You are what you eat

So I enjoy junk food as much as the next person, but lately I have been educating myself on how terrible this kind of food is for our bodies. The truth is, most of the junk food we eat is not even real food. Most of the food we eat that we believe to be healthy is not real food. Now I know you have flipped that cookie or snack box over and looked at the nutrition facts. Wander down to the ingredient list next time you're looking and check out whats in the food you are eating. Can't understand or even pronounce some of the ingredients? Yep, its probably processed, fake food. Even though we may believe we are eating healthy food based on the calorie and fat information the truth is, our bodies don't really recognize and understand how to process this fake food. It can cause you to feel a lack of energy, to gain weight, have digestion problems, headaches, and even more. That's scary to me! I first hand know how maintaining a healthy diet and healthy lifestyle can affect your emotional and mental health based on the patients that I see and from my own experiences. What we put into our bodies truly affects all aspects of our lives.

Pay attention to what you put into your mouth and how it affects you. I will suggest that you eat foods that are healthy and give your body and mind the nutrition it needs. Fruits and vegetables are always a great snack or addition to a meal, and can really taste good. Why eat strawberry flavored candy instead of a real, juicy, cold strawberry? Mmmm- so good! I personally feel that organic foods have a lot of benefits-- including not containing toxic chemicals that many farmers use and they just taste better (to me). Eating protein is great for your body and fills you up quicker. Notice how you can eat something processed and fattening like a doughnut and are still hungry shortly after? That's because it's probably not real food that your body can benefit from. Pay attention to when you eat something with protein, such as peanut butter or nuts, and how quickly it fills you up. When eating meat choose lean meats that do not contain as much fat. We all know what happens if we eat too much fat. We get fat. Same with sugar, sugar can turn into fat.

It's easy to give advice on how to eat and live your life, but I know how difficult it can be. It is not possible to always eat organic food or lean meat, but by being aware of the difference and making the choice to eat these healthier foods when available can over time benefit you in great ways. I don't advocate for ever cutting something out of your life completely, because it will only make you want it more. Moderation is key here. I just want to make others aware of how America is turning into this unhealthy society based on the huge amount of terrible foods that we are eating. We all know the scary statistics about overweight Americans. As a society, we are getting bigger and bigger. The food we eat directly affects this. Change your diet for one week and I promise you will be able to tell a huge difference. You will probably end up eating less because what you are eating fills you up, and you may have other health benefits like an increase in energy because of the vitamins you are taking in. I want to live a long and healthy life and I really think diet is a huge factor in this happening for me. I want the same for you-- my friends and family, so I want you to do the same and take care of yourself by eating wisely!