That was the line that stuck out the most to me in this weekend's article on our nation's health problems in SF Gate, by UCSF's incredible Dr. Robert Lustig (if you've never watched Sugar: The Bitter Truth, I urge you to). This is a great read because it asks the questions many of us are feeling confused about: Why is that even if we eat what we are told is okay and lead a healthy lifestyle we are still plagued by chronic medical problems? Why are there obese 6 months old - certainly it's not their fault, right? Why are so many people at a normal weight still at risk of heart disease, hypertension and diabetes? In short, what is going on???
Increasing data is pinpointing sugar as the number one culprit. Yes you can cut out the obvious villains (soda, fruit juice, candy) but until we start to educate that 80% of processed foods are laced with added/hidden sugars, how can we expect people to make wiser decisions? People shouldn't feel pressure to eat less, they should be given the education needed to make smart decisions.
They should know there are 56 names for sugar. "How can we expect anyone to make a rational dietary decision when the information on which to make that decision is withheld? We're not allowed to know how much sugar is added or where added sugars hide." Doesn't seem fair really.
That's what Prescribe | Nutrition and NYNR is really all about: educate the why so people can know the how. We all want to be able to live in this world, worry less and enjoy more. It's completely possible once you know the whys and the hows.
Happy Day 3!
-Megan
