You Are What You Eat

Most of us probably grew up hearing the words "you are what you eat". Most likely too, they were just words. We didn't even associate a meaning to them, other than thinking we better eat all the vegetables on our plate so we didn't get into trouble. Possibly we even quietly slipped the veggies to the dog under the table?

When Anthelme Brillat-Savarin wrote in 1826, "Tell me what you eat and I will tell you what you are", he never meant his quote to be taken literally. He was stating simply that the food one eats has a bearing on what one's state of mind and health is.

When considering the average person's state of health today, the words have real meaning and invoke genuine thoughts and concerns as we reflect on the obesity epidemic, heart disease, chronic fatigue, rampant auto-immune diseases, Type II Diabetes and on and on.

According to the American Medical Association the human body requires certain food elements to live, including the right amount of protein (amino acids), carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, fats / oils and botanicals on a daily basis. A balanced diet is essential for providing our bodies with the nutrients required to make it function properly. Sounds simple, right?

But here's the rub. The typical American diet has excesses of sugar, salt, alcohol, tobacco, fats, chemicals, pesticides, artificial colors, preservatives and hormones and is deficient in protein, vegetable protein, vitamins, minerals, micronutrients, fiber, amino acids, complex carbohydrates, botanical factors and water. We are deficient in the very things the American Medical Association tells us we need in our diets.

As Michael Pollan, American author, journalist, and professor of journalism writes, "Our ingenuity in feeding ourselves is prodigious, but at various points our technologies come into conflict with nature's way of doing things, as when we seek to maximize efficiency by planting crops or raising animals in vast monocultures. This is something nature never does, always and for good reason practicing diversity instead."

Think about our cars. Most of us wouldn't dream of driving our car if it wasn't properly 'fueled' up with gas, water, oil and air in the tires. The last thing anyone wants is to be driving down a highway and have their car stop running because it wasn't properly maintained. Yet that is exactly what many of us do to our bodies by eating foods that do not provide essential life nutrients.

So when we grew up hearing the words "you are what you eat", our Moms understood Savarins's words and had the wisdom to know the food she fed her family could promote either a life of energy, vitality, good health and overall well-being or a life likely to be controlled by fatigue, illnesses and a higher risk of early death due to disease processes such as heart disease, cancer, stroke and diabetes.

The bottom line is this; good nutrition equals prevention which equals health. Good nutrition comes from food but today's fast-paced life style means 'fast and easy' have replaced 'nourishing and healthy'. Cheers to You! Nutrition is all about good health on the go. Come in and see for yourself! We focus on our customers' unique needs and provide personal attention to help everybody achieve their individual wellness goals. We make eating for health both a simple and an easy concept!

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