Counteract the Junk

As seen on Healthystic, this book reveals how research in health & medicine has shown over time that fiber & antioxidants can mitigate the health risks associated with junk food by counteracting the physiological effects of saturated fat, calories & other potentially harmful components & effects of junk food - helping to prevent medical conditions & weight gain associated with high-fat & other junk food. This does not mean that we can eat all of the junk foods we want every day. What it means is less restriction & greater dietary freedom for healthy individuals. Concepts include:

• High-fat foods produce cholesterol-related acids that can clog arteries & raise cholesterol levels - opening the door to heart disease. Scientists at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine have identified a type of fiber known as beta glucans that can counteract that effect. Scientists have reported that beta glucans can promote healthy cholesterol by itself by nabbing cholesterol-related acids & ushering them out of our bodies before they can ravage our heart & arteries.


• The excess calories in high-fat foods are absorbed by our bodies & stored as fat, & can cause us to gain weight - opening the door to obesity. Both fiber & antioxidants can counteract that effect. Scientists at the US Department of Agriculture's Human Nutrition Research Center in Maryland have reported that fiber fights obesity by reducing our bodies' absorption of calories. It does that by nabbing calories before they can be absorbed & stored as fat. Scientists have also reported that antioxidants fight obesity by giving our bodies the energy needed to burn fat more efficiently. These actions make it harder for us to gain weight & thus lower our risk of obesity.


• Deep-fried fatty foods can form oxidized lipids that can damage cells & the lining of blood vessels - opening the door to heart disease. Antioxidants can counteract that effect. Scientists have reported that antioxidants fight heart disease by inhibiting the formation of oxidized lipids - thus inhibiting damage to cells & to the lining of blood vessels & thus lowering our risk of heart disease.


• High-fat foods raise blood levels of fat & cholesterol, which weakens our immune system. Excess fat & cholesterol interfere with our immune system cells' ability to fight off diseases by impairing the ability of red blood cells to deliver oxygen to immune system tissues that depend on a good supply of oxygen & nutrients in order to fight diseases & keep us healthy. Both fiber & vitamin C can counteract that effect. Scientists have reported that fiber & vitamin C fight chronic diseases by promoting healthy blood levels of fat & cholesterol - thus strengthening our immune system by enabling red blood cells to deliver oxygen to immune system tissues.


• Hot dogs, bacon, sausages & other tasty