Found an interesting article about why we crave (insert favorite fast food joint here) French fries. The article says we are craving the fats because so much attention has been focused on the fat free way of life. Low fat diets are in a word, horrible. Suffice it to say that we have created monsters in the healthcare industry by telling folks not to eat sugar, and not to eat fat.
Essentially, we have taught people that it is ok to eat sugar substitutes that are processed (or, not depending on who you listen to), as up to 10 times sweeter than actual sugar. This creates an absolute nightmare for the body. Guess what that does boys and girls. It not only wrecks your metabolism, it makes you crave the sweetness. Everything now must be super sweet for you to get your cravings satisfied. This leads to weight gain and diabetes.
As for the fat restriction, you need essential fatty acids; that is why they are called essential fatty acids. These fats are the good fats, found in foods like flaxseed, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, Brazil nuts, sesame seeds, avocados, some dark leafy green vegetables (kale, spinach, mustard greens, collards, etc.), canola oil (cold-pressed and unrefined), soybean oil, wheat germ oil, salmon, mackerel, sardines, anchovies, albacore tuna, and others.
When the USDA came out and started touting low fat diets the fad took off, and suddenly everyone was restricting fats of all sorts. No fat and reduced fat labels started showing up on everything from salad dressing to crackers. Sadly, a deficiency in Omega 3’s (one of the good fats) can lead to decreased memory and mental abilities, tingling sensation of the nerves, poor vision, increased tendency to form blood clots, diminished immune function, increased triglycerides and "bad" cholesterol (LDL) levels, impaired cellular membrane function, hypertension, irregular heart beat, learning disorders, menopausal discomfort, and growth retardation in infants and children. This is not a joke; we have all seen an increase in these things. How many of your friends and family members have come home from the doctors describing these things to you? “The doctor says I have high blood pressure and wants me to take _______.” Or, “The doctor says I have high cholesterol and I need to ___________.”
Why in the heck am I telling you this? Because, when we are deficient in the good fats, suddenly French fries sound like a super smart choice, your body is craving the essential fatty acids and unfortunately French fries are laden with the bad fats. Not to mention the burger and soda that inevitably goes along with that choice.
Do yourself a favor, start making the right choices. Don’t just jump on the next fad, get active and make chiropractic a part of your healthy lifestyle. As your local chiropractor, I can help design a way of life that will help you to get active, make proper choices and improve your well being. Call (678) 825-4448 today to schedule your complementary consultation.
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