Isn't it funny that the acronym for the Standard American Diet is SAD? That is because that is exactly what it is; it is sad. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than one-third of Americans are obese. Obesity is one of the leading causes of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. But how did this happen? How did we get to this point?
The standard American diet is rich in inflammatory foods. You are probably familiar with inflammation when it comes to some sort of injury or wound. This inflammation is caused by an increased production of immune cells that work to heal the afflicted area. However, this kind of inflammation produced by our diet is different; it is what is referred to as chronic inflammation. The large amounts of inflammatory foods we are consuming cause immune cells to constantly be produced which leads to many issues such as heart disease, arthritis, and even cancer. Actually, almost every single disease or bodily issue can be linked back to some sort of inflammation, whether it is diet related or not. Some examples of foods that trigger this kind of inflammatory response include processed sugar, trans fats, animal fats, white bread, iodized salt, and dairy. Sound familiar? These are typical in a lot of pre-packaged, processed, and fast foods. The standard american diet is also high in foods containing cholesterol such as animal meats and animal by-products. Excess cholesterol in the blood steam can form cholesterol clots resulting in heart attack or stroke.
So what can you eat? The Mediterranean diet has shown to be high in anti-inflammatory foods and can lower the risk for heart disease. This diet puts a focus on fruits, vegetables, nuts, fish, and whole grains. This yields a diet rich in fiber, omega-3's, and various vitamins and minerals. These are all very important nutrients that many Americans are lacking. Adequate fiber intake allows your food to digest slower which prevents insulin spikes that can eventually lead to type 2 diabetes. Omega-3's are essential anti-inflammatory nutrients, meaning that the body does not produce them, that make up over half of our brain matter. They have also been linked to lower incidences of heart disease, arthritis, and dementia. Vitamins and minerals are important for nearly every function in our bodies. They drive a lot of the processes that occur within our bodies and without them our bodies cannot perform optimally.
Here is a pyramid example of what the Mediterranean diet looks like. This pyramid is based off of the foods that certain countries along the Mediterranean coast tend to eat.
As you can see, this diet is the polar oppsite of the standard American diet. It does not put an emphasis on inflammatory processed foods. The diet itself focuses on anti-inflammatory foods and therefore is not associated with high rates of disease or mortality.
Let's say it one more time, all together now, the standard American diet is SAD. Eating this way is not worth giving up quality of life. We are getting sicker and sicker as we continue this high inflammatory eating lifestyle. We are not eating food. We are eating food products manufactured by man and it is killing us. It needs to stop. We need to stop.
