The American Diet: Self-Destruction Never Tasted So Good
Charles Hugh Smith
oftwominds.com, 21 November 2012
The atomized and empty consumerist Status Quo is the “monster Id” behind the American diet.
I know it may appear unduly harsh to discuss America's self-destructive dietary “monster Id” right before the Thanksgiving day feasting, but when is it more appropriate?
There are a great many disconnects between reality and what Americans believe out of convenience (“no snowflake feels responsible for the avalanche”) or propaganda, but perhaps none is more visible than the disconnect between what we're collectively doing to our health with the food we consume.
The Chinese have an apt saying” “Disease comes through the mouth,” meaning disease comes from what we eat.
There are several parts to the food-illness disconnect. One is that poor diet is an “individual” issue. Wrong; it will bring down the entire American Empire: Can Chronic Ill-Health Bring Down Great Nations? Yes It Can, Yes It Will (November 23, 2011)
86% of Workers Are Obese or Have Other Health Issue Just 1 in 7 U.S. workers is of normal weight without a chronic health problem.
Here's a chart which depicts how U.S. healthcare costs are rising geometrically, far outstripping our economic competitors:
The nation cannot afford the present sickcare costs of 20% of GDP; how can it afford tripling what is spent on sickcare? Simple answer: it cannot.
Read full article with additional graphics.
Phi Beta Iota: The author concludes with a graphic listing six systemic pathologies:
01 deceptively labeled, unhealthy packaged good
02 in a hurry poor choices diet, sedentary “consumer” lifestyle
03 auto-centric build enviromentment not conducive to walking/biking
04 I-want-a-pill blame someone else for my ill-health mentality
05 poor public health education in schools, universities, and media
06 profit-driven pharmaceutical and “healthcare” industry profits from illness not health
