American companies are making it easier and easier for us to get our vegetables, so how come we aren?t eating them? You can get your salad in a bag, your carrots come pre-washed (even though you should wash them again anyway), and your vegetables ready-to-steam. In fact, ready to eat vegetables are a $3 billion dollar a year industry!
So, why do we not eat our greens? No one seems to know why. Many people seem to be intimidated by our veggie friends. A recent article in the New York Times discusses a recent study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control issued a comprehensive nationwide behavioral study of fruit and vegetable consumption. Only 26 percent of the nation?s adults eat vegetables three or more times a day, it concluded. (And no, that does not include French fries.) In fact, the numbers haven?t shifted since 2000 (1). It is a grim statistic and the article further outlines that regardless of efforts by public health advocates to make vegetables more affordable and outline better guidelines for vegetable consumption, it seems like it?s not enough.
We have to make the healthy choice the easy choice. While it is an interesting article to read it stops at explaining what all these facts mean. How is it that no matter how many efforts we make to open up green markets and to push our vegetables, we can?t get our kids, or even our adults to eat the right portions? Instead we take our vegetables deep fried, starchy, and slathered with cheese… but that?s okay, because they still are vegetables, right?
Why do we crave bad food?
Hormonal imbalance can be making us not eat right
Digestive problems (your gut) – your digestive system could be working inefficiently and processing and absorbing food incorrectly
Mood problems – Remember that the best selling grocery items are mood modifiers.
In fact a recent statistical analysis was compiled of the top 10 selling grocery items in the United States. The list was as follows
Carbonated Beverages
Milk
Fresh rolls and bread
Beer/Ale/Hard Cider
Salty Snacks
Natural Cheese
Frozen dinners/Entrees
Cold Cereal
Wine
Cigarettes
SOURCE: INFORMATION RESOURCES INC. (IRI)
The top ten does not have ANY mention of vegetables or fruits or even proteins listed! Our grocery shopping habits consist of Sugar, Dairy, Carbohydrates, Fat and Yeast!!! So what?s the solution to get us to eat our greens?
Try to fast at least for 3 days, preferably 7 — 10 days if your doctor agrees. This will kill the bad yeast in your digestive system and help you detox
As difficult as it may be little to no carbohydrates.
Do not eat processed food!
Good sleep: if you don?t sleep well, you don?t eat well. Plain and simple.
How many times have you woken up running late because you haven?t gotten enough sleep. You aren?t only getting sleep deprivation, your depriving yourself of a healthy breakfast as well. Make the promise to eat right. Eat your servings of organic vegetables! What?s your vegetable consumption like? References: 1. SEVERSON, KIM. “Told to Eat Its Vegetables, America Orders Fries – NYTimes.com.” The New York Times – Breaking News, World News & Multimedia. N.p., 15 Sept. 2010. Web. 29 Mar. 2011. 2. SOURCE: INFORMATION RESOURCES INC. (IRI)