Humans are fantastically adaptable creatures, capable of surviving very extreme and unusual conditions. Do you want to just survive or would you like to thrive?
Many people I know struggle through their daily life with minor health complaints and they foresee themselves living to their 70s and becoming decrepit and dying. This saddens me as my vision is very different. I want to die like Jack LaLanne, in my prime at 96 years of age or older. It is becoming increasingly apparent that many of the diseases afflicting the older population are a product of poor diet and inactive lifestyles. This suggests that many of these conditions are therefore preventable with the right diet and exercise programme. However, the healthiest option may not be the most obvious or the one that is most well known.
When you see advertisements for washing powders all claiming to be the best, you don't believe all of them do you? They can't ALL be right! It's just advertising and they can make whatever grand claim they like to promote their product and increase sales. So why do you believe food advertisements for "wholewheat this" or "cholesterol lowering that"? The point of these products is not to make you thin or healthy; it's to make money. There isn't a hell of a lot of regulation on what they say to sell you their products and they often try to befuddle you with false science to make their claims seem more legitimate. If you look at the the real science behind these pseudo science claims, it is often based on poor studies funded by companies with dodgy motives. How accurate would you imagine a study on various washing powder brands would be if it was funded by one particular brand? Of course they're going to find that theirs is the best! This is exactly what happens in the food industry.
One very good example of this is breakfast cereal. I haven't eaten cereal in years and I'm not suffering at all for the lack of wholewheat and fortification with minerals and vitamins. These minerals and vitamins are added because breakfast cereals generally lack them to begin with. Why not just eat the food that contains these anyway? (i.e. meat, fruit nuts and veg). All the cereals, even the damn chocolate ones make some kind of healthy food claims. Some of them have even been told off for making false claims to having actual medicinal value.
It is fact that cereals today contain more sugar than they did back in 1978, sometimes as much as double. It is no accident that obesity related health problems are on the rise.
Have a look at this news article and next time you reach for your cereal box, take a look at the label and see the amount of sugar for yourself. Still think cereal is healthy? If you are interested in a healthier alternative, give me a shout.
deelynch.pt@gmail.com or 0877915646.
What kind of cereal are you talking about? Like corn flakes? Anyhow people need to learn to know what they eat- start reading the labels- which tells how much of what is in it I personally like musli, or porridge and that sort of breakfast food as Im lazy but choosing ones with no added sugar mixed fruits/nuts and adding fruit on top... Just thought you're being a bit harsh on the cereals. But I do agree that people believe everything what's written on the box, give them shit nicely packaged will think it's chocolate!
ReplyDeleteI was talking about most breakfast cereals. Cereals were just one example of a food that claims to be healthy but just by looking at the label, you can see it is loaded with sugar. I'm sure they have their place, my point is, for a lot of top athletes and health conscious people, that wouldn't be at the breakfast table.
ReplyDeleteGreat advice Dee... It hurts my brain every time I see a special K ad. That stuff is a load of shit, it has so much sugar! I normally just go for porridge with nuts and some fruit. Lets me train in the morning and I'm still not hungry for lunch until well after 12 most days. Best of luck with the business, its great to see a personal trainer who really knows what they're talking about. Will we be seeing you at the London Olympics??
ReplyDeleteThanks Niall!
ReplyDeleteAs for the Olympics, unfortunately I'm not even close enough to the standard required. I started Olympic Weightlifting at 27 while most of the best lifters started when they were in their teens and I just can't compete with that!