What you eat can kill you.
1 in 5.
“Poor diet is a factor in one in five deaths around the world, according to the most comprehensive study ever carried out on the subject.” (The Guardian 9/14/2017.)
… …. …
Let that sink in.
… … …
1 in 5 deaths.
… … …
So what is the Highest risk factor for early death?
Smoking.
The second is Diet.
Diet beats unsafe sex, alcohol abuse, high BMI, sexual abuse and violence and every other factor out there for risk factors for early death with the sole exception of smoking.
Diet.
What has happened to our world of eating and nutrition? What can we do about it?
We here at CrossFit Torque want everyone to be the healthiest and happiest versions of themselves. We are all individuals so we aren’t going to sit here and tell you how to live your life or what to eat.
But we can all do better.
Sugar is extremely bad for us. We are all addicted to sugar. How come? Because it’s cheap and easy to add to products, making it a cheap and convenient product for consumers to purchase.
But the nutrition problems are growing ever larger as health factors in our society. So what can we do?
Three things:
1. Educate our kids.
Don’t assume they know what is best for them. They don’t. As parents, our responsibility is to provide healthy food for our kids and tell them why it’s good for them. Don’t let them grab for candy or cookies after school. Stock your cupboards with snacks that do not have added sugars.
2. Talk to our schools.
Demand healthy school lunches. If your school won’t provide good nutritious lunches, don’t buy the school food. Have your kids pack lunches. Organize your neighborhood families to do the same. Use the power of community to demand better for our kids, and to provide better when the schools won’t.
3. Practice what we preach.
If you’re telling your kids to eat healthy, don’t be sitting down on your couch with a bag of chips and a soda. Your kids are watching. Don’t buy junk food and don’t keep it in your house. Eat nutritious meals together as a family at the table just like your grandparents did. And then go for a walk together after dinner. It’s more fun than sitting on the couch and better for you!
Do these three things and your family has a fighting chance. The world might have poor diet as a factor in one of every five deaths, but that doesn’t mean you have to be in those figures.
Eat clean, move your body, and make good choices.