This article expands on Part 1 in Industrial Food and provides more information about the myth of dieting that has taken hold of our psyche from the industrial to the newly industrial worlds.

Despite the word ‘organic’ making it to our consciousness, industrialized food is a relatively unknown failure of the market economy. Food production in industrial countries relies on petroleum by-products and funky science to fill stores with massive amounts of calories. If processed food has evolved to meet the hunger of the time constrained individual, his/her obesity and health problems are meant to be resolved by the continuum of health clubs, drugs, diets and doctors.

The balance and check for the system is a weak environmental protection agency and an even weaker food and drug administration authority. For example; the label noting that a food has 200 calories is useless and even misleading since it lacks a/context b/relevance c/provides incomplete information. Most of us eat according to a hunger scale not according to a nutritional label. For centuries this method has worked better than any travesty of science in the ‘technology’ society where most people can’t use basic software, yet flip over ridiculous boxes to see if the mess of starch and sugar has some nutritional value. (No, honey, don’t fool yourself, it costs $3.0 but is worth a $300.0 belly bulge). The body’s hunger mechanisms are more ‘scientific’ than the experts ‘out there’. The FDA is almost redundant and a waste of money for the taxpayer because it barely does its job. Fact is that no drug is harmless and the FDA with its coterie of doctors does a very poor job of protecting people from needless medications.

The best problems are never solved because they provide a continuous source of income for generations to come. Obesity and modern diseases such as diabetes are the great problems that provide sustenance to the chemical industry that hides behind the expert pharmacy-food-diet-medical doctor façade of the system. Instead of fixing the source of the problem i.e., industrialized farming, over production of grains, sugar and indiscriminate use of chemicals, the idea of dieting to fix our bodies has taken hold of our psyche. People go on a diet, lose weight and gain it all back in 3 years. The scale of failure of dieting is so huge that now advertisements for slimming programs show overweight people as success stories! (L.A. Weightloss and Jenny Craig).

The market is unable to solve the crisis because (among other things) different sectors e.g., pharmaceuticals, health care and food industries are not in synch. The supermarket is not in synch with the medical research and the chemical-pharmaceuticals are not in synch with the environment and neither is in synch with the way our bodies function. Simply, what people ought to eat is not as easily available as what people ought not to eat. Advertising and the open availability of chemical and sugar laden food lulls our instincts. The market using the current production and distribution is unable to provide healthy and nutritious food for the majority of the population. In fact, it is barely able to provide it for the elite 10-15% of the population. To suture the gaps in wants and needs we have to rely on fragmented information pieces. Glossy women’s and men’s fitness magazines try to educate us so that we make the ‘right’ choices and buy the ‘right’ product from the sponsor of the information. The market tells us it is all about choice and that the ultimate efficiency is about the facility to make choices. In this world view, if someone weighs 300 lbs., it is their choice and nobody is responsible for it, least of all McDonald’s, Nabisco or Kraft; the blame is solely on the individual who lacks the discipline to carry out the practical and necessary daily regimen. However, lack of real and actionable knowledge is the reason why the choice argument fails.

People must have access to real information rather than a barrage of disinformation through advertizing in all sectors of the economy to be empowered to make the right choices—yet educative and preventive approaches in healthcare are missing from the overall system. Instead, the poor obese man's only recourse is WW, Surgery, Drugs and Tears, while the perpetrators of bad food get richer selling 100 calorie snack packs of the same garbage. The market has brought addiction to a new level of meaning.

North America has resisted Naturopathy (an institutional approach which emphasizes prevention and the bodies natural processes--the industrial world’s only way to retain knowledge is to institutionalize it) in its health care system. Food, medicine, medical colleges, hospitals and municipalties are under strong control of the chemical corporate. In this situation, who would tell you that you don’t need Slimfast and that it isn’t food?? Or that you don’t need the chlorine in your water?

The eternal hope is that people as stakeholders will seek knowledge, learn and pressure the system to correct. However, the distractions are immense. For one, the American State is too busy cleansing the world of bad people in other countries who might (in future) have been a threat to America while the general population is struggling with a unique poverty—lack of nutrition, obesity and disease even though GDP is greater than any other country in the world—without the basic and necessary freedom (1) to criticize, remonstrate and demand generalized solutions.

Diet is a four letter word simply because it doesn’t work. It is a desperate, last ditch attempt to correct the harmful effects of habits involving high calorie, low nutrition foods, chemicals, stress, cars and the deskjob. Food addictions result from regular consumption of high calorie, low nutrition foods and once the addiction is entrenched, implementing better habits is not as simplistic as ‘going on a diet’ that eliminates carbohydrates or fats or both. Since the diet gurus and doctors are the so-called ‘experts’ in a popular culture where people are more or less dissociated from the workings of their body, we are taught to believe that they know but we don’t know. Let’s examine:

1. 6 popular diets
2. Naturopathic recommendations
3. Global production of sugar, milk, wheat and maize
4. The global chemical conglomerate

(Yes, they are all interconnected).

