I love fruits and vegetables. There, I said it. I love them. They are a major part of my breakfast, lunch and dinner meals as well as the only part of my snack selection. Processed foods scare me and I even get a little weird about eating even the healthiest foods, like whole grain cereals, out of a box. Call me a freak, but my weight is well below the American average, as is my cholesterol, blood pressure and BMI (body mass index). I'm not tooting my own horn, believe me, I have my vices - but diet has always been important to me from a very young age. While my older sister and younger brother were grabbing boxes of Cookie Crisp and Captain Crunch off the shelves, I was busy reading the nutrition information on muselix and kashi boxes. I preferred muselix. The snacks my siblings wanted included Oreo's and Neapolitan ice cream while I opted for fresh fruit salad topped with walnuts and a sprinkle of cinnamon. O.K., so I was 8 - big deal - I was just very aware of what was healthy to eat and what was not so healthy. The sad thing is that most Americans have no idea what they're putting into their bodies which is contributing to Americas overweight problem and obesity epidemic.
So you think I'm a freak? Well get a load of this - there's a whole new crop of "freaks" popping up and they aren't messing around. They would even have a problem with what I eat. Imagine that! They are telling carnivores, Vegetarians and even Vegans to stop cooking and start enjoying your food raw. I love pasta too much so, I won't go there, but let's just say - the average American couldn't even handle being a Vegetarian, much less a raw foods eater. So let's take a look at a less dramatic approach - what if I told you that you could slim down, lower your cholesterol, protect yourself against cancers and heart disease and start feeling better by eliminating 2 food groups that are a totally unnecessary part of the American diet? What if I told you those 2 food groups consist of meats and dairy? Hear me out.
Most Americans were raised to believe they needed dairy products for calcium and meat products for protein and iron, when in fact, these food groups are only "A" source of calcium, protein & iron, not "the" source.
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