The Rise of Health Awareness: Exposing Ultra-Processed Foods and Corporate Greed

September 17, 2024 SuzanneLeave a comment

Awareness of the harms of ultra-processed foods is growing! YAY! People are learning that these products are toxic to human health and the reason for most metabolic problems plaguing literally millions today.

People are getting it!

Thanks to Robert Kennedy Jr, that awareness… hit the Trump stage recently, and a bunch of us got a tremendous boost to our persistently hopeful outlook for the health of men, women, and children throughout the world.

This ultra-processed food nightmare is not a new topic for many of us… but it is an eye-opener for literally thousands worldwide. It is a story that must be told and, if Kennedy has any say… he’ll tell it. Corporate greed exposed.

Wait… There’s more…

Kennedy endorsed Calley and Casey Means and shortly thereafter, Megyn Kelly interviewed Casey on her show. Their primary topic was on… are you ready for this… seed oils.

Yes, they exposed the damage of consuming these horrible oils on Kelly’s platform… a platform that boasts over 2 million followers. (Insert an excited fist bump here!)

But let’s not forget the trailerblazers…

As the awareness grows… and make no mistake it is growing… we should take a moment to acknowledge the many dedicated doctors, scientists, advocates, and lay people from across the globe who worked tirelessly to bring us the facts.

Without their efforts, many of us would still be consuming this sludge. Because of the many books, published papers, podcasts, video clips, shorts, and etc… we have avoided literally dozens of so called ‘food’ aisles for years.

Let’s acknowledge a few modern day heroes…

We learned that saturated fat isn’t the ‘bad guy’ from pioneers like Nina Teicholz. Her 2014 book, The Big Fat Surprise, continues to educate and is considered to be a ‘reference’ source for many.

Dr. Chris Knobbe’s 2023 book, The Ancestral Diet Revolution is another excellent publication detailing… well… everything you need to know about how we got into this mess in the first place.

You can’t hide the truth forever…

“Nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.”

Matthew 5:15 (AMP)

Note: The above biblical quote seems to be taken a little out of context, but if ‘light’ reflects ‘truth’… then the truth can’t be hidden for long. Eventually, it comes to light, and all who learn of this truth are given the opportunity to gain from it. (In this case… we gain better health!)

Back to our modern day heroes…

Books by Gary Taubes, Dr. Robert Lustig, Dr. Jason Fung, Dr. Ben Bikman are among the many who have exposed the effects of ‘added sugar’ upon metabolic health… specifically, insulin resistance.

They have helped us understand diabetes at the cellular level and we now recognize that the conventional ways of treating this pandemic have NOT been the most effective.

Diet, exercise, and intermittent fasting now play key roles in recovery and… most importantly… PREVENTION.

Then there are the podcasters… Dr. Mark Hyman, Mike Mutzel, Max Lugavere, Dhru Purohit, Dr. Peter Attia, Jesse Chappus, Dr. Suneel Dhand, and many, many others. Untold hours of discussion, explanations, data, signs and symptoms, and reasonable conversations have all contributed to the awakening the world is desperate for.

A special thanks to the aforementioned ‘pioneers’ for their years of dedicated service. Without their groundbreaking efforts, many of us would not find ourselves so incredibily hopeful for a major shift in health awareness with, whatever lies ahead, in the hands of Robert Kennedy Jr’s MAHA movement.

Here’s hoping our world’s population can also start their journey to health and wellness.

Whenever possible, please acknowledge the above amazing people by supporting their efforts through word of mouth to friends, family, and co-workers or online with positive comments, likes, and shares.

If you know other great trailblazers, on this quest for health and wellness, please drop a comment below to share their worthy contributions as well.

Suzanne Rightley is a children’s fiction author who presents a health minded hero in the persona of a dedicated 12 year-old girl.

Granola Brea plans on being a consumer advocate when she grows up… but she’s practicing what she preaches… now! No easy feat!

