Why Americans Keep Getting Fatter

re: Why Americans Keep Getting Fatter

Ruth E. — Sun, 15 Jul 2007 15:01:08 GMT

On the surface, of course, sweets do it. The more sinister underlying reason is that so many are unsuccessfully battling with Candida Albicans, setting up cravings that become more and more difficult to overcome. The more Candida, the more junk food we crave. Let's stop hiding the facts and face them. We aren't out of control maniacs, just overrun with an insatiable organism that DEMANDS our compliance and our diet fit it's needs.
More help is needed from the medical community, and from natural healing sites like this one.
ruth

re: Why Americans Keep Getting Fatter

Nat — Sun, 15 Jul 2007 00:20:36 GMT

I don't know about the United States but in Australia the Department of Nutrition and Diatetics in our Universities was established by the food industry, in order to maintain control over food supply in hospitals. Our qualified nutritionists and dieticians are tainted with bad advice in the hallowed halls of academia. The Professor, formerly in charge of this department in my city said, " Everything in moderation is okay" and "There is no such thing as junk food." You really can't believe much of what these people tell you. That's why sites like this one are so important. Refined sugar is poison, that depletes your immune system and prevents it from working effectively.

re: Why Americans Keep Getting Fatter

Dr. Natalie — Sat, 14 Jul 2007 19:26:01 GMT

And we can't forget about the fact that MSG is in EVERYTHING now. It makes you want to keep eating-so people eat larger portions than they should. Also it makes fake/chemical/non-nutrient food actually taste good(some think) so people eat food that is very bad for them, that wouldn't taste good enough to eat without it.

Another thing affecting us is plastics and the xenohormones they release. These are estrogen-like hormones and this messes with our hormone regulatory system. Cooking, especially microwaving, food in plastic bowls leaches these xeno hormones into your food. (I recommend throwing your microwave out for MANY reasons. It also kills and/or denatures the vitamins and amino acids/proteins in your food-basically rendering it useless and maybe even harmful to your body. Also, it changes the structure of the water molecules in the food-also damaging and disrupting the energy of the water. See Dr. Emoto's Hidden Messages in Water-look at the microwaved water molecules. Kinda looks like the water molecules that the word 'satan' was programmed into.)

Also, taking emotions into effect, people don't feel safe and secure, and don't love themselves enough. We put on weight as protection. Cortisol causes weight gain in your mid-section-also a protection mechanism. Cortisol is released when we are stressed, as is most of society today.

re: Why Americans Keep Getting Fatter

curious7 — Sat, 14 Jul 2007 17:08:49 GMT

Again we as Americans consume too much "Factory" food, which is of very low nutritional value. Therefore those biological signals, that turn off your appetite are not sent until we have gorged ourselves on what is really a great number of dead calories. Thus we are eating more to try to achieve a level of nutrition our bodies craves.

Since we have paved over most of our farmland in the last 35 years we as Americans are now hard pressed to find good nutritional food. Yes we import, but the longer the time from earth, tree, or vine the more the nutritional value of the food we consume deminishes.

Eating more food makes us less healthy, but the bottom line of the processed food producers very black. The FDA will dispute this and there are many nay sayers who will do the same. So try changing the way you eat and see for yourself what changes come about in what you crave, and what you consume.

re: Why Americans Keep Getting Fatter

kaltrogge — Sat, 14 Jul 2007 16:36:30 GMT

I have had a major depressive disorder for years. I take tons of supplements, plus medication. I've worked through all the triggers. I've eliminated everything white from my diet. My problem is that lower carb, higher protein diets make my symptoms much worse. I've tried them and the "bad feelings" that are supposed to go away, once your body learns to make glucose from fat never do. I eat low sugar, high fiber, high protein Kashi cereals, 100% wheat or wheat and flaxseed bread. I drink raw vegetable juice every day. I eat small amounts of the protein I'm serving for the day. I find that if I eat too much protein in a day, I can feel very agitated.

But my weight continues to rise. I know that I need more exercise. Is that the answer to my weight problem?

re: Why Americans Keep Getting Fatter

thistle — Sat, 14 Jul 2007 16:21:27 GMT

I think you need to add paragraph about MSG, its presence in processed foods listed by other names, its prevalance through our available foods, its affect of the body, the physiology and the results.

I do not think a discussion on obesity is not com;lete, even relavant without inclusion of this aspect of the foods we eat. It is present even in foods we do not regard as being highly processed. Also, please, expand on the affect on us because foods may be treated at some point , with hormones, growth hormones, antibiotics etc.

