Physical Health / Nutrition
What is a healthy diet? The answer differs greatly depending on who you talk to. Additionally, there are myriad ways of typing people into groups based on blood type or genetic heritage or body type and the list goes on and on. Food also carries with it weighty social issues as well, such as that demonstrated by the various extremes of the animal rights movement and the degree to which they are willing to remove any trace of animal byproducts from their culinary intake. These considerations are beyond the scope of this article, as I am interested only in passing on what I have learned about the foods which seem to provide the most benefit for the creation of energy, the maintenance of a healthy weight, anti-oxidant potential and delivery of essential vitamins, minerals and enzymes.
Through the many health challenges which have confronted me over the last 5-6 years, I have indeed relied heavily on established medical intervention, without which I surely would not here to write this today. The advances in diagnostic and surgical techniques as well as drug therapies have turned previously fatal afflictions into manageable conditions. This however has become the double-edged sword of technology. As medicine has found ways to overcome our most dangerous threats, people are relying too heavily on the instant fixes promised by drugs and doctors and taking less responsibility for their daily health. After all, why should one abstain from a life of excess if its sins can all be magically expunged by the wand of medicine?
Well, besides the cost to society in terms of the soaring medical expense, the potential side effects of medications and the fact that a startling number of deaths occur in hospitals as a result of surgical mistakes, drug interactions and infection, this approach has a profound effect on one’s daily quality of life. As the body slowly grinds to a halt under the increasing burden of fatty foods, toxic fumes and lack of exercise, we have less energy, we are more likely to become depressed, our weight and body image are affected and we age more rapidly. For these and many other reasons, the importance of learning about and consuming healthy foods cannot be overstated. And while there are healthy alternatives in your local grocery store, they are difficult to find and often relegated to a small alcove with limited space to carry sufficient variety. When I realized this, I decided to visit my local ‘health foods store’, presuming that I would soon be overcome with sticker-shock and resigned to settle for what my meager budget would allow. But much to my surprise, not only did I find a cornucopia of new and exciting foods presented in creative ways but after leaving with the ingredients for several healthy meals, I found the total on my receipt was far more reasonable than I had expected.
A company which has all but cornered the market on healthy cuisine is Whole Foods Markets Inc. Their stores can be found all over the country and I visit them wherever I might be traveling. I always find the staff knowledgeable and courteous, the store clean and well organized and the foods fresh and enticing.
In the next installment, I will continue to elaborate on specific areas of your daily fare and how with a little know-how and a few extra minutes in the kitchen, you can create delectable dishes that carry all of the goodness that Nature intended and more flavor than you ever imagined possible.
Through the many health challenges which have confronted me over the last 5-6 years, I have indeed relied heavily on established medical intervention, without which I surely would not here to write this today. The advances in diagnostic and surgical techniques as well as drug therapies have turned previously fatal afflictions into manageable conditions. This however has become the double-edged sword of technology. As medicine has found ways to overcome our most dangerous threats, people are relying too heavily on the instant fixes promised by drugs and doctors and taking less responsibility for their daily health. After all, why should one abstain from a life of excess if its sins can all be magically expunged by the wand of medicine?
Well, besides the cost to society in terms of the soaring medical expense, the potential side effects of medications and the fact that a startling number of deaths occur in hospitals as a result of surgical mistakes, drug interactions and infection, this approach has a profound effect on one’s daily quality of life. As the body slowly grinds to a halt under the increasing burden of fatty foods, toxic fumes and lack of exercise, we have less energy, we are more likely to become depressed, our weight and body image are affected and we age more rapidly. For these and many other reasons, the importance of learning about and consuming healthy foods cannot be overstated. And while there are healthy alternatives in your local grocery store, they are difficult to find and often relegated to a small alcove with limited space to carry sufficient variety. When I realized this, I decided to visit my local ‘health foods store’, presuming that I would soon be overcome with sticker-shock and resigned to settle for what my meager budget would allow. But much to my surprise, not only did I find a cornucopia of new and exciting foods presented in creative ways but after leaving with the ingredients for several healthy meals, I found the total on my receipt was far more reasonable than I had expected.
A company which has all but cornered the market on healthy cuisine is Whole Foods Markets Inc. Their stores can be found all over the country and I visit them wherever I might be traveling. I always find the staff knowledgeable and courteous, the store clean and well organized and the foods fresh and enticing.
In the next installment, I will continue to elaborate on specific areas of your daily fare and how with a little know-how and a few extra minutes in the kitchen, you can create delectable dishes that carry all of the goodness that Nature intended and more flavor than you ever imagined possible.
posted by Mark Reynolds at 12:01 PM
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