Food Matters

I was on facebook yesterday evening and read a post from one of Bubby's older brothers. He had commented about a documentary I saw parts of a few weeks ago. The film is called "Food Matters". All in all I will say that it is a great flick that inspires healthy eating behaviors and taking your health and nutrition into your own hands. Yay for pushing people to become good consumers! The only thing that I would suggest that people remember as they watch this, or any really amazing documentary, is they all have a purpose and an idea that they are also pushing onto viewers.

I do however believe that for the most part, these professionals are pushing health. And what could be better to push that real health?!? Nothing! At least in my mind, even pushing people to wear shoes with excellent arch support are decent. I mean, let's get real, fortunately enough those people aren't pushing calorie concentrated carbohydrate crap in our face like the McDonalds commercials or Burger King, and if you are Texan, Whataburger. Not to say that there is no place in a diet for these delicious treats, but they should be just that: TREATS. Treats are something you eat on occasion, not every week, and certainly not everyday. I am a Public Health major and not to sound crazy but shouldn't we care about our bodies and our health enough to take responsibility for the way our decisions about, food, exercise, sleep, stress, pills, sunscreen, seatbelt use, cleaning products, and other choices affect our quality of life and our health? Watch this short commercial and you will see a little bit about what I mean. The parts I agree with.





So what do we learn? We can do things to change our health for the better! We can make those small and sustainable changes that can allow our bodies to heal themselves and to PREVENT disease before it starts. What a great question they pose: What would happen if everyone were suddenly to start taking care of themselves? We would have an "epidemic" (above average incidence and prevalence) of health.

I do disagree with some of their points, and advise people to be careful because you can have toxic levels of vitamins in your body which can lead to serious problems. Hypervitaminosis A (too much vitamin A) is easy to come by when individuals are taking vitamin supplements above the RDA or megadoses, can cause accumulation of water in the brain, vomiting, tiredness, constipation, bone pain, and mild head aches. A megadose of Vitamin D is even more dangerous causing nausea, vomiting, joint pain, loss of appetite, and if taken for a long time can result in irreversible deposits of calcium crystals in the soft tissues of the body which can damage the heart, lungs and kidneys. Some of the physicians and professionals in this documentary claim that Vitamin C megadoses can protect against cancer, but there have also been studies that show megadoses of Vitamin C may cause cancer. The vitamin supplements and megadoses is the only thing that I can really fight them on. The truth is that in the nutrition world it is accepted and acknowledged that people need vitamins, but that most adult persons in the U.S. are able to receive all of the needed vitamins and minerals and "nutrients" from the food that they eat, if they eat a well balanced diet, and therefore have no need for supplements. With the only real exception being folic acid supplements, for healthy individuals there is no connection between taking vitamin supplements and good health.



The point is that I agree with their overall idea: As Americans, As people we need to eat healthy and take responsibility for our health choices. Eating more fruits and vegetables. Leaving the boxed macaroni and cheese or the deep fried chicken, for some brown rice and baked chicken. Swapping the 3 doughnuts for a fruit bar. Adding more beans to the diet, or adding a quick snack for breakfast. Simply eating breakfast has been shown to decrease risk of obesity in children and adults and to help treat obesity. I challenge you to make a small change today.

Be aware. Be critical. Be observing. Research what you learn. Research both sides. Find out what YOU believe and what YOU want for YOUR BODY and YOUR HEALTH.