Why cooking can save your life… (this is an excerpt taken from a post on Dr. Mark Hyman’s blog)The cure for what ails us, both in our bodies and in our nation can be found in the kitchen. It is a place to rebuild community and connection, strengthen bonds with family and friends, teach life-giving skills to our children, enrich and nourish our bodies and our souls. Yet, in the twenty first century, our kitchens and our taste buds have been hijacked by the food industry. In the 1900’s only 2% of meals were eaten outside of the home, today that number is over 50%.
The “food Like” substances, full of fat, salt and sugar offered by the industrial food system tricks our taste buds into momentary pleasure. But our biology rejects the junk forced on our genes and on our hormonal and biochemical pathways and the results is the disaster that we have in America today. 70% of us are overweight and in less that a decade the rate of pre-diabetic or diabetic teenagers has quadrupled. Increasing from 9% to 23%.
My editorial…Another way to look at it is that almost 1/4 of our teenagers have blood sugar issues. That’s a very scary thought and sad as well. The cost to the health care system will be staggering unless this is turned around and turned around soon and more importantly, the quality of life for these young people as they become adults will be severely compromised.
I hope you will consider cooking at least 5 meals a week at home and involve your kids, young and old as well. It brings benefit on so many levels. Bon Apetite!