Middle Aged Arteries in Teens and Children
"A glimpse inside the neck arteries of obese children and teens reveals cardiovascular systems more like those of 45-year-olds, researchers said Tuesday."
The quote above was from an article I read on MSNBC.com. The article goes on to say that using ultrasound imaging, scientists detected fatty deposits in children as young as 10 that resembled those found typically in middle-aged adults. I've got a couple of things to say about this...
1. More and more information is coming out about the affects of diet on children, and most specifically, on their health LATER IN LIFE. In other words, it is not just about the health of the child at their given age, rather researchers are finding out that bad habits early on can increase a child's chances of major diseases (cancer, heart disease etc) when they reach adulthood...Every seen a teenager who eats like crap but looks generally ok, and may not even be sick very much? Check in with that teen when they reach forty. Or worse yet, take a look at an obese 8 year old and start to think about what their life is going to be like health-wise (and how that will affect their general quality of life).
2. Later in the article, they cite a 17 year old who is 5'9" and weigh 185. They say he is 'stocky' but not obese. I'm 6'1" and also weigh 185, and I could probably stand to lose another 5 lbs. Spare me....Anyhow, the author writes that this kid has substituted grilled chicken for burgers.
However, according to "Eat to Live" by Dr. Joel Fuhrman, chicken has about the same cholestrol as beef, there appears to be no advantage to eating lean white meat over lean red meat, low fat dairy and skinless chicken raise cholesterol, and lastly, it is the animal PROTEIN, that has a significantly negative affect on cholesterol levels.
So, I say again...the facts are out there. Animal protein is simply bad for human beings. There are no benefits to consuming it (especially when taking the environment and compassion into consideration). We do not live in a society where food is scarce and we must hunt for our food. We have access to an almost overwhelming variety of fruits, vegetables, beans, grains, nuts, and seeds. We are not able to simply survive without animal products, we are able to thrive.
It breaks my heart to think about these children and the lack of direction and information they are given. It also angers me that my health insurance costs (I pay for my own) are sky high, not because my family is perfectly healthy and rarely sees a doctor except for checkups, but rather because of the Standard American Diet and the profoundly unhealthy population that I live amongst. Diet is simply the first line of defense against disease. If a study that states that animal products are health promoting, check its funding. I do not stand to make any money by relating this information or doing this blog. Dr. Joel Fuhrman ("Eat to Live", "Disease Proof your Child") could certainly cash in by writing an Atkins style book that caters to this Country's insatiable appetite for meat and dairy. Read the facts.