When money is tight don’t sacrifice nutrition

Eating well is your first defense against disease, but when the economy sours and money is tight, most individuals look to cut corners. Before you cut costs on your next supermarket trip, Dr. Andrew Weil, renowned author and director of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine at The University of Arizona Health Sciences Center, wants you to take a look at what you might be trimming.

“So often, people sacrifice nutrition to save money,” Weil said. “Unfortunately, the best ‘bargains’ in grocery stores are often on food that carry the least nutritional value such as sodas, cookies, refined cereals, refined breads and pastas, processed meats, high-fructose laden juices and convenience desserts. Supermarket promotions cause consumers to gravitate to them. But while a diet made up of such foods may help trim your grocery bill, it could end up costing you big bucks in the long term.”

High cholesterol, high sugar and high sodium diets, research shows, are clearly associated with chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes and even Alzheimer’s. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2005, 133 million Americans, nearly 50 percent of the population, were living with at least one chronic condition. Moreover, chronic disease accounts for 70 percent of all deaths in the United States. Of the nation’s $2 trillion cost for medical care, chronic disease eats up more than 75 percent.

Diabetes alone racks up direct and indirect costs of $174 billion a year. Obesity costs in 2000 were nearly $117 billion in 2000, the CDC notes. Heart disease and stroke were projected to cost $448 billion in 2008. If you think major diseases such as these don’t concern you, and those candies and sodas aren’t a big problem, sink your teeth into this statistic: nearly $98.6 billion is spent on dental services each year.

Still, nutritious, whole food can be more expensive than the give-away, utritionally vacant foods. Vitamin and mineral rich foods don’t appear in the bargain aisle. Still you can make wise choices and still save money. Here’s why:

When you eat nutrient-rich foods, your body is more satisfied than when eating refined foods, so you’ll eat less. Moreover, money spent on nutrition is money you won’t need to spend on medications and doctor bills down the road.

During these difficult times, when people are losing their jobs and health insurance, healthy eating could be the first-line defense against economic defeat. The strong survive, and you cannot be strong with an undernourished body.

So eschew the convenient, sugary, fat-laden foods that are on sale. Instead, choose nutrient-rich foods and cook from scratch. You will immediately be ahead of the game nutritionally because you control the amount of sugar, salt and fat in the dishes.

For more information visit www.nutritionandhealthconf.org.

http://bionutritionalresearch.olhblogspace.com/

http://back2basicnutrition.blogspot.com/