Beware of "fake food"

Rarely a week goes by that someone doesn’t ask me about dieting. My favorite response is, “If you don’t do anything else, at least stop or greatly reduce the amount of refined carbohydrates that you are eating everyday.” Doing this one recommendation will definitely make you healthier and slimmer. I’m not excluding exercise. That’s a subject for another day.

Generally speaking, “refined carbohydrates” are those foods that are made from white sugar and/or white flour. They serve no useful function unless your purpose is to promote high cholesterol, blood sugar diseases, overweight bodies, increased coronary risk, and mood swings.

This “fake food” can also be called “white trash.” It provides plenty of empty calories but without the nutrition. The quality of the vitamins and minerals the food industry adds back to “refined carbohydrate” products is also a joke —but that’s another topic.

If “refined carbohydrates” are so undesirable then why is their production and use so widespread? I suppose it’s because the FDA is either too stupid or too spineless to educate the public, and because we consumers are addicted to the stuff. In this regard, you could say that anyone who eats a lot of “refined carbohydrates” is a “carboholic.”

Keep in mind that just because you are losing weight with your present diet doesn’t necessarily mean that it is a healthy diet. If your diet allows you to eat “refined carbohydrates” (and refined oils/fats), you’ve still got an unhealthy diet — period.

So, in retrospect, if you’re interested in losing the weight to wear the clothing that you want to wear, make your New Year’s resolution (or even a promise to yourself) to live healthier and take care of the one and only body you have.

Suggested reading: Sugar Busters and Sugar Blues.

— Motitz Hardwick is a doctor of chiropractic and a North Lake College student. He may be reached at 972-255-6700 or moritz_hardwick@yahoo.com.