Thank you

re: Why Americans Keep Getting Fatter

deadhead30 — Sat, 14 Jul 2007 16:14:31 GMT

I'd love to give up sugar COMPLETELY. I used to be addicted, but now I consume sugar sparingly and not every day. I can't seem to avoid it entirely however, and was wondering if anyone could offer any advice???? And do you think it's ok to have 1 or 2 teaspoons a day in tea? Or should I break that habit too? I do my best to avoid sugars in salad dressings, ketchup, and other "hidden" places. So I guess I'm asking, is a LITTLE bit of sugar ok, in your opinion? What quantities of sugar, if any, do people here consume?

re: Why Americans Keep Getting Fatter

ApoliticalBlues — Sat, 14 Jul 2007 15:50:46 GMT

I was surprised that the topic did not include the fact that fluoride in the water causes hypothyroidism, or that high fructose corn syrup causes insulin intolerance. Those items alone account for many more problems that were addressed in this article.

re: Why Americans Keep Getting Fatter

George_Weaver — Sat, 14 Jul 2007 15:37:48 GMT

Please lighten up on the artificial sweeteners. Although they are hardly health foods, their dangers are minor when compared to the devastating effects of sugars. Anything that can help a person to avoid sugars can't be all bad.

re: Why Americans Keep Getting Fatter

Mark P. — Sat, 14 Jul 2007 14:09:26 GMT

Thanks Dr. Mercola for this great article. I have found that there is a 99% corelation between the rate of obesity in the US and installed air conditioning over the last 20 years. More air conditioning and less sun means that the 'bulk' of the population is Vitamin D defficient. Dr. Heaney Creighton University has shown that there is a significant reduction in the insulin response when the serum 25(OH)D level is normalized. Lack of sunshine driven by our sun phobic culture is indeed a contibuting factor to the obesity issue.

re: Why Americans Keep Getting Fatter

wahucarolyns — Sat, 14 Jul 2007 14:07:24 GMT

I read the headline and said, "Processed foods! Duh!" (yes, I talk to myself while I sit at the computer.) I had it partially right. It seems pretty simple though, to look at the time frame of the obesity explosion and line that up with the increasing prevalence of "convenience" and "fast" foods. We (speaking of Americans in particular) today seem to have a totally different attitude toward food and eating as compared to our ancestors, and even our not so distant past generations. It may be simple and even scientific to discover the root of our problem, but solving it is another story altogether. I pray for us that we figure it out and fix this.

Carolyn
SaferHomeNaturally.com

re: Why Americans Keep Getting Fatter

Bikin Mom — Sat, 14 Jul 2007 03:38:52 GMT

Seriously, thank God for Dr. Mercola shedding light on these factors. In addition to sugar being in so many items from teh grocery store... consider that most people are not "eating" the sugar in candy or cakes, but DRINKING tons of sugar and HFCS in soda and Starbucks. Does anyone even know how many pounds of sugar go into a frapaccino (sp?) or mocha? I bet it is quite a lot, much faster and easier to consume than a sugary pastry. It creeps up!

re: Why Americans Keep Getting Fatter

apresau — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 13:01:47 GMT

For a detailed article on the obesity mechanism, have a listen to the article "the obesity epidemic" at this link. http://www.abc.net.au/rn/healthreport/

re: Why Americans Keep Getting Fatter

Alisa_203 — Tue, 26 Jun 2007 05:40:48 GMT

Gives the old This Little Piggy nursery rhyme poem a new meaning....."And this little piggy went to the market,......and this little piggy cried 'Wee, wee, wee' all the way home"

Actually all the way to the doctor.

re: Why Americans Keep Getting Fatter

neroli moonstone — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 06:53:53 GMT

Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni native to Paraguay contains a variety of minerals and vitamins and can be 30 times sweeter than sugar. Hundreds of scientific studies have documented stevia's contribution to regulating blood sugar in diabetics and hypoglycemics, lowering elevated blood pressure, aiding the healing of wounds, reducing acne and improving digestion. Stevia has a glycemic index of zero, making it safe for diabetics and hypoglycemics. It also promotes pancreatic health, improves digestion, and soothes upset stomachs.

Besides the nutritional benefits, Stevia can aid dieters as it contains no calories and reduces cravings for sweets, whereas synthetic chemical sweeteners trigger cravings. Preliminary research shows that Stevia clears the communication pathway between the stomach and the brain, reducing hunger sensations faster. Use Stevia sparingly as it is very sweet.