The Granola Brea Series is available on Amazon for parents and teachers who welcome a lively — often humorous — format to educate children and help today’s youth on their own health journeys.

thanks for the visit

Health and Wellness · Lifestyle Changes

Becoming Your Own Health Manager: A Guide to Taking Charge of Your Wellness

June 19, 2024 SuzanneLeave a comment

At what age should you seriously consider being the manager of your own health? Your twenties? Thirties? Forties? Your sixties?

The short answer… today. Today is the day you should firm up your commitment to becoming ‘in charge’ of your health and wellness. If you’re alive… as in breathing, regardless of your age… now is the optimum time to add Health Manager to your resume.

Think of your health as you would a job and begin to reap the benefits almost immediately. No kidding.

To Do…

Get Educated

As with any employment, being well educated means being better qualified. When it comes to your health…acquiring the best and most comprehensive education is vital to your overall performance. Thankfully, the resources are plentiful and easily accessible… think Internet. (YouTube videos are very informative)

Focus on the Key Components of Your Education

There are several ‘courses’ to choose from and the sky is the limit when it comes to acquiring an education in all things health. Consider the following key aspects…

A Healthy Diet

The quick and lazy method would have you accepting the basic food guidelines provided by the so called ‘experts’.
However, a more thorough search, which does require your time and enery, would expose the errors, misconceptions, and possibly the deceptiveness of these guidelines.
Do your ‘due diligence’ here and you won’t regret it. Don’t allow the sheer number of diets and diet plans to overwhelm you. Choosing low carb, carnivore, keto, mediterranean, and so forth will come easier once you’ve taken the time to understand the basic food groups, which are: protein, carbohydrates, and fats.
Get familiar with how these food groups help establish your health and wellbeing. Understand how they benefit the body and learn to prioritize according to your body’s basic needs. Hint: carbs shouldn’t dominate the day. So prepare yourself (give yourself a mental headshake)… cut the cookies, donuts, crackers, bagels, and other ‘fun’ stuff that you’ve come to rely upon during coffee breaks. It takes time, but well worth the effort.
Quick tip: If what you want to eat comes wrapped with a lengthy label…odds are that this ‘food’ is not actually ‘food’ but an ultra-processed substitute. So… focus on real food and … wait for it … learn to cook ‘real food’ at home!
Renowned functional medicine expert, Dr. Mark Hyman, has the following to say…

“It is food – we now know that food is information, not just calories, and that it can upgrade your biologic software. The majority of chronic disease is primarily a foodborne illness. We ate ourselves into this problem and we have to eat ourselves out of it.” Mark Hyman

Consistent Exercise and Movement

Contrary to popular opinion, exercise does not need to be a drudgery or a painful process. Well…okay…there can be some pain (sore muscles) but not the torturous pain designed to kill you.
The benefits of exercise are..well.. phenomenal. No joke! Many more doctors have come fully onboard and they’ll tell you that regular exercise is super important towards achieving health and wellness and a leading method to decrease all cause mortality (that word alone makes a person shiver).
Exercise ranks higher than pharmaceuticals when dealing with depression and studies now show that regular activity helps cognitive improvements and greatly lessens the likelihood of developing various forms of dementia in later life.
Prominent physician and longevity expert, Dr. Peter Attia says it well…

“Exercise is by far the most potent longevity ‘drug’. No other intervention does nearly as much to prolong our lifespan and preserve our cognitive function.” Peter Attia

Sleep and Relaxation (aka… meditation)

Getting your Zzzzs can’t be overemphasized. Research has shown that many necessary bodily functions occur when we sleep, including a major cleaning… really! It’s like your brain is so busy during the day that, like a busy office, the garbage collects. During sleep hours, the cleanup crew get their shot at setting the place to rights before the next busy day begins.
Quality sleep helps in many ways: corrects and stabilizes immune function, disease resistance and overall well-being, including mood.
Mindful breathing calms the mind and body and may alleviate depression and anxiety by promoting relaxation and stress reduction.
Deep breathing may enhance focus and cognitive performance; it may positively impact mood and happiness, and… mindful/deep breathing may lower blood pressure, improve overall cardiovascular, better lung function to oxygenate the body.
Quotes from Matthew Walker’s book: “Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams…

“Sleep is the single most effective thing we can do to reset our brain and body health each day.” Matthew Walker

In conclusion:

Metabolic related diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, dementia, and obesity, to name a few, are steadily increasing. These types of problems are so widespread, we’ve almost come to the point of acceptance, as though it is inevitable to develop some sort of chronic disease.

