Thirty Things You Should Know For Optimal Health
- Camilla Nichols
- Aug 5
- 3 min read
Ultimately, you alone are responsible for your health and wellbeing. Our fast paced, convenience and immediate gratification-based culture does not promote health. Our health is directly linked to what we consume. My hope for those of you reading this is that you begin to educate yourself about what you put in your mouth and the effect it has on your body. Please take some time to research for yourself some of these facts.
The most recent data available 66% of Americans take at least 1 prescription drug; 27% take 3 or more.
In 2016 pharmaceutical companies spent 6 billion in advertising. In 2022: 8.1 Billion. In 2020 pharmaceutical companies spent $4.58B on tv advertising.
Western medicine tends to treat symptoms, not cause.
Medical doctors have minimal training in nutrition but get perks from pharmaceutical companies.
Pharmaceutical companies provide a large percentage of the budget for the WHO, CDC and FDA. Currently some of these larger companies make $1000 a second.
The US spends more on prescription drugs than any other country and that amount has doubled since the 1990s.
Most prescription drugs are chemical imitations of plants and herbs.
Learn to read food labels. The first 3 ingredients are listed in order of quantity. If one of the 1st 3 is sugar, corn syrup, HFC or something else ending in “ose” find another product.
Obesity has climbed as processed foods escalated.
American fast-food companies abroad have smaller portions and less sugar.
Learn to read bar codes and PLUs. The 1st 3 letters tell you what country it came from (i.e., 690, 691, 692 = China; 50: UK, 30-37: France). PLU stickers: If the number starts with a 4 it’s conventionally grown; 9: organically grown; 8: genetically modified. #8 is not yet required so buy the other two to avoid GMOs.
Learn how Bisphenol-A (BPA), found in plastic and can leach into food and beverages. Studies have found it binds to estrogen receptors and influences cell repair, reproduction and other hormone function. Studies are ongoing. Use BPA free products.
Highly processed foods contain sugar, fats, sodium and chemicals that impact not only specific organs but cell function and your immune system. These have been linked to obesity, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, metabolic syndrome, allergies and asthma, to name just a few.
Read all the label, including all the additives, dyes, chemicals, artificial ingredients and preservatives. Research what they are before you eat them. The FDA does not approve everything in our food.
The food industry has a very influential lobbying presence.
US FOODS BANNED IN OTHER COUNTRIES
US beef, pork and processed meats are banned because of hormones, ractopamine (pork), sodium nitrate and other chemicals and antibiotics fed to animals which are linked to certain types of cancer.
US cheese and milk products are banned because of rBGJ (recombinant bovine growth hormone, a synthetic version of BST).
Artificial sweetener: aspartame, saccharine, sucralose, to name a few.
Trans fats are banned because of increased risk of heart disease and stroke.
Atlantic salmon is code for farm raised. Banned because, among other things, the fish are fed synthetic astaxanthin which has been found to cause eyesight damage in humans. Buy wild caught salmon.
American M&Ms are banned because of artificial dyes. Natural dyes are used.
GMOs are not required to be labeled in the US and are banned in other countries. Have you seen: “contains bioengineered” on a label? In the US most soy, corn, canola, alfalfa and sugar beets are GMOs.
Brominated vegetable oil (BVO) was originally patented as a flame retardant and is now found in sodas and sports drinks.
Propylparaben is a food preservative that disrupts endocrine function. EU bans its use in food and cosmetics.
Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA) and Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT) are endocrine disruptors which means they impacts normal hormone production and function.
Potassium bromate, found in baked goods, causes kidney damage, cancer and nervous system damage. It is classified as a category 2B carcinogen by the IARC.
Azodicarbonamide, which makes foamed plastics and is used in the soles of sneakers has been found to induce asthma, breathing issues and allergies.
Anything with RD#40.
Coffee-Mate because of hydrogenated soybean and cottonseed oil.
Froot Loops and Fruity Pebbles.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Eat real food.
Avoid sodas and drinks filled with sugar and artificial ingredients. Drink water.
Learn to read food labels and find the least processed product. The fewer the ingredients the better.
Know where your food comes from. Is it local or from a foreign country?
Support your local Farmers Market.
Learn to cook and eat at home and avoid using the microwave.
Learn which fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices can help you build a strong immune system and treat health issues you may be having.
Avoid products you use on your body that contain aluminum and other chemicals. Anything you put on your skin is absorbed by it.
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