Our Cranky Congested Arteries & Fried Foods
Think of the worst traffic jam in Los Angeles and you have a good idea of what we do to our ourselves when we consume our all-time favorite foods. Fried Chicken, french fries and rolls with lots of butter or margarine are creating a traffic jam within our bodies and clogging our arteries at an alarming rate.
Partially hydrogenated oil, vegetable shortening, or margarines that are loaded with trans fats are to blame for much of the congestion.
Heart Disease is on the rise and has been determined to be the number one killer in the United States.
We have always known that too much saturated fat is to blame for heart disease, but now we have “trans fat”, a much more secretive and deadlier killer.
About one hundred years ago, plain old cheap vegetable oil was processed through hydrogenation adding more bulk to the oil so it didn’t spoil as easily and wasn’t as greasy. Why? It was much cheaper than butter or lard and would last much longer. Instead of having a 2-3 day shelf life, products could now last much longer and have a better chance at getting sold. Brilliant. Except for the fact that, 100 years later, we are finding that this process created nasty little critters called trans fats.
Anything with “partially hydrogenated vegetable oil” is a danger. Unfortunately, it is found in most things that are crunchy, crispy, creamy and sits on your grocery shelf for weeks on end disguised as “bakery products” or in your favorite fast food fried foods.
Things are looking up though. In 2006, the New York City board of health was the first to ban all trans fats from its restaurants including their fast-food restaurants.
Of course there are other reasons for clogged arteries and a sedentary lifestyle is probably at the top of the list.
When we exercise and raise our heartbeat, our arteries widen to accommodate the increase in blood flow. This stretching helps to reduce the hardening of the arteries.
Most women who are overweight do not exercise and eat way too much. Overeating, or eating the wrong things, is a major contributor to that lethargic feeling we get when stuffed.
Lethargy and overeating is a major cause in not being able to motivate yourself to exercise and getting on your way to a healthier heart. Start your get in shape trip today and avoid those traffic jams in your arteries. Decide on a goal each week. Start here -
Goal for 1 week: No Soda and No fried Foods.
