Our food has become toxic.

This picture speaks volumes. I’ve already talked about why soda, (diet OR regular) is bad for you, but there’s so much more to say. Sugar is buried in everything. And it’s killing us. 86 million people in the US have pre-diabetes, and NINE OUT OF TEN don’t know they have it! 15-30% of them will develop full blown Type 2 Diabetes within 10 years. Economically speaking, the cost of diabetes alone is $245 BILLION dollars a year. Think of what we could do with 245 billion. (And two years ago, it was 174 Billion… this trajectory is going to bankrupt us more than any other cost.) So many of these people could reverse their pre/Type 2 diabetes simply by eating whole foods. (see my post on this, you CAN reverse Type 2 Diabetes!)

Here’s where a lot of people are at: you are a bit overweight, but your doctor hasn’t told you you you’re sick. But, you probably are. Maybe you’re on a statin, you blood sugar is around 100 — or maybe you aren’t even overweight. Did you know that you can develop Type 2 diabetes or pre-diabetes and be thin? Mark Hyman calls this a skinny fat person. THIS AFFECTS US ALL! Every single American is at risk because we are ALL eating garbage, genetically modified food, low fat, high carb (a.k.a. “lite”, “diet”, “healthy”) frankenfoods. And it is up to each individual family to change how they feed their children, how they pick their produce, how they stock their pantry. If you are a parent, you need to realize that what is on the grocery shelf is not necessarily safe or good for your kids. Even “organic” fruit snacks are full of sugar.

It really is simple. You need to look at food in a new light. If your grandmother didn’t eat it, and couldn’t buy it, you shouldn’t either (there was no Hamburger Helper in 1925!). No pre-packaged dinners full of preservatives and carbs. Low fat is NOT good. Did you know BUTTER helps your metabolism? That grass fed (also known as pasture butter) is BETTER than Canola oil? Why? Read this article. And for goodness sake, if you’re eating margarine STOP. It is the worst, and is linked to higher cardiac events. Update 2016: the conventional wisdom on fat is finally UPDATED. Good fats are now encouraged for WEIGHT LOSS. See here.

Did you know?

… that the risk of death is 50% higher for the population with diabetes?

… the increase of Type 2 Diabetes in the US has TRIPLED since the 1980s? 300% increase!

… that healthcare costs are double what a non-diabetic person costs?

… that it is estimated, if we do not change the way we eat, 33% of the adult population will develop diabetes in their lifetime?

… diabetes is the leading cause of blindness and kidney failure in adults?

“We simply can’t sustain this trajectory – the implications are far too great – for our families, our healthcare system, our workforce, our nation.”
Dr. Ann Allbright, director of the federal agency’s Division of Diabetes Translation, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

Mark Hyman, M.D. has coined the term “Diabesity”, which is an accurate depiction of many adults. Here are some articles that spell out what you can do, and things you can ask your doctor to check on you. Knowing what your fasting insulin is IS CRITICAL to understanding how aggresive you need to get with your diet/exercise and lifestyle. Some bodies (genetics) handle sugar better than others. My genetics (and mercury toxicity) handled it poorly. My original fasting insulin was 29, three times what it should be! I was hungry all the time! Cutting out ALL carbs (bread, pasta, grains, rice, potatoes, etc) worked for me. I am getting close to 10. I feel much more sane about food with a lower fasting insulin. That in itself is a gift. When I wrote my testimonial for Mark Hyman’s Blood Sugar Solution book, I said I felt sane about food for the first time in my life. That is a blessing. I never imagined I’d feel “normal” around food. You CAN change how your body responds to sugar! That effectively makes your body more efficient and healthier.