According to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in the years between 2007 and 2008 and 2015 and 2016, the rates of obesity and severe obesity rose significantly among American adults.
Raymond Francis, co-author of the book Never Be Fat Again, emphasizes that we need to avoid white sugar, white flour, processed oils, dairy, commercially farmed meats and caffeine in our diets. These substances were virtually unknown to our Paleolithic ancestors. They subsisted on fruits and vegetables that grew naturally in their surroundings. They hunted and fished, and the animals they consumed were lean and not pumped with hormones and antibiotics, as is the common practice today. And the produce they ate was not sprayed with pesticides. Our bodies just don’t know how to handle our modern chemicalized diet!
Another factor that has contributed to the obesity epidemic is the overconsumption of omega-6 fatty acids and the under-consumption of omega-3s. Omega-6s are found in oils such as corn, sunflower, peanut, soybean, cottonseed and safflower, as well as hydrogenated and processed vegetable oils. Omega-3s are present in cod liver and flax oils and high-quality extra virgin olive oil and avocado oil. When omega-6s are consumed in too large a quantity, they cause inflammation in our bodies, and inflammation causes our bodies to store fat.
Certified Holistic Health Nutrition Coaches Anthony C. Mirro and Mindy B. Pensig, who specialize in weight loss, believe a diet rich in good-quality fruits and vegetables and low in processed foods is our best bet for maintaining a healthy weight.
For a free 15-minute consultation, call 516-935-0354 (office) or 516-513-4000 (mobile), or email [email protected].