Nutrient Density: Why Is It So Critical?

Every day, millions of people worldwide bombard themselves with low quality, nutrient deficient, high calorie food – “junk food” or “empty calorie food” (food deficient in nutrients and fibre). More people than ever are now eating these poor quality foods … while living lifestyles that are increasingly inactive – a very dangerous combination! Doctors and physicians are ringing the alarm bells louder and louder, as they see their surgery’s increasingly filled with patients suffering from lifestyle related illnesses (eg diabetes). Their frustration is magnified by the stubborn reluctance and resistance of the vast majority of people to make necessary changes that are needed simply to stay alive! Everyone wants a magic pill or a simple solution to obesity. The fact is … it doesn’t exist! The genetic factor cannot be ignored (people whose parents are / were obese have a tenfold increased risk of being obese themselves) … but when this is combined with poor food choices and lack of exercise we have a recipe for death and disaster! You cannot change the genes you have inherited, so blaming them doesn’t change a thing or solve anything. Rather, we must take an honest look at ourselves, the way we live and make every effort to improve our knowledge and understanding of exactly what causes obesity.

You must understand that obesity and being seriously overweight is not just a cosmetic issue – extra weight leads to a raft of serious health problems and a premature death as numerous scientific studies and reports confirm. Two thirds of people with long term weight problems suffer from hypertension, diabetes, heart disease and many other obesity related conditions.

Because following a disciplined regimen of food management and regular exercise requires effort and persistence, most people fail and then try to find an easier way. This inevitably means (potentially dangerous) drugs and / or surgical procedures to lose weight.

Health Complications of Obesity

– Premature mortality

– Adult onset – – diabetes

– Hypertension

– Degenerative arthritis

– Coronary artery disease

– Cancer

– Lipid disorders

– Obstructive sleep apnea

– Gallstones

– Fatty infiltration of liver

– Restrictive lung disease

– Gastrointestinal disease

Almost all diets are ineffective. This is because no matter how much weight you lose when you are on a diet, you put it right back on when you come off! For example, measuring portions and trying to eat fewer calories (calorie counting) almost never results in permanent weight loss and may actually worsen the problem over time. Such methods temporarily slow down your metabolic rate, but when you start eating “normally” again, the weight is quickly piled back on and you may very well end up heavier than you were before you started the diet!

What you must understand is this critical fact:

For the vast majority of people being overweight is not caused by how much they eat but rather what they eat.

The idea that people get heavy because they consume a high volume of food is a fallacy.

So what is the “right food”? The right food is “nutrient dense food” and thoroughly understanding this fact together with good, consistent self disciple is the secret to long term, sustainable weight loss. What makes many people obese is not that they eat a huge amount more (in terms of volume) than people who maintain a healthy weight. The problem is they get most of their calories from fat and refined carbohydrates … low nutrient foods that are quickly converted into fat. Forget metabolism or genetics … start believing that you can achieve your ideal weight by switching quickly (ie like yesterday!) to a nutrient dense diet style. You must realize that the problem is not primarily genetic … lack of physical activity and poor food choices play a far more significant role.

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