Our Diets....

[Sparkle]

Why is it that we eat the way we do?

If you take a good look at the North American Diet, do you suppose that God wants us to eat all that junk that has no nutritional value?

What do you think?

 

[retooferab]

The typical North American diet is... oh, I don't know, could we say... E-VIL? It's temptation by, oh, who could it be? I don't know... Could it be... SATAN !?!?

*doing the superior dance*

Above answer courtesy of Saturday Night Live. Seriously, I do NOT suppose God wants us to eat all that junk!

 

[Sparkle]

Then why do we?

 

[Sling of David]

It is unfortunate that Americans are motivated simply by TASTE and not by HEALTH. Our pampered and spoiled taste buds are the cause behind a great number of illnesses that are easily preventible by dietary alterations.

 

[Jenna]

I think that some of it is taste, and some of it is habit. Once something becomes habit, it is very easy for them to work into food addictions. Our entire lifestyle is different from that of society scant years ago. I think that THAT has the most effect on what we eat, not the taste.

 

[retooferab]

Why: Immediate gratification... certainly not Bible-based. I was only half-joking about the satan reference above. Actually, not joking at all, just having fun.

 

[Sparkle]

hmmm. So my love of chocolate comes from satan? *lol*

I guess I should sort of get to my other point....

Does anyone wonder why on earth our leaders let this food with no nutrition be sold to us? Especially when we know our diets usually lead to disease!


hmmmm....just something to ponder

 

[Jenna]

I'd be real upset if somebody decided that it was their business to save me from myself by regulating my donut and fast food intake. I can eat healthy food if I like, and I can eat junk if I like. And, that is just the way I like it. *laughs* I'd like it to stay my choice.

 

[Oblivious]

Does anyone wonder why on earth our leaders let this food with no nutrition be sold to us? Especially when we know our diets usually lead to disease!

Sorry, but I don't think we need the government telling us what we can or cannot eat. There's alot of food out there with no nutrition. So? Should the government ban chocolate? Our close down McDonalds?

People need to use common sense when it comes to what the eat and the proportions of what the eat. It's that simple.

 

[Tami]

I don't think that God wants us to eat all kinds of junkfood. I'm sure he wants us to eat something more than the typical fast food diet and Little Debbies. Lately, even though it's none of my business, I've been nonchalantly checking out what's in other people's carts at the grocery stores and I cannot believe how many people buy so much junk food. Their carts are full of processed foods where all you have to do is add water or microwave it and plenty of Little Debbies and Twinkies for the kids. And many times when I've seen people with carts full of that stuff and they've had their children with them, the children have usually been overweight and I'm sure it's because of the garbage that is in the grocery cart. It's terrible what we are doing to our kids. I know we all want our children to be happy but we really need to find other ways to make them happy besisdes giving them their fill of junk food. I don't think it's wrong to eat junk food occasionally but to make it a regular part of your diet is just not healthy and I'm sure it's not what God wants for us.

 

[retooferab]

Sparkle: Keep developing these thoughts.

It IS crazy and short-sighted, isn't it? I think the answer to most of these questions for why we do things the way we are is (are you ready?)... follow the dollars. That's what motivates most. For example, we had a representative interviewed recently about the pop (soda) machines in his district's schools. He said it: no matter the health impact, they are there for the income! Unbelievable!! But yet... believable.

Politically speaking, I can't say I want the government determining what I do, eat, etc. Still, it would be nice if we could trust them to just provide honest information, wouldn't it?

 

[Jenna]

*nods* It would be groovy to have nutritional information that was truthful and complete. It's sad how much folks can fib about concerning the quality of our foods, and we wouldn't even be in the know.

 

[Sparkle]

Yep it is sad.

My point was not to get our food governed, because that would not solve anything only make it worse - because if you look at what the government tells is nutritious you will soon see it as a lie.

My point is, just because it is on the shelves or endorsed by a 'leading authority' doesn't mean it is good for you. That applies to food and medicine.

Another little tid bit of information. We are the only continent [North America] that drinks milk non stop. Yet we have the highest occurance of calcium deficiency diseases. [osteoporosis, bone fracture, arthritis, tooth decay etc.]

 

[Jenna]

*nods* That's why I love my greens. Then again, I also take calcium and magnesium suppliments for leg cramps... lol

I have to say, that was one of my huge problems. I was raised as a milk-aholic. We ate lots of cereal in the morning, swimming in a big bowl of milk. We had large glasses at lunch, and at dinner. We might as well have owned a cow. Since I've cut carbs though, out goes the milk. I don't mind though since I"m not drinking my calories. lol
Still, it's a hard habit to break.

 

[Sparkle]

I hear ya! I missed it when I cut out milk, I think it is like a comfort food or something. I was eating cookies just the other day, and boy I wanted a glass of cold milk. UGH - it had been almost 5 years since I drank milk!

What kind of greens are you taking?

 

[Tami]

Another little tid bit of information. We are the only continent [North America] that drinks milk non stop. Yet we have the highest occurance of calcium deficiency diseases. [osteoporosis, bone fracture, arthritis, tooth decay etc.]

I don't know if any of you watch Dr. Becker on "Your Health" but I saw on his show that you need to take magnesium with your calcium if you want to absorb it. You can drink gallons of milk till you're blue in the face but if you don't have the magnesium to help absorb the calcium in it, it won't do you a bit of good.

 

[Sparkle]

Yeah, from my research lately I have found that magnesium seems to be more important than calcium .... hmmm what we aren't told! Isn't it odd that we have to find this stuff out on our own accord?

Anyway, my son is almost 5 and doesn't drink milk. He doesn't need it.

 

[Jenna]

They say that vegetables such as kale, collard and turnip greens, and spring green are the best for calcium. It's the dark green leafy veggies that they tout as being the most helpful.

My daughter is going to be 3 this week, and I have the hardest time with her and the milk. Of course, some of it stems from the fact that I have a constant struggle with food concerns and the people that I live with. If I choose to not give her cups of milk, then someone else does it behind my back. Shoot, they even give her all sorts of junk food and cookies in the morning, even though I've said 'no' on numerous occasions. My opinion doesn't count much here, so I wonder how difficult it might be to ween my daughter off the obscene amounts of milk that she drinks right now.

 

[Sparkle]

Probably not too hard....you just stop giving it to her when the chance presents itself. Maybe you make her wear a sign that says,

"I know I'm cute, but please don't feed me! That is my mom's job."

I have often struggled with that myself. Sometime you just have to put your foot down and lay down the rules. She is after all your daughter.

 

[Beastt]

One might be tempted to believe that the fifth commandment could have an impact on our food choices. Of course, there are ways out of believing anything we don't wish to believe and this is no exception.