The diet books tell us a sorry story. We don’t eat right. ‘Why?’ is not explored. The major point they make is that we must eat fewer calories, yet they rarely speak of food as a source of nutrition. As an afterthought, the diet book talks about vitamin supplements. Most people however, don’t really read the diet book cover to cover. One such misquoted and wrongly implemented diet is the Atkins diet.

1. The Atkins Diet. Atkins was the first one to ‘get it’. We are eating masses of grain and if we eliminate it we will lose weight. Atkins was a controversial man and his work was ignored by the opposite camp who were pushing the high grain, low fat, vegetable oil agenda. Fittingly, this is the time when cereals, breads and cookies became mainstays of the American diet. Atkins of-course does not explore the reasons why grains (certain types) have become so prevalent in our diets. The explanations are simple and the solution is simple too. Even though Atkins helps people lose weight, most people don’t follow the phases. This is a common issue with all dieters. They keep going on and off a diet. Therefore people stay on the no-carb level far longer than the body can handle producing huge amounts of acids that over tax the elimination organs e.g., Liver, lungs, kidneys and skin leading to illness. It would be an interesting statistic to figure out how many people are sort of on a diet most of the year. Side effects include constipation, headaches, bad breath, poor concentration to irritability, Atkins on and off is a recipe for illness. Usually, after the first attempt at Atkins, people run to white flour like possessed demons, then guilt sets in then back to Atkins settling into a pattern of extreme denial, indulgence, denial. According to long term studies people gain back the original weight lost on Akins faster than any other diet. Subsequent attempts at Atkins are not so successful. Psychologically, the diet lifestyle is a punishing regime where self-esteem is cyclic depending on the size of one’s pants.
2. South Beach Diet. Hauntingly similar to Atkins work, South Beach is a little better because it has room for complex carbohydrates such as whole grains and focuses on glycemic index. In fact South Beach teaches some good eating habits.
3. The Zone: In this diet, people should eat grains, fats and carbs in an ideal proportion. The glycemic index—i.e., how quickly a food becomes sugar is a key part of the Zone. Simply put, avoid foods that quickly turn to sugar and thou shall be thin.
4. The Best Life Diet by Bob Greene. (Oprah’s trainer). Bob Green evaluates all the diets in his books and is happiest with South Beach and Weight Watchers). He himself advocates exercise as key, balanced eating on a hunger scale and moderate proportions. His focus is nutrition, emotional well being and exercise rather than fear of foods. Even though I like his technical knowledge—he definitely knows what he is talking about, the food choices are very Supermarket orientated. Bob Greene recommends a big breakfast and dinner 2 hours before bedtime to regulate your entire clockwork of hormones, digestion and calorie burning. His recipes are easy and delicious.
5. The Ph Balance Diet, Fit for Life, Suzanne Sommers: A scary book, the Ph balance recommends eliminating all bread, dairy and meat. The rest you can eat raw. ‘Fit For Life’ wants you to eat meat and carbohydrates in separate time slots. Suzanne Sommers advocates a version of the same.
6. Weightwatchers: A great way to improve eating habits which is the heart of the problem for those who can be anal about food. But quite boring since it is highly structured. WW is geared for the Supermarket rather than the health food store. It is easy to get too many preservatives and sugar on WW since the points do not differentiate between nutritious source of calories and not so nutritious source of calories.

The Naturopathic’s Food Recommendation (books, articles and doctor supervised plans).

Some people succeed after following the diets from 1-6 depending on the level of dedication, even though none of them will tell you the whole story about nutrition. For most, however, it is a constant struggle to follow the above ‘plans.’

The Naturopaths emphasize the more complex idea of nutrition above the simplistic idea of calories, they draw upon a variety of natural healing traditions from around the world and use medical science research. After all, the human race has never before in history faced a crisis of obesity; their approach is a new idea that is both old and tested. For a Naturopath, obesity/fat is a sign of less than optimal health, not a simplistic equation of more calories consumed than used. For example, when you felt that your body was betraying you because you wanted an extra piece of bread, it really means your body needs food more frequently. If you don’t give appropriate food to yourself at appropriate intervals—you are bound to crave anything resembling sugar. Instead of fighting the body, the Naturopaths teach you to appreciate its strengths and limitations. In general, they advocate natural ways to support your health that includes cooking, living and eating in ways that lets your body, mind and emotions perform at peak.

The Naturopaths emphasize the process more than the outcome. When the goal becomes the process, health is a natural outcome--(this is a new idea for an industrial society trained to focus on outcomes rather than habits and behavior).

Dr Mercola (he deserves special mention because his website is hugely popular) advocates vegetables, coconut oil, metabolic typing, omega 3 supplements and energy tapping techniques (acupressure) to reduce seasonal colds, body fat and sustain complete fitness. His information is often correct, somewhat distressing though it can be for someone who thinks McDonald’s is bad but Safeway isn’t. Dr Mercola advocates the Paleolithic diet meaning that vegetables are the mainstay with regular protein sources and whole grains. Very often, people confuse low carbohydrate with high protein and no vegetables that leads to excess acidity, food cravings and breakdown in eliminating toxins that lowers immunity.

