Don’t Eat Chemicals

 

According to the American Medical Association and the Mayo Clinic consuming highly or heavily processed foods on a regular basis increases a person's risk of health complications including cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, obesity and Type 2 diabetes and can even lead to death.

 

In my own opinion I believe it causes far worse harm than even that.  Our bodies were never designed to eat this kind of stuff.  We were never supposed to ingest chemicals of any kind and certainly not of this magnitude.  It makes sense to me that by doing so we are altering our own natural chemistry and causing imbalances within our own body’s functioning systems, from the top of our heads all the way down to the soles of our feet.

 

Ultra processed food options tend to contain: 

• Five or more ingredients.
• Added high fructose corn syrup (not found in nature), sugar or artificial sweetener, salts, unhealthy fats & oils, emulsifiers, stabilizers and preservatives.
• Additives that imitate the flavor, color or texture of less processed foods.
• Added vitamins, artificial nutrients, fiber or proteins to replace those lost due to processing.
• Ingredients not found in nature, lab created.

 

Examples of ultra processed foods include: 

• Fatty, sweet, savory or salty packaged snacks – pretzels, chips, candy, cookies, crackers, meat sticks, fruit snacks, etc.
• Lunch meats, pepperoni, salami, deli meats, hot dogs, sausage
• Ice creams, frozen desserts, ice cream cones and toppings.
• Cola, soda and other carbonated soft drinks, flavored sparkling water, energy and sports drinks.
• Canned, packaged, dehydrated and instant soups.
• Pre-prepared packaged meats, fish, vegetable or fruit sides, desserts, breads and buns.
• Readymade meals – frozen or deli pizzas, frozen entrees, refrigerated entrees and sides.
• Sauces and gravies, packaged ramen, boxed macaroni & cheese products, pasta, rice mixes, flavored instant potatoes, packaged stuffing mixes.
• Breakfast cereals, pastries and bars.
• Baking mixes, boxed puddings and flavored gelatins, pancake syrups, jams, jellies, pie fillings, corn syrups, artificial sweeteners, baking chips, imitation vanilla.
• Condiments, bottled salad dressings, marinades, barbecue sauce, ketchup, mayonnaise.
• Sweetened juices or artificial fruit flavored beverages.
• Margarines and spreads, shortening, most vegetable oil blends, non stick cooking sprays
• Infant formulas and drinks.
• Meal replacement shakes and bars.
• Non dairy whipped toppings, coffee creamers, non dairy milk products, flavored yogurts, processed cheese products, cheese spreads, low fat or non fat dairy products, premade dips.

 

Last year I began to really limit the amount of processed and ultra processed food I consume and found I felt a lot better and tended to be more alert.  I had more energy during the day and slept better at night.  Whenever I did allow myself to indulge in something processed it left me feeling sick and sluggish.

 

I am much more aware of what I am buying.  I seek out better quality cuts of meat, fish and poultry and better more wholesome dairy products.  I read labels and select items based on what is listed.  The fewer, the better.  If I don’t know what an item is I will pass on it altogether.  I enjoy the bulk of my produce fresh or frozen.  I make my own condiments, yogurt, cereal, soups, breads and desserts so I know exactly what is in them.  In a nutshell I literally do my own processing.

 

I recognize I am aging and there is nothing I can do about that.  But what I can do is control how well I age and that will enhance my quality of life.