Tablets and Toxins

You Are What You Eat

By Christina Davenport

Each day, over-twenty five percent of Americans consume fast food. And to top it off, Americans spend nearly $100 billion on fast food every year, according to Julia Ransohoff of the Palo Alto Medical Foundation. It may seem as a surprise, but most people continue to participate in unhealthy habits that destroy their bodies. People think of fast food as being the number one contributor to this, yet I believe there are numerous hidden problems in our nutritional thinking. For instance the use of diet supplements, the failure to drink enough fluids, and a general lack of vitamin and mineral consumption altogether (Ransohoff).

On the opposite end of the spectrum of “fast-food nation” are the “dieters.” But what many dieters fail to realize is the habit of ingesting harmful diet supplements will inevitably wreck your system. Supplements give you bad side-effects such as high blood pressure, liver, and heart problems. And according to Virginia health and fitness researcher, Maria O’Brien of LiveStrong.com:

“Diet pills sold as health supplements are unregulated by the FDA, with the exception of some restrictions on the advertising claims. Many diet pills have been recalled after adverse effects have been experienced by consumers. Digestion problems from “fat-blocking” pills are the more gruesome of examples; these pills can cause gas with discharge, oily stools, loose stools, and pains in the digestive area. Proper digestion is essential, and these side-effects are not only negative and unhealthy, but they are painful. Several of our most essential vitamins like Vitamin A, E, D, and K, are fat soluble, this means that they are digested with fat and get stored in your liver and in your body fat. One of the dangers of diet pills are that they block the absorption of fat, which means these important vitamins can be shed from the body like the fat rather than utilized.” Imagine instead of using all those important vitamins you ingest, your body treats them as waste, as if it was fat! What a waste (O’Brien).”

And of those of us who actually are consuming healthy vitamin and mineral supplements, many of us do not adequately hydrate. This lack of appropriate water intake creates inappropriate absorption and dehydration. According to Philip Collins, a health consultant of Carolina Health Care, “The average person loses at least two cups of water daily through the respiratory process. Another two cups are emitted through perspiration, even when no significant amount of physical work is carried on, and the intestines and kidneys together lose a total of about six cups during the day.” With that said, water cleanses your systems of many toxins. Not only is water intake important, but essential (Collins).

You can exercise all you want but if you lack nutrition, your body will suffer. Anemia and deficiency of vitamins and minerals from fruits and vegetables are a major issue in our country. According to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention, more than 60 percent of young people in the U.S. eat too much fat, and less than 20 percent eat the recommended five or more servings of fruits and vegetables each day. Only about one-fourth of U.S. adults eat the recommended five or more servings of fruits and vegetables each day (Preventing).

This is a tragedy that can easily be stopped with support and education. If you think you have a problem, contact your doctor. You can also research online and ask about local weight-loss counselors and programs, fitness and physical therapy experts, as well as registered nutritionists and dieticians in your area.

Works Cited

Collins, Philip. “Water: Do You Drink Enough?” Mother Earth News, 2009. Web.

Mother Earth News. http://www.motherearthnews.com/Natural-Health/1983-11-01/Water-Do-You-Drink- Enough.aspx/.

O’Brien, Maria. “Five Things You Need To Know About Diet Pills.” Live Strong, 2009. Web. http://www.livestrong.com/article/908-need-dangers-diet-pills/.16 July. 2009.

“Preventing Obesityand Chronic Diseases Through Good Nutrition and Physical Activity.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2003. Web. http://www.cdc.gov/. Aug. 2003

Ransohoff, Julia. “Fast Food.” Palo Alto Medical Foundation, 2005. Web. http://www.pamf.sutterhealth.org/teen/health/nutrition/fastfood.html/.