Lesson 1: Why Eat A Low-Carb Diet
Modern Diseases
Before agricultural times, Syndrome X diseases were rare if they existed at all. Our common chronic diseases and conditions such as obesity, heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, osteoporosis, allergies, asthma, etc, are becoming more common, and are even occurring in children. Food sensitivities, intolerances, and allergies, and autoimmune disorders such as celiac’s disease (gluten intolerance) are diagnosed in increasing numbers. What do all these disorders have in common? They are all influenced, and perhaps caused, by diet.
The American government has acknowledged the epidemic of diet-related diseases and has begun a campaign find an answer to the problem. This campaign has become a controversial issue. Among the issues, authorities are deciding whether to consider obesity a disease, which would then open up debate on how to ‘treat’ that disease. That’s where pharmaceutical companies would enter the discussion. We’re not going to talk about that, because whether or not obesity is considered a disease, there is a much simpler and more appropriate solution that addresses not only obesity, but all related conditions–our diet.
Our human diet has changed drastically over the past 500 generations. From an evolutionary standpoint, this is not enough time for our bodies to adapt to such a drastically different diet. We now regularly eat foods that the average person does not know how to create. We must rely on food processing experts to create edible grains and dairy products for us. How many of us even know how to grow fruits and vegetables or slaughter livestock? Many of the edible products we eat are barely are processed beyond recognition as natural foods. Many of the products we eat are not food at all. This is increasingly common in children’s food products.
Food additives such as colorings and preservatives, can cause behavior changes in children (and probably adults, too.) Conditions such as Attention Deficit Disorder, Hyperactivity Disorder, and Autism are believed to be influenced, and perhaps caused, by ingredients in foods.
During this course, I may challenge what you believe about nutrition and its affect on health. I may challenge what you believe about the macronutrients: fats, carbohydrates, and protein. I may challenge what you believe to be the causes or contributors to high cholesterol, heart disease, osteoporosis, diabetes, etc
