Column #53

I recently read 1944: FDR and the Year That Changed History by Jay Winik. It’s a terrific read that underscores “man’s inhumanity to man.” The most famous atrocity of that period was the Holocaust, but it was just one of several holocausts from 1939 to 1945. Hitler’s war cost 55 million lives.

Today our world still experiences pockets of terrorism and holocausts of various sorts. Thankfully, considering the seven billion people on Earth, the vast majority live peacefully.

On the other hand, there is an unrecognized holocaust of unprecedented proportions occurring all around us on a daily basis. It’s the worst the world has ever experienced.

Humans are the only species on earth that choose to feed their children foods that cause mental and physical disease. All other members of the animal kingdom (those not fed by humans) feed their offspring the very best nutrients required for survival of their species.

Childhood chronic diseases, such as  asthma, diabetes, ADHD, CHD, and obesity, are mostly diet related and thus preventable. Today they are so ubiquitous the word “epidemic” is often used to describe them.

Parents may not realize it but they actually can control what their children eat. Unfortunately, most are so intent on appeasement they allow their children to eat whatever they want. Some parents realize their children are sick yet keep feeding them the same garbage without question.

Health and well-being begins at and even before conception. Few expectant mothers restrict their diets to low glycemic foods that contain all nutrients with enough Omega-3 to balance the ubiquitous overload of Omega-6 essential fatty acids. And when their babies begin to eat solids, most mothers feed them junk such as cereals, breads, crackers, potatoes, peanut butter jelly sandwiches, high glycemic fruit and juices, pastries, ice cream, sodas, and candy. Rarely do they feed their children good (green leafy) vegetables, grass-fed meats, or wild-caught seafood.

Some years ago I wrote a review of the movie Food Inc. The movie slammed science and blamed America’s poor nutrition on Big Business, pesticides, food additives, and corruption. Although it mentioned that consumers have choices, it didn’t explain nutritional science nor the food choices and exclusions consumers must make to improve their diets. Food Inc. actually increased the ignorance level of parents by blaming lifestyle, food providers, cost of food, necessity to buy expensive drugs, and the need to appease others (make children happy).

Meals of high glycemic, Omega-3 deficient, and nutrient lite foods are figurative time bombs that can explode in the short term and over and over again in the long term. America’s healthcare consumes 18% of our GNP and next year’s insurance premiums are projected to increase from 9% to 27%!

How parents can have children battling various ailments and not strive to feed them the very best food reminds me of the German guards working at Auschwitz. They did their jobs like everyone else which justified their actions. The ill-informed destruction of children’s health on such a massive scale does not bode well for us or the future of our country.

To your health.

Ted Slanker

Ted Slanker has been reporting on the fundamentals of nutritional research in publications, television and radio appearances, and at conferences since 1999. He condenses complex studies into the basics required for health and well-being. His eBook, The Real Diet of Man, is available online.

Don’t miss these links for additional reading:

1944: FDR and the Year That Changed History by Jay Winik

Food Inc. Review by Ted Slanker

Adolf Hitler - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Health and Disease and Growth and Development

Vital Role of Essential Fatty Acids For Pregnant and Nursing Women

8 Ways to Help Children Eat Healthy

Purdue University News -- ADHD in Boys

Omega-3 Fatty Acid Treatment of Children with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Brain Function is Unequivocally Food Dependent

How Much Will Individual Health Insurance Costs Increase in 2017?