Excuses Excuses
Especially here in the United States, we are incredibly fortunate to have an abundance of food AND choice. Imagine what it was like 200, 1,000 or even 5,000 years ago where the vast majority of time humans spent was committed to finding enough food to eat. So, even with today’s glut of dangerous foods, getting enough healthy, clean food to eat is still incredibly easier today than ever before.
Even with this historical perspective, it can be easy to imagine that the decks are stacked against me. There are challenges. So, let’s bring the challenges into the light, then click on THE RESPONSE for tips on overcoming them.
Temptations & Challenges–How it’s not my fault
THE RESPONSE
- Food companies hire scientists who work very hard to find the most addictive combination in the processed foods they develop.
- Grocery stores tempt us with around 40,000 processed foods every time we walk through the store.
- GMOs are now present in 75 to 80 percent of conventional processed food in the U.S., according to the Grocery Manufacturers Association. (more)
- Recent research has shown that refined sugar is more addictive than cocaine.
It’s my body’s fault
THE RESPONSE
- My genetic code is designed to pack in calories when available. That’s from the time when survival was difficult and humans feasted in order to survive times of famine.
- As my body heals, I might temporarily feel more uncomfortable.
Denial–I Eat Fine
THE RESPONSE
- Then there’s always denial. It’s a mighty powerful force, “I don’t need to worry about this, what I eat is fine,” It is the “I-Eat-Well-Enough-Syndrome”.
Blame Others
THE RESPONSE
- Others around me might not want to change.
- I live in a food desert. There is no fresh food nearby.
The Unknown
THE RESPONSE
- Will changing food habits take more time?
- What if changing food habits costs more money?
Second Helping
Here Morley Safer on 60 Minutes talks to the scientists who now run the kitchens and how they make foods addictive. Pay attention to the way they leave us on the cusp of being satisfied.
Pulitzer Prize winning reporter, Michael Moss, investigates the processed food industry and why they are so successful at what they do.
Side Dish
Have Fun! May the Force of the farm be with me as I resist temptation and sloth!
Rave Review
For most of my life, when I woke up, I desperately needed to eat—right away! I was hungry the instant I opened my eyes. Now that I’ve changed my eating to clean, nutritious foods, I don’t need to eat right away. I feel AWAKE when I wake up and have plenty of energy to start my day. LOVE IT!