But this need not be the case.

Those who choose to become managers of their own health – those who make their own fitness and wellness a lifelong job will undoubtedly reap benefits far beyond their expectations.

If you do not have ‘personal health manager’ on your life’s resume, the time couldn’t be better to begin the process of self-improvement.

You won’t regret it.

Suzanne Rightley is an author of childrens’ fiction. Her books are written for independent readers, ages 7-15 and can be found on Amazon. Her Granola Brea Series is an ongoing effort to enlighten today’s youth to make positive health and wellness choices for themselves.

Thanks for the visit.

Children's Health · Nutritional Health · Parenting

Ultra-Processed “Food” and Kids

December 7, 2023 SuzanneLeave a comment

Today’s kids eat far too many ultra-processed foods or real-food-alternatives. Most people know this.

Besides the health problems (cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, obesity, depression, and some types of cancer) associated with a high ultra-processed diet… is the far more alarming false distinction that exists between ultra-processed food and junk food.

It’s Confusing… especially for children

For example: Soda and potato chips compared to fruit juice and most granola bars…one sounds like ‘junk food’ and the other sounds ‘healthy’.

The reality however is far different. Chips and most granola bars, soda and fruit juice… ultra-processed.

Sadly, not all parents are aware, or they don’t take this problem seriously. Maybe, they themselves are addicted to an ultra-processed diet, and the cycle continues.

The scary facts: By some estimates (depending on what article you’ve read) a staggering 73% of food products in our grocery stores are ultra-processed.

The Results for Our Children…

A 2022 study by the American Society for Nutrition found that kids who consumed more ultra-processed foods had lower levels of physical fitness.
Researchers from England’s Imperial College London stated that high consumption of ultra-processed foods increased risk of childhood obesity. They discovered that one in five kids obtained 78% of their calories from ultra-processed foods.
The CDC reported a high obesity rate among children and teens…a staggering 14.4 million.
First Steps Nutrition Trust (UK) found nearly one third of baby/toddler foods are ultra-processed.
Studies also showed lower cardiovascular fitness in 12-15 year-old kids who consumed ultra-processed foods.

What does this mean for concerned parents?

Our children are consuming things today, that were not available to them, say, one hundred years ago…give or take a decade or two.

Added sugar, seed oils, chemicals, preservatives, emulsifiers, and so on literally plague our modern foods and they are slowly, but steadily…killing us.

The trajectory our children are currently on… those who eat more ultra-processed foods… is an unhealthy life as adults…

A recent study published in Cell Metabolism found that an ultra-processed diet led to an increase in liver fat, body weight, fat mass, and insulin resistance.
Another study found that these adults were more likely to develop type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, and other metabolic diseases.

Ultra-processed foods include: prepared foods like hotdogs, hamburgers, pizza, chicken wings and nuggets, as well as breakfast cereals, candies, packaged snacks, sweetened yogurts and juices, and canned soups.

It’s an epidemic that does not get the attention it deserves. Therefore, we continue down a path of poor health and the evidence is mounting.

Childhood Obesity, and Childhood Type 2 Diabetes were basically unheard of a few decades ago, but have now become a serious concern.

Grocery stores (places we trust) are stuffed with products that pass as food. These foods, (those with lengthy labels attached), are well-known to be ultra-processed. Consider that for every real food there is an ultra-processed alternative.

What’s a concerned parent to do?

Of those utlra-processed foods, a staggering number of cereal boxes alone, target children, both from the visible packaging to heavily commercialized ads. These cereal boxes, and ads, are enticements that present an overwhelming pressure; let’s not even think about snacks, beverages, frozen pizza, cookies, and on and on.

The above speaks to the numerous challenges concerned parents face on a daily basis. And what many of us have come to realize…nagging kids to choose foods without added sugar, seed oils, and etc. is not the best approach.

