Are you one of the millions of Americans eating fast foods daily? If so, you are not alone. The convenience of drive-up windows, all night fast food restaurants, and super-sized portions have literally reshaped the way we look and how we feed our families. The price of a fast food lifestyle contributes to our growing epidemic health problems such as weight gain, high cholesterol, diabetes, and heart disease. 

 

By the way, eating those fast food meals can increase your risk of developing heartburn and acid. It’s no wonder that every day millions of Americans reach for their favorite over-the-counter antacids products to address these nagging symptoms.

 

Eating a whole food diet can turn around many of the above health problems. Nature created fruits and vegetables that contain thousands of nutritional goodies called phytochemicals. Our body’s genes understand how to safely use these food chemicals for energy. A diet rich in whole foods can provide all the vitamins, minerals, and enzymes one needs for good health. Additionally, many fruits and vegetables provide adequate fiber, while fermented foods like yogurt provide beneficial gut microorganisms called probiotics.

 

Whenever we drink a glass of processed orange juice, key nutrients like natural fiber, calcium, and other phytochemicals are removed from the orange. Instead, food manufacturers must add synthetic vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients back in to fortify processed foods. Our body doesn’t process synthetic vitamins or minerals in the same way as naturally contained in whole foods.

 

In the accompanying video, you will learn how our processed foods get made using genetically modified sources and all kinds of chemicals added just to make something look and taste good. This manufacturing process can lead to various health problems from allergies, ADHD, migraines, infertility, and depression, as well as those chronic diseases mentioned earlier.

 

So what can you eat?  Whole grains, in season fresh fruits and vegetables, wild fish, hormone and antibiotic free dairy and meat products are great places to start. A rule of thumb when shopping – become a perimeter shopper. Most of the processed foods are found in center the aisles. 

 

Read the food labels carefully. If the first four ingredients have hydrogenated fats, high fructose corn syrup, or you are unable to understand what the ingredient is, leave it on the shelf. Select foods made from whole food ingredients.

 

Many websites are available to gather delicious recipes for making meals and snacks using whole foods in 30 minutes or less. The more often you make your own lunch from whole foods, the better you will feel at work since nature made a perfect nutritional supplement within whole food. 

 

Think of processed foods as a drug formula – all the chemicals added affect our bodies differently. Make a difference in your health by eating whole foods. 

 

Just in case you need some help with nutrients missing from your diet, please consider some of these products below to help with digestion, inflammation, and heart health.