Hippocrates said “Let thy food be thy medicine and let thy medicine be thy food.”  Food is one of the core elements of our well-being.  It is a sad truth that Americans are getting sicker and more overweight.  Another unfortunate reality is that not all food producers are interested in the health of our nation.  Foods are often produced in the interest of high profits with very little consideration of nutrient value.  So many foods are heavily marketed as being “healthy”, and an uninformed public is easily misled.  Here are some foods and elements to beware of:

Hydrogenated fats – mostly man-made or chemically altered fats, present in many of todays processed foods.  Watch out for this ingredient in candies, cakes, cookies, crackers and shortening.

Nitrates – nitrates convert to nitrites and then to nitrosamines during the digestive process.  Nitrosamines are cancer-causing.  If you do choose to eat foods rich in nitrates, drinking a glass of orange juice will inhibit this conversion of nitrates to nitrosamines.

Sodas – Sodas are full of refined sugars, chemicals, preservatives, etc., and have zero nutritional value.  Some research has even shown strong correlations between soda and osteoporosis.  Soda is a heavily marketed, lifeless food.

Chips, etc – Highly processed vegetable oils and highly heated fats wreak havoc on our digestive system.

Alcohol -  In the presence of a weakened immune system and disease, alcohol consumption should be avoided.

A simple rule for healthy eating is to consume foods in the most raw and natural state possible.  Any heat or processing of a food makes it less  suitable for consumption and digestion by our bodies. 

For a wealth of incredible information regarding raw organic, whole foods, visit www.absoluteposture.thewholefoodfarmacy.com, or call 573-346-3777 for a private consultation.     

Dr. Karin Burmeister is a chiropractor new to the Camdenton area.  She practices at Absolute Posture Chiropractic at 980 East Highway 54 in Camdenton.