People will say anything to justify being overweight!

People will say anything to justify being overweight but it’s all about science, as the researches find!!! Do we care? In case we do; never complain, that we didn’t know!

Highly refined carbohydrates and an unbelievable number of food additives have been linked to powerful chemical reactions in the body and brain, inducing obesity at rapid and alarming rates. Eighty per cent of our diet should be from foods that create alkalinity in our body, such as fruits and vegetables. We need just remaining 20 per cent of foods that create acidity, such as nuts, seeds, wholegrain and animal foods like dairy and meat.

We follow guided diet programs quite a lot these days, where they say we must eat this much of calorie a day or that much of carbohydrate a day. Just eat whatever, as long as we maintain the recommended quality, is it?  A 100-calorie apple is not the same as eating a 100-calorie snack pack. Calories don’t take into account the nutrient quality or the metabolic function of foods. The apple alkalizes, cleanses and nourishes, with multiple nutrients. The snack pack contains enriched flour, refined sugar, hydrogenated oils (contains Trans fat) and other additives but few nutrients. In fact, it robs the body of nutrients as it tries to digest it, creates acidity and leaves us feeling hungry an hour later.

Also, while healthy fats such as avocado, nuts and coconut oil have high calorie counts, they increase our liver’s ability to burn fat more effectively. And legumes contain a type of starch that helps the body burn 20 to 25 per cent more fat when included on a daily basis.  A 2001 Harvard study had found that refined foods such as crisps and chips activate fat storage mechanisms in the body, while whole foods such as whole milk, avocados and nuts activate fat-burning mechanisms – that’s despite the fact the number of calories from the two food types are the same.

Monosodium glutamate (MSG), found in frozen dinners, canned foods, seasoning mixes, salad dressings, condiments, snack foods and especially in fat-free and sugar-free products, trebles the amount of insulin the body creates. This high amount of insulin turns on fat-storing mechanisms, inducing obesity in a very short amount of time.

Now the million dollar question - So what should we be eating? Eating foods c losest to their natural form c is the true path to our sustained health. We are so far removed from these foods now that we call them health foods. But if whole foods in their natural form are health foods, then what should we call other foods? Disease foods? Eating such foods is also the best way to naturally eliminate toxic substances from our bodies. Foods rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants help break down toxic substances in the body, such as environmental pollution, and flush them out.

Apples are very cleansing. They are high in fibre and these latches on to the toxic substances and transport them out through the bowel. Vitamin C is a great antioxidant, which is why we should start the day with water and lemon juice.

And if we want to look after our liver, look to the cabbage family. ‘Broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts have sulphur compounds which are powerful at breaking down toxic substances in the liver.