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A Diet of Excess...

Most of the diseases that plague our society today, including heart disease, hypertension, cancer. osteoporosis, and diabetes, are closely connected to our dietary habits. The typical American meal is high in fat, protein, and refined carbohydrates, such as sugar and white flour, and low in unrefined carbohydrates, such as natural fruits, whole grains, and vegetables.

In the last hundred years the incidence of heart disease and stroke has risen from 15 percent to 45 percent of all causes of death. The occurrence of cancer has risen from 6 percent to 25 percent. This rise in disease is directly related to diet. In countries where people do not have access to a western diet there is a much lower incidence of these diseases.

Americans are dying from a diet of excess: too much fat, too much protein, too much cholesterol, too much sugar, and too much salt. We eat too many calories and we eat too often.

Fat. Most people don't realize that they are consuming an average of 37 percent of their daily calories [food energy] as fat. This is much more than the body can properly handle. Excess fat has been identified as the most damaging element of the western diet and is a major contributor to heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.

Protein. For many years there has been an emphasis in nutritional science on getting enough protein. However, research shows that this emphasis has been misplaced. Rather than most people getting too little protein, Westerners eat two to three times more than they need. The respected nutritional scientist Dr. Mark Messina, formerly of the National Cancer Institute's Diet and Cancer Branch, sums it up. He says, "When people eat several servings of grains, beans, and vegetables through-out the day and get enough calories, it is virtually impossible to be deficient in protein."3

Excess protein in the body leaches calcium from the bones and is the major cause of osteoporosis. In one study men on low (48g) medium (95g), and high (l42g) protein diets were given 1400 mg of calcium per day for four months. The low protein group gained 20 mg of calcium per day. The medium protein group lost 30 mg of calcium per day, and the high protein group lost 70 mg of calcium per day.4 Too much protein also causes deterioration of kidney function, and is linked to increased risk of cancer. Research and epidemiological studies correlate high protein intake with increased growth rates and decreased life span.

Salt. We eat 10-20 times more salt than is needed. It contributes prominently to high blood pressure, heart failure, and kidney disease. The body needs only about one tenth of a teaspoon (1/2 gram) of salt a day. However, that drastic a change is unrealistic for most people. A more reasonable goal is to cut back from two to four teaspoons (10-20 grams) a day to one teaspoon (5 grams) per day.

Sugar. Devoid of fiber and nutrients, refined sugars are empty calories that account for up to 20 percent of many people's daily caloric intake. They produce a quick rise in blood sugar and energy. This causes the body to overreact and flood the system with insulin, which drops the blood sugar too fast and too far, causing low blood sugar and an energy dip, often accompanied by a feeling of faintness and hunger. Jumping through the day from "sugar highs" to "sugar blues" is a way of life for many people.

Empty calorie foods. Many beverages such as soda pop, beer, sweetened coffee and tea, and other drinks are loaded with calories. These, along with high-sugar high-fat snacks, not only add thousands of unnecessary calories, but take the place of nutritional food, leaving you over-caloried and undernourished.

The original diet intended for man consisted of grains, fruits nuts, and vegetables.(See Gen.1.29; 3.18). Prepared as simply as possible, they are the most healthful and nourishing foods available. They give longevity, strength, endurance, intellectual acuity, and freedom from disease.

We will continue our discussion of the nutritional aspect of the NEWSTART program on Part 3. Keep an eye out!

Original Source:
http://www.projectrestore.com/library/radiant_living/rl_contents.htm
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