If this doesn't scare the
@$#% out of you and make you want to change your life habits for good, I don't
know what will.
Educating myself on the
benefits of healthy eating and the dangers of chemicals/poisons (as poison is
defined as a substance that, when absorbed by the body, causes death or
injury...injuries like migraines, thyroid problems, etc) in processed foods has
really helped me stay on track with so many lifestyle changes that I've been
making in the past 9 months. However, I still crave processed snacks and sodas, and sometimes - mainly when when I'm
lazy/tired, I give in.
We're only human, so it's
about finding a balance and doing what's best for yourself and your family. If
you're going to eat something - at least be aware of what is in it. Usually if
I look up ingredients in a product I want to purchase, I end up putting it back
on the shelf (and that craving goes away real quick!) For example, I used to snack on
Applesauce and Gluten & Dairy Free pudding... until I researched the ingredients and
discovered that most of the ingredients were chemically processed, and linked
to cancer and weight gain in humans.
Recently, autism and
environmental health experts have called for for greater scrutiny of chemicalsfound in the environment, which could
potentially lead to autism, ADHD and other neurodevelopmental disorders. Their
studies have found that autism spectrum disorders are being diagnosed at unprecedented rates, partly because of improved diagnostic tools and criteria, but also a host of other
factors including what mothers-to-be are exposed and consequently their unborn
children too.
Basically everything that
is processed has chemicals in it that makes it hard for your body to process
and get out of your system. This is especially true for the fetus and growing
children (for the love of God please don't
feed your kids fast food.). Moreover, many children with autism spectrum disorders have
abnormal immune responses. The chemical messengers in the immune system
interact with the receptors in the brain, so chemicals that affect immunity
could also be implicated in autism. This is also true of thyroid disorders. I
had a cyst on my thyroid and had to have surgery to remove the right lobe of my
thyroid in 2009 - I would credit the cyst to my years of eating processed
foods, as it's difficult for the thyroid to process it.
Be aware that mood
swings, kid's temper tantrums, fatigue, headaches, hair loss, depression, etc can all be traced back to additives in processed foods. But instead of telling us to eat healthy and
organic - doctors just throw more chemicals/"medicine" at us to
counterbalance the other chemicals in our body that are making us sick. For
years I felt fatigued and depressed, along with a plethora of other symptoms... doctors offered me ADD medicine and
antidepressants. But I didn't want to become a prescription zombie. Instead, I
gave up processed foods and just a couple months after I did - those mood
swings and symptoms ALL WENT AWAY. I encourage you to give up processed foods
in placement of medicine and see what good things happen to your body.
Of course not everything
can be blamed on processed foods. There are genetic disorders, air pollution
and pesticides in the ground that are hard to avoid. But do the best you can,
that is all we can do. Stay educated and be aware of what you put into your
body and your family's body. Make gradual changes so you can be healthy for a
lifetime. Be aware of the products your family uses, and take the time to cook your own food and snick snacks at home. By doing this, you can, quite
literally, stop poisoning yourself.
- Stephanie
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