The Standard American Diet really is SAD. The level of toxicity present in the average American diet is staggering. Our children are being fed food that is slowly poisoning them… and we wonder why we have such high levels of ADD and ADHD in our culture. The early years are so critical to a healthy future, and eating the SAD is creating more and more disease at earlier ages.
Fast Food
You probably saw this one coming! It’s always good to get a reminder though. From high traces of antibiotics, to meat that isn’t actually meat, to french fries that contain carcinogens, it’s best to just stay away. I recommend keeping a stash of healthy snacks on hand, in your car, or in your office for when the hangry monster strikes. This will lessen your chances of caving and going to a drive thru.
Use of Toxic Fats
Toxic fats from vegetable oils which are heated over and over are creating toxic conditions at the cellular level. Inflammation and disease is on the rise due to these toxic fats. What happens is that our healthy cells, which are necessary for hormone and nutritional uptake, become bathed in toxic and denatured cholesterol and saturated fats. We need healthy cholesterol to make our hormones, but consuming toxic oils only creates more havoc deep inside our bodies.
The toxic oils create inflammation on the cell wall and blunt the hormone and nutrition receptors so it becomes impossible to absorb nutrition. The cells become more and more toxic and eventually weak genes for disease get turned on. This disaster can be avoided by making healthier choices when it comes to fat.
The Dangers of Pesticides
“Human exposure to pesticides through the oral way is likely to result in the intake of these environmental contaminants for most of them and brain permeation for some of them, thus supporting the well-established toxicity, including neurotoxicity, of pesticides for human health.” (Source)
An estimates 1.2 billion pounds of pesticides are used in the US every year. These pesticides accumulate and create inflammation and disease later in life. One of the biggest offenders is the herbicide/pesticide glyphosate.
Glyphosate is sprayed on non organic grains to speed up the harvest time and increase profits. According to studies done by Dr Stephanie Seneff, glyphosate creates holes in the lining of our gut which in turn disrupts our natural brain chemistry balance of serotonin and dopamine. Glyphosates are also linked to many autoimmune diseases, food allergies and sensitivities, autism, diabetes, dementia, heart disease, hormonal issues and weight gain.
Each year, the Environmental Working Group releases a list of the Dirty Dozen—produce that tested highest for pesticides. View the latest list here. Choose organic produce whenever possible, but especially when purchasing something on the Dirty Dozen list. For example, one strawberry sample contained an astounding 22 pesticide residues, and one-third of all conventional strawberry samples contained 10 or more pesticides.
Consider Your Cookware
Cookware choices are also a consideration. Teflon, the non stick coating on your cookware, releases at least six toxic gases when it is heated. Incidentally, this chemical is also used in fast food wrappers. Another reason to avoid fast food!
Even though companies like DuPont were forced to replace the toxic Teflon chemical and similar perfluorinated compounds, or PFCs, an EWG investigation found that the chemicals used to replace the toxic Teflon chemical and similar perfluorinated compounds, or PFCs may not be much safer.
These toxins bioaccumulate and can lead to developmental problems, thyroid hormone regulation issues, reproductive problems, birth defects, and mammary gland, liver, pancreatic and testicular tumors. (Source)
Natural Solutions
Don’t worry! There are a few easy solutions you can use right now to reduce your exposure to toxicity in your diet.
- Choose organic produce and grass fed, pastured animal products. Some of my favorites are:
- AVOID ALL conventional grains
- Choose oils that promote a healthy cell membrane:
- High Heat Oils: Coconut oil, avocado oil, grape seed oil, macadamia oil
- Medium Heat Oils: Olive oil, ghee, grass fed butter, walnut oil
- Low Heat/Raw Oils: Hemp oil, flaxseed oil, olive oil, sesame oil, safflower oil, almond oil
- Baking Oils: Butter, coconut butter, olive oil, expeller pressed sunflower or safflower oil
- Choose cast iron, Pyrex glass and stainless steel cookware