth, etc.   Way back in the day, the early Christian monk Evagrius created a list which included "8 impure thoughts" but his list was later revised under Pope Gregory I to the "7 deadly sins".  During that era, a sin was only a "deadly sin" if it was in direct opposition  to one's love of God.  For instance, during those days, if you ate more than you needed, it was an excusable sin.  It only became "deadly when you so over indulged and ate so much just for the pleasure of eating, that it turned the individual away from spiritual instruction.  Back then, it you were considered  gluttonous. you were stoned to death.

Today, we not only turn a blind eye towards celebrities,  politicians and preachers  who publicly exhibit gluttonous behavior, but even worse, we applaud and embrace them.  So when we become obese or incur too many speeding tickets, or gamble away our lives savings putting our families in jeopardy or get caught in adultery, destroying the family,or beat our spouses or allow our children to eat what they want, when they want And always "Super Size" their meals……it has become simply… "The American Way".  Shame on us and sadly, shame on me.   

Why I'm Ranting

Why am I ranting? Because I'm fat, borderline obese and I'm pissed!   I recently started my own weight loss program and never having the need for a scale before, I just went out and bought one. (I promise I will tell you how much it says I weigh, but just keep in mind, like my friend Kris told me, scales are evil and they lie..smile).

During my research on how to correct my own weight gain, I have  come to truly understand the profound implications of what it  really means when I hear and read the word "obese".   So if you are overweight (like me) or even obese, or worse, you child is, I hope this video will help to motivate you into action…. Oh yeah, 216 lbs!  Oh Crap!

Azar Colter

Related articles

• My Experience with the American Idol! (http://craigsturm.wordpress.com/2011/03/02/my-experience-with-the-american-idol/)
• An End to the Age of Gluttony (http://www.robertringer.com/gluttony.html)
• THE HIGH PRICE OF AMERICA'S GLUTTONY (http://www.newswithviews.com/Devvy/kidd15.htm )