Eating Japan Verses USA
Japan has the lowest obesity rates in the world and the longest life span.
Americans eat and drink too much food. We underestimate how many calories we actually "inhale" on a daily basis. We are living to eat instead of eating to live. Americans are also extremely sedentary. We overestimate how many calories we burn on a daily basis.
Technology has made our lives so simple that we only have to expend a minimal amount of energy to make it through the day. The combination of overeating and under-exercising has produced a country filled with overweight and obese individuals. This increase in body weight has helped increase the number of Americans with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea, asthma and many types of cancer. Our decreasing health has led to an equal decrease in quality of life and increase in the cost of health care.
Heart Disease
1 in 2 people (50%) die from heart disease
It is a man-made disease because of the lifestyle that many people have
Obesity
Annually, in the US, more than 300,000 death linked to obesity.
Diabetes
Being overweight is one of the main risk factors for type 2 Diabetes.
Many times type 2 diabetes is caused and can be controlled by the food we eat.
Digestive Problems
The main cause is fatty food and to much acid in our diets.
Stroke
The leading cause of adults disability.
It is a man-made disease in most cases.
Cholesterol
It is an industry today because because billions are being made on cholesterol medications
Overeating is not the only food problem we have. We also consume the wrong foods. The typical American diet is too high in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, sodium and processed carbohydrates. The American diet is also too low in unsaturated fats, fruits, vegetables and whole grains. The highs and lows of our diet has also contributed to the increase in the number of Americans with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease and many types of cancer.
Sustainable Agriculture: Curing America's Eating Disorder
The alternative to the longstanding American food policy of "cheap and lots" is to eat locally, eat seasonally and eat organic. Filmmaker Bonnie Bucqueroux and her dog Schmoopsie look at the sustainable agriculture movement, including a visit to Michigan State University's Student Organic Farm, where Dr. John Biernbaum discusses the options people have to grow their own food or to buy from local growers.
Modern day medicine is allowing us to live longer lives. Unfortunately, these long lives are not healthy lives. Our bad habits, including overeating, under-exercising, and consuming unhealthy foods, have turned the gift of long life into a curse.
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