The Naturopathic community first assesses your state of health before you begin a diet or exercise regimen; especially the performance of your elimination organs(skin, lungs, liver and kidneys). If you have issues like skin rashes, constipation, nausea, infections and other signs that your elimination organs are fighting to keep you going, you will be asked to fix those issues prior to beginning the weightloss journey. In general the Naturopaths advocate the following:

1. Eating 3-4 meals a day using the bodies natural hunger scale, i.e., neither too full nor very hungry.
2. Drinking simple and pure water in line with your body weight. The formula is body weight/2 times 0.75 = X Litres. (1 litre = 4, 8oz. glasses of pure water).
3. Eating home-cooked low chemical load or organic food: 1 vegetable/fruit, 1 protein, 1 carbohydrate at every meal. You can play around with the carbohydrate amount till you get at a level that is right for your unique metabolic needs. Wash everything 3 times to reduce pesticides and chemicals.
4. Some kind of detox regimen every few weeks. You can make warm water and lemon a part of your morning ritual to help digestion.
5. Getting high fibre through 2 tbsp of flax meal or oatmeal or Psyllium (Isabghol) followed by 2 glasses of water every day to ensure that your body is able to eliminate all the toxins that weightloss and our lifestyles create.
6. Exercise 5-6 times a week. You better love what you do and keep changing it because if you have only the bandwidth to change only one habit this year, make it exercise. Ideally, you should make exercise what you turn to when you are facing stress. The Naturopaths warn that you may get sick while losing weight if there are a lot of toxins accumulated in your body fat and/or liver. (Analgesics, steroids, antibiotics, preservatives, household cleaning agents, volatile organic compounds from machinery, carpeting and furniture, heavy metals in fish, general industrial pollution and stress). Ideally to support the detox process you should use vegetables/green food supplements/high fibre supplements/water and if possible visit a sauna or do hot yoga).
7. Recommended supplements include green powders, multivitamins, probiotics, fish/flax oil and calcium.
8. Eliminate transfats such as margarine, vegetable oil and processed snacks (anything deep fried). Instead use butter, desi-ghee, coconut oil, olive oil and flax oil for cooking, sautéing vegetables and on top of salads.
9. Eating raw vegetables or vegetable juices facilitates the body’s immune system.
10. Make mental health a priority through meditation and humor. Not only can it interrupt negative emotions that create toxins and ultimately burden the body, it can play a critical role in sustaining a virtuous cycle of habits.
11. Gluten foods (the wheat family) and dairy are known to cause intolerances; many Naturopaths limit these foods to assess the impact on your system.

Even though all popular diet books, including Naturopaths suggest restriction or control of carbohydrates aka sugar in all forms, there is a major difference with regards to quality of foods. Naturopaths emphasize ‘good food’ over ‘fewer calories’. For example, they promote lower sugar carbohydrates over higher sugar carbohydrates. Lower sugar carbohydrates are an important way to stabilize blood sugar dips and food cravings (e.g., oatmeal, brown rice, wild rice). Sugar is almost always a dangerous food because it affects the hormonal balance of the body.

Grain Production and Chemicals

Wheat and corn as the world knew it even 70 years ago is not the same what is used in countless food products. Hybrid wheat today has 3 times the gluten than what it had before. GMO foods are in the food supply and their impact has not been tested properly. Techniques such as irradiation have further deteriorated the food value of grains. Since there is more economic value if basic grains are processed and then sold to the general population, wheat and corn are filler ingredients used in almost every processed item (anything packed in a box is a processed item). Along with these fillers, a number of chemicals and preservatives are used for various market related reasons that burden the elimination organs and compromise your immune system. The tragedy is that the combination of transfats, sugar/fructose, radiation (electromagnetic), petro-chemicals and heavy metals are behind a number of modern day diseases. Chemical toxins are stored in body fat, therefore when there are lots of stored toxins in the body, but the elimination organs are not working properly, reducing fat becomes very hard, since the body has a built-in mechanism to shuttle the toxins out of the blood and into fat where it is relatively safer for you.

As a result of market forces, there is a big disconnect between healthy food and easily available food. The agricultural practices (chemicals and more chemicals) behind the massive quantities of calories available in North America, affects the quality of nutrition available to the general public. In other words, mass production and imported food cannot be defended on the grounds of ‘need’ or ‘cost’. Small local farms scattered throughout urban areas would be an environmentally sustainable practice that would boost local economies and support the physical and mental health of the population. This is the way the Third World produces and distributes food. This practice must become part of the industrialized world to solve the crisis in nutrition.

The chemical conglomerates have successfully spread dangerous products globally (medicines, agricultural products, plastics, cars, clothes, microwaves, teflon) that are throttling local producers and knowledge systems rather than working in tandem. The idea of a quick fix has taken hold of the global psyche through massive advertising and we struggle to buy a box, a pill, a bottle, a program, a spray and a thing to solve our problem. While we invest in these global corporations and buy products with unknown amounts of chemicals, we are also turning the abundant Earth into a toxic and depleted Earth unable to provide us basic sustenance.

How smart is that?