What these foods are doing TO you
Sour-cream-filled burritos and grease-soaked french fries provide fodder for artery-clogging plaques. A fiberless daily menu of a beef patty nestled between two slices of white bread promotes constipation, setting you up for diverticulitis, a painful condition of the colon that afflicts half of all Americans over 60. And guzzling sugary juices and super-sized sugary sodas only encourages the onset of osteoporosis and tooth decay. Add decades of smoking, a sedentary lifestyle, stress, and other environmental factors and you will age -- early and quickly.
The alternate scenario
Minerals from calcium-rich dairy foods and greens can strengthen your bones. Fiber from whole grains helps to keep bowel movements regular. And the antioxidants from fruits and vegetables help to prevent cancer from developing by fighting off free radicals, byproducts of the body's everyday processes that can damage DNA, cells, and tissues.
Simple Approach
The easiest move you can make is to add more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains to your daily menu. Most have no fat, cholesterol, or sodium -- and they're low in calories. What you do get is lots of fiber, calcium, iron, magnesium, and vitamins, which all play a part in keeping you functioning at your best. What's clear is that heart attacks, osteoporosis, and other signs of aging take years to develop. Eating healthy foods slows that development, helping you to live better and longer.
