| The Food Pyramid, first introduced to the US in 1992, | | | | their government tells them too, these changes, and |
| just experienced a major overhaul. Why? Perhaps | | | | the expense of the marketing for all of this will be |
| proper education about nutrition isn't as easy as | | | | well-worth our tax dollars.What is left out of these |
| picking out food from a colorful chart. Last month, | | | | dietary guidelines is any source of education on timing |
| The New England Journal of Medicine reported that | | | | of food intake. For example, how many of you are |
| childhood obesity was causing a retreat in average | | | | late-night eaters? Perhaps you have a bowl of cereal |
| lifespan. That report seems to only cover part of the | | | | before bed? What do the cells do with all the extra |
| picture as chronic disease, such as cardiac | | | | starch and glucose as you sleep? The answer is they |
| dysfunction and Type II Diabetes have been on a | | | | store it in the fat cells. If you think of a caveman, or |
| steady rise in recent years. Because many people | | | | woodland creature, bulking up before hibernation, you |
| seem to be unwilling to learn how to make better | | | | get the picture.A better diet doesn't have to be |
| lifestyle choices, it is only the toxic pharmaceutical | | | | entirely about sacrifice. It's more about better |
| drugs that seem to be extending the lives of these | | | | decisions. I'm not saying to stop eating ice cream. |
| people.Agriculture secretary Mike Johanns described | | | | Consider some Wheat Germ or Grape Nuts as a |
| the old food pyramid as being "quite familiar" to most | | | | toping. Both are excellent sources of dietary fiber and |
| Americans, "but few Americans follow the | | | | essential nutrients like Vitamin E, folate (folic acid), |
| recommendations." The solution, found at is | | | | phosphorous, thiamin, zinc and magnesium. You get |
| apparently more colors and to make the bands travel | | | | to have a tasty snack and sneak some nutrition |
| downwards instead of horizontally. Yes, that counts | | | | through the teeth. Just don't eat it as a midnight |
| as a solution where french fries and catsup count as | | | | snack!Dave Saunders is a certified nutritional |
| two servings of vegetables in the school lunch | | | | educator, wellness coach, |
| program.Well, some progress is better than no | | | | member of the American International Association |
| progress. On a positive note, the new dietary | | | | of Nutritional Education (AIANE) and author. He is also |
| guidelines do recommend daily physical activity. If | | | | the host of a weekly, nation-wide telephone lecture |
| even a few people get out of their chairs because | | | | on health and nutrition. |