Healthy Living News & Tips

New research is now showing that eliminating processed foods from your diet, especially your children’s diet, will help avoid liver disease. The disease, normally found in adults, has started to be found in children as young as 5-7 years old.

A research study at Children’s Hospital Boston showed that eating processed, high glycemic foods created livers with high fat content (double the normal levels), high blood fat and overall higher body fat.

Examples of processed, high glycemic foods include white rice, foods with white flour as well as processed grains. Most snacks, candy bars, baked goods, pastas… most anything sold in a box or pre-prepared in a restaurant, grocery store or factory is a processed food. Low glycemic unprocessed foods include fresh vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds and natural whole grains.

The study results recommend concentrating on a diet of low glycemic foods to avoid liver disease, obesity and all of the side effects.

Since this disease in children is hard to detect, it’s considered a ’silent killer’ and the effects of liver disease may not show until the children grow up when it may be too late.

Many people consider switching to unprocessed foods an inconvenience. The inconvenience unfortunately will lead to poor health and disease, lower quality of life and eventually a shorter life span… all in the name of convenience. What is your health worth? What do you have in life without your health?

And our children will suffer most. Being a good example is the best way to show them how to eat a proper and healthy diet and can change their lives. Watching shows like “Fat Camp” make me sad, where children have obviously not been taught the benefits of eating mainly whole foods and normally eat snack and processed foods out of habit, convenience, example and the seduction of chemicals found in most processed foods that make you want to eat more and more (and bypassing your natural instinct to stop eating).

Transitioning to an unprocessed, whole food diet is not difficult, or inconvenient. You can prepare most freshly made meals in minutes since no cooking is normally necessary and preparation is minimal. Snacking on fruits, nuts and seeds is easy, just wash (and peel if necessary) the fruits, eat and enjoy!

You can also find healthy minimally processed whole foods from the WholeFoodFarmacy which has a large selection of healthy, delicious and convenient foods for you and your family (check out the great snacks, your kids will love them too!).

To your best health!