My Motivation

I am convinced that the American Diet is what it is because it's in the best interest of the American farmers. White flour, and packaged foods do not belong in ANYONE'S mouth ever. We seem to have forgotten the purpose of food...its to keep us alive and healthy (in case you forgot). Although I believe food should be very enjoyable its' actual purpose of healing, nourishing and enriching our bodies should not take a back seat. You really are what you eat. Here are some stats on where we are as a country and why I am proactive about change:

- Americans eat 200 pounds per person per year of flour and grains, which is almost 50 percent higher than in 1970. That means more bread, pasta, cereal, rice, oats, pizza crusts--you name it. The difference is that they probably ate more whole-wheat bread, oatmeal, and Wheatena, while we're eating more doughnuts, brownies, and Cinnabons.

-Americans eat 66 pounds per person per year of added fat and oils. This is 25 percent more added fats and oils than we did in 1970. We're eating two and a half times more cheese than we did in 1970--28 pounds per person per year. That's a lot of pizza, nachos, and cheeseburgers ... and a lot of coronary bypasses, angioplasties, and heart attacks. Cheese is now neck-and-neck with ground beef as the largest source of saturated fat in the average person's diet.

-Our ancestors consumed 30 to 65 percent of their daily calories (and up to 100 grams of fiber a day) from a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables. That is why, long before the discovery of vitamins, people who had access to healthy foods lived extremely long lives without vitamin deficiencies or major illnesses.

-A study of 1,500 Chinese women showed those who ate a "meat-sweet" diet were twice as likely to develop the disease as those on a vegetable-based diet.

-"Our analysis found that higher levels of behavior and emotional problems were associated with a more Western-style way of eating, namely a diet high in takeaway foods, red meat, confectionery, soft drinks, white bread and unrefined cereals,” Dr. Wendy Oddy

-Twenty-five years ago, the average American consumed about 1,850 calories each day. Since then, our daily diet has grown by 304 calories (roughly the equivalent of two cans of soda)

-Although the federal government recommends that we have at least two to five cups of fruits and vegetables a day, for example, surveys show that the average American eats only three servings a day, and 42 percent eat fewer than two servings a day.

Really I could sit here allllll dayyyyyyy