Deceptively Cute, Loving Picture – Not Helpful to Concerned Parents

So…given the almost insurmountable problems associated with kid targetted ads, pressure from peers, and of course…their own so called ‘sweet tooth’…what’s a concerned parent to do?

How do they reduce their child’s intake of sugar and ultra-processed food substitutes?

How to Get Kids Off Ultra-processed food

Remember you are the parent…which means you are in charge. It might sound overly simple but the reality is…you don’t have to purchase the junk that your kids want. Putting your ‘proverbial’ foot down is not as hard as you might think. No one forces you to buy that horrible processed cereal (you don’t have to give in to the whining and nagging). Furthermore, with a little planning… breakfast can be nutritious and enjoyable. Examples include: plain yogurt with fruit, nuts, and seeds, scrambled eggs, whole wheat toast (especially if it’s homemade), hot cereal such as oatmeal or cream of wheat.
Set the example…which means you have to stay away from the junk food…first! Kids don’t fall for their parent’s “do as I say, not as I do” speeches. This approach rarely works no matter how convincing you try to voice your concerns.
Get educated…which means you have to understand the very real dangers of ultra-processed, sugar laden ‘foods’ to our metabolic health. With ample information, readily available online…there really is no excuse. Even a basic foundation on benefits to health and wellness, to a more indepth study at the cellular level…everyone can arm themselves with the facts. Knowledge is far more powerful than most people realize.
Choose the right tools…which means investing your time and energy for the best items to spark the entire family into making better choices. This might be as simple as a jump rope to a more extravagant club membership. Whatever you decide, know that your efforts are worth every ounce of planning and penny spent (lol on that penny part…even though cost is not a laughing matter these days).

Choose Minimally Processed Foods for Your Children

Fresh vegetables and fruits (with more emphasis on vegetables, stay away from candies, carbonated soft drinks, “fruit” drinks and energy drinks)
Fresh meat and fish (avoid processed meats like hot dogs, sausages, luncheon meats, poultry and fish “nuggets” and “sticks”)
Dried legumes (avoid plant based meat substitutes)
Whole grains such as quinoa, brown rice, and whole wheat bread (restrict packaged breads, pastries, cakes, cookies, cake mixes)
Dairy products (organically raised and fed if possible; do not include flavored yogurts or processed cheese slices)

Read Labels… The longer the label the higher the ‘ultra’ part in ultra-processed.

To consider … choose the right books to help your child acquire their own health-awareness education.

Granola Brea Books by Suzanne Rightley might be just what your health-conscious family needs. This series of books is a small investment with an educational punch for kids between the ages of 10-14.

“Arming this age group, with a few healthy facts…before they are flung into the teen world, is a positive step toward helping your kids strive for, and achieve, health and wellness. If you don’t believe me…ask Granola Brea.” Suzanne, 2023

“abetterchat” with Suzanne · Kids Books · Sports-themed books for boys · Teens · Work Ethics

Tee It Up

May 30, 2023May 30, 2023 SuzanneLeave a comment

What are your favorite sports to watch and play?

Funny thing about me and sports… ah… I don’t do sports. Lol. It may be because I don’t have a competitive bone in my body or I’m naturally clutsy. In any case I don’t have a favourite sport to either watch or play..

My husband, on the other hand, played hockey, baseball, lacrosse, and who knows what else, growing up. I get exhausted just hearing about it. And… for a time pursued golf both as an amateur and as a professional.

I do exercise… a lot actually, because of the benefits of exercise combined with a healthy diet (no added sugar and harmful seed oils).

I do write children’s fiction and have a sports-themed series going called Tee It Up, mainly because I can take advantage of my husband’s vast knowledge of sports. 😉

Eddie has what it takes to be a hockey superstar but struggles with making the big career choice because of his love for golf. With the help of family, friends (old and new), Eddie discovers a lot about himself during his summer job. Good book choice for boys 12-15.

Learn more about Suzanne Rightley’s Tee It Up Series. Visit her author page to discover more children’s fiction stories available as ebooks or paperback.