How We Can Nurse Our Country Back to Good Health

Americans are packing on the pounds -- it's a reality. Sadly, our nation, which excels on so many fronts, is not at the forefront of nutritional intelligence -- especially when it comes to our children.
This post was published on the now-closed HuffPost Contributor platform. Contributors control their own work and posted freely to our site. If you need to flag this entry as abusive, send us an email.

Americans are packing on the pounds -- it's a reality. Sadly, our nation, which excels on so many fronts, is not at the forefront of nutritional intelligence -- especially when it comes to our children.

Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution showed that the food being served to our youth goes far beyond "unwholesome." Statistics show Type 2 -- or adult onset -- diabetes, is on the rise. Our children are the first generation who will live shorter lives than their parents.

I'm confronted with these facts and their sobering effects on the lives of my patients every day, and it leaves me questioning what can be done. We live in a society that wants quick, tasty and fun food along with good health. Is this even possible? How do we, as a nation, pull ourselves out of nutritional bankruptcy?

1. We can vote with our purchases.
Unfortunately, as Mark Bittman writes in his New York Times article, "Bad Food? Tax it and Subsidize Vegetables": "Right now, it's harder for many people to buy fruit than Froot Loops." Let's face it -- when you're on a strict budget, it is easier to buy packaged, processed foods. Subsidizing produce would be a direct help in turning around our health crisis.

Kelly D. Brownell, director of Yale University's Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity writes: "Government could start by changing the agricultural subsidies, by not making it financially attractive for companies to market unhealthy foods."

Buying as much fresh, local produce and banning purchases of packaged, processed foods would send the government and food manufacturers a message. This kind of change can also have dramatic effects on your health within a few weeks.

2. We can reset our taste buds to crave "healthy sweets."
Processed and sugary foods hold prominent positions at the end of aisle displays at many supermarkets and can look oh-so-attractive. Finding a healthy fruit, snack or beverage can be a treasure hunt. Even organic and healthy packaged foods can have multiple ingredients high in additives and sugars. And, added sugar sneaks into condiments, fake sweeteners and beverages.

Get your sweet fix from fruit that has fiber built in to help your body absorb the natural sugars in addition to providing nutrients that improve your health. Drink water and green tea. Restrict foods with fake sweeteners, which just end up increasing your cravings for more sweet. The longer we've had fake sweeteners in our diet, the more obese and unhealthy our nation has become.

Increasing your intake of foods with protein and healthy fats can also reduce your desire for sweet.

3. We can spend more time on our health.
Good health and healthy eating take time. A quick snack of an apple and some nuts is as healthy as you can get. However, taking the time to go grocery shopping for healthy food, organizing it for the week -- along with making some nutritious meals -- seems foreign to many. Putting time into your schedule to make this a priority is like putting money in your health account that compounds with interest.

How often those with a major health concern lament the lack of time they put into their health. Unfortunately, there is no turning back the clock.

Coming back to good health in America is complicated, but it can start with you. Commit to buying fresh produce rather than packaged; limit your intake of sugars and fake sweeteners; and carve out time for healthy foods. These actions can do much more for your health than you realize.

We, the people, need to pave our own health path. The government is slow to change the system. Grassroots health starts in your home and penetrates into the schools and community. Being fiscally responsible for your nutritional destiny can give our children the future they deserve.

Susan is the author of "A Recipe for Life by the Doctor's Dietitian." For more information, visit susandopart.com.

Popular in the Community

Close

HuffPost Shopping’s Best Finds

MORE IN LIFE