By Dr. Joseph Mercola with Rachael Droege
The prevalence of obesity among U.S. adults has risen some 74 percent from 1991 to 2001, and although one of the national health objectives for the year 2010 is to lower the prevalence of obesity among adults to less than 15 percent (it’s currently closer to 21 percent), it appears that the obesity epidemic is continuing to worsen rather than improve.
In 2001, 30 states had an obesity prevalence (prevalence is defined as the number of obese individuals in the population divided by total number of individuals in the population) of over 20 percent. The five fattest states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), are:
In an effort to curb the obesity epidemic the CDC currently gives funding to 20 states, including West Virginia and Kentucky, to develop nutrition and physical activity programs. Although this appears to be a step in the right direction, the true causes of obesity, and the best way to cure it, are likely not being covered.
So what are the real causes of obesity?
An abundance of sugars and grains, which are converted to sugars in the body, in the diet, coupled with an emotional addiction to sugars/grains, or other emotional stresses that cause people to seek comfort from food are by far the biggest players in obesity. Of course, inactivity also plays a role.
The good news is that overweight and obesity are nearly 100 percent preventable by following my nutrition plan, exercising, and addressing emotional stresses. Quite simply, you need to replace grain carbohydrates with vegetable greens.
Eating too many carbohydrates causes insulin levels to rise, sending your body a hormonal message essentially telling it to store fat while holding on to the fat that is already there. So not only will excess carbohydrates make you fat, they will make you stay fat. Limiting sugar is crucial in moderating this insulin response. My book, The No-Grain Diet, explains this process in detail and gives you step-by-step instruction to help you achieve your ideal weight and improve your overall health and well-being.
Many people struggle with the idea of restricting sugar and grains. You may have an emotional association to a particular food, such as bagels or chocolates, that makes it hard to give up even after the physical cravings have subsided (your physical craving for grains and sugar will subside shortly after you remove them from your diet). We have been using Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) to successfully treat these kinds of emotional stresses, including food cravings such as those related to sugar and grains, for some time.
Although often overlooked, emotional health is essential to your physical well-being. No matter how devoted you are to a healthy lifestyle, it is nearly impossible to reach your goals if emotional barriers stand in your way. EFT uses a combination of kinetic energy input and positive affirmations to release you of your emotional "blocks."
You can review our free EFT manual to learn how to perform EFT in your own home. If you seek more in-depth knowledge of the EFT technique, my EFT series is available on DVD or VHS. The series will teach you how to relieve most emotional traumas, abolish phobias, overcome food cravings and eliminate or greatly reduce physical pain. You can also make an appointment with an expert to help you with the EFT process.
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Obesity and Diabetes: A Growing Problem Among Americans
Use of Obesity Drug Increases in Britain
CDC: Obesity Fastest Growing Health Threat in U.S.
Obesity Among Pregnant Women on the Rise in the US
Obesity Causes Nearly 100,000 Cancer Deaths per Year
How to Prevent, or Reverse, Childhood Obesity