A record number of Americans are living with diabetes or pre-diabetes. Obesity affects approximately 40% of the population which is a leading risk factor for developing diabetes. One in five Americans already has diabetes and one in three have pre-diabetes. Most likely half of Americans have pre-diabetes and they don’t even know it yet, this disease is caused by high insulin levels which are a direct result of our food system that glorifies junk food and sodas as clever PR campaigns brainwashing people into believing their products are actually healthy. One would think the amount of food we are feeding our populations would need to decrease with such high obesity rates; however, recent studies show contradicting results in such that Obesity is linked to malnourishment.
Obesity Linked to Malnourishment?
How could that be with the average American consuming 3,700 calories per day? It turns out it is not the amount of food but the type of food. Calories are not equal! For example, if you compare 8 oz of milk (~150 calories) vs 8 oz of Coke (~100 calories) you can see they are similar in caloric intake; however, milk is a significant source of Calcium, Vitamin D, A and B12, protein, fatty acids and many other nutrients while the Coke is not a significant source of anything except sugar in the form of High Fructose Corn Syrup. The void of nutrition and empty calories are a result of our highly extractive monoculture crop agriculture system. These crops are growing on eroding and worn out soils, that are being kept alive by a toxic mix of chemical fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides which has left a void in the precious micronutrients we all need. The nutrient value of food is on a steady decline with perhaps only 50% to 60% of the nutrient levels of several generations past. The result of this is starving for nutrition from these empty calories. We are continually trying to get the nutrients that are never there!
Regenerative Agriculture is a Viable Solution.
The solution is switching to regenerative agriculture which improves soil health and improves our health in the process. Regenerating soil is rich in nutrients, microorganisms and organic matter that help deliver optimum nutrition to each plant that grows in its soil or each animal that grazes its bounty. Regenerative agriculture is simply a halt of excessive disturbance of soil by plowing, reducing or eliminating chemical additives and instead using methods such as crop rotation, planned animal impact, and never leaving bare soil by always planting cover crops. Our health depends on change and changing our diet is the best way we can affect our own health; however, that diet must include a shift to regeneratively grown products to give our bodies the consistent nutrients it desperately needs.
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References http://www.hungryforchange.tv/article/overfed-and-starving-to-death
https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2017/p0718-diabetes-report.html
