Times have Changed
In the 1960’s of the United States, obesity was at around 14%.
In the 1980’s it was 22%.
And now the obesity rate of the United States in modern 2020’s is around 40%.
This is also only looking at the United States and not other countries such as Mexico, The United Kingdom, and Australia.
What on Earth has happened to have caused these sudden ballooning of nations all over the world? A few reoccurring suspects can be named.
The Rise of Processed Food
Since the 1960’s, advances in how food is preserved and packaged has caused food access to become substantially easier and much more affordable. It sounds great, however portions of these foods expanded as well and because these foods have all of their nutrition lost in refinement and lots of added fats, sugars, and preservatives, they rightly acquired the name “Junk Food”. This insidious new category of food preys on a very high dopamine response from consumption along with a portion size to make the consumer “feel full” after eating.
High Fructose Corn Syrup
Around the 1970’s soda manufacturers began using this refined syrup as a substitute for regular sugar from beets and sugar cane. The result was an explosion in it’s popularity as it became a staple sweetener for a myriad of other products beyond canned sodas. Sauces, juices, breads, and candies of many kinds added this syrup to their products to improve the taste, lower the cost of production, and increase the shelf life of their products. The victim on the other end, was the average consumer, as the sweetness of this syrup is easily addicting, packs on layer after layer of fat, and a myriad of other health problems the coming decades would soon discover.
Decline of Exercise, and the Rise of the Internet
As cars, computers, and technology throughout modern civilization improved, the need for physical movement went down. Cars function essentially as high powered wheel chairs, which deliver their driver to the next chair at their office, then back in the car, and with the rise of sedentary hobbies like computer games, and electronic devices, life became substantially more seated. The outdoors and previous means of keeping oneself entertained and socialized had to start competing against the world wide web which has exploded into a system that delivers anything and everything the viewer wants to see, without even standing up.
The New Foes, and the New Hopes.
All is not lost, even though obesity rates around the world are still rising. New technology, diets, and food solutions have emerged in response of the obesity epidemic and many people all over the world have managed to reclaim their health from this insidious and seductive poison.
The Ketogenic Diet
Originally used in the 1920’s as a treatment for epilepsy, the ketogenic diet has seen a big rise in popularity and for a very good reason. By drastically reducing the amount of carbohydrates consumed by the body, it begins to switch to burning body fat and ketones. While freeing oneself of the addictive grasp of proccessed foods and the high sugar rush of the Standard American Diet is difficult, it can be done. There has even been development of low net carb ingredients, several keto orientated cooking channels, and innovations that replace traditional vice foods like potato chips and sodas.
Fasting
Technically around since ancient times, fasting involves abstaining from certain foods or food entirely, for a specific amount of time for either religious or health purposes. Fasting has become a wondrous tool for both giving the body a break from the various toxins that are difficult to avoid, and give the body time to reset and repair. One of the main benefits of fasting is allowing one’s blood sugar to come down from constant stimulation. Constant snacking and frequent meals cause insulin to remain high and can eventually lead to insulin resistance, which leads to pre-diabetes, and then eventually type 2 diabetes.
Restoring Health to the World
The problem of obesity is continuing to rise in other countries beyond the developed world, and awareness of the causes of the problem along with the counters that burn fat and heal the body are essential for navigating oneself towards whatever goals and ambitions wanted out of life. It doesn’t matter who anyone is, having an overburdened, malnourished and unhealthy body will prevent just about any life aspiration that isn’t being a world record couch potato.
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Don’t give up, honor your body.