The American Diet
Please note that the following are personal notes from my readings. None of it should be viewed as medical advice. Please always consult with your physicians to determine what decisions are best for you and your family.
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AMERICAN DIET (From Disease-Proof Your Child (2005) by Dr. Joel Fuhrman, M.D.; pages 10-13)
- Americans eat about 40% of calories from animal products, such as meat, eggs and dairy.
- Animal products contain no antioxidants, bioflavonoids, carotenoids, folate, vitamin C, vitamin K, or those thousands of phytochemicals that are essential for cellular normalcy and preventing DNA damage.
- Americans eat about 50% of calories from processed foods such as oil, sugar, and white flour products
- Processed foods contain almost no antioxidants, bioflavonoids, carotenoids, folate, vitamin C, vitamin K, or those thousands of phytochemicals that are essential for cellular normalcy and preventing DNA damage.
- To make matters worse, most of the animal products eaten by children, such as cheese and milk, are exceptionally high in saturated fat. Saturated fat consumption correlates with cancer incidence worldwide. It also raises cholesterol levels and causes heart disease.
- There is overwhelming evidence that reduction in saturated fat, dietary cholesterol and weight offer the most effective dietary strategies for reducing total cholesterol, LDL levels and cardiovascular risk. There is no biological requirement for saturated fat.
- Americans eat only 5% of calories from fruits, vegetables, beans, and unprocessed nuts and seeds, the foods that contain the necessary nutrients to maintain normal health.
- Cancer and heart disease have similar causes. Cancer kills about 35% of all adult Americans, heart disease and stroke about 50%. The more years of nutritional abuse and the earlier in life the abuse begins, the higher the risk.
- Heart disease begins in our youth and is not easy to reverse.
EPIDEMIOLOGIC STUDIES TELL US (From Disease-Proof Your Child (2005) by Dr. Joel Fuhrman, M.D.; page 75)
- Saturated fat is a powerful cancer promoter
- Refined sugar and white flour promote cancer
- Root vegetables and whole grains offer minimal cancer protection
- Unrefined plant foods, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and beans are powerful cancer protectors
