Us vs Food & Health
The mention of potato, vegetable drove me to the kitchen for a moment.
Another issue within society, snacking and fast foods.
Dealing with depression for 30years I've come to the conclusion diet, sleep, stress and even exposure to outdoors, play a big part if a bout takes place or not.
To note something most understand North America has a higher percentage of mental illness than any other country. The link or common denominator processed foods consumed.
In countries where money is scarce to an individual they can't waste it on a box of fish sticks or cookies. They stick with a simple proper diet high in vegetables.
Over the years while struggling with dark moments I absorbed information on mental illness. One main scientific cause for mental illness is a chemical imbalance in the brain. How do we get those chemicals back? The best way is the same way from preventing it, eating healthier. The minerals required are in the fruits and vegetables.
Think about this the largest land animals survive on vegetation.
So many North Americans were raised on the meat and potato idea of proper diet. Meat has a few things the body needs but not all.
Obesity is mainly poor diet as well. One could stuff themselves on a plate of hotdogs and French fries but still feel hungry. The body still feels hungry because its craving minerals that aren't being consumed. These minerals will come from fruits and vegetables.
Into my 40s knew if a longer life with few health issues was desired my diet would have to change.
At one point while working as a traveling service technician I would consume a hamburger and fries 3>5Xs a week. Then on some weekends ended up with a migraine from malnutrition. Slowly I changed my diet then to chicken sandwiches, subs and slices of pizza. However this is still fast food and low in nutritional requirements.
After a couple years I was eating pizza slices 3>5Xs a week. Now I lost 20lbs doing that and migraines were rare but it wasn't a healthy choice. In the evenings when home I'd still be snacking on processed comfort foods, Potato chips and microwave popcorn.
A warning to you all, they are finding out the materials within microwave popcorn and the flavoring are toxic, best to go with the old hot air popper.
Wanting to keep improving the diet over the years ate more homemade salads and began cutting back on processed snacks.
What I discovered is now proved by science in understanding mental illness.
After going without potato chips for a week or longer I would indulge in a full bag of chips. The next day or two I was easily irritated, by things that normally wouldn't bother me. (Damn I do enjoy a good BBQ or sour cream'n'onion chip though)
Now in my fifties I only buy the small snack bags just for travel or because, and well those things have gotten too expensive. In the 1970s one could pick up a snack bag of chips, a chocolate bar and pop for under a $1. Now those items average $1 > $2 each, ridiculous. (I'll just pick up a chocolate bar from the dollar store. Oh but even more processed.)
The main reason processed foods are toxic for us is they include ingredients not meant to be consumed, artificial flavors, colors, preservatives and other hard to pronounce additives to increase the product's shelf life. In North America there is so much of this crap that more than half the grocery store selves are stocked with it.
Convenience foods, plays a key part in the many shootings in the United States.
North American parents start their children off young providing little ones with sugary, flavored and colorful snacks. As they grow they desire what they know and tastes good instead of being good for them. Added to the snacks the prepackaged meals for ease of preparation and serving, which include more chemicals ingested into developing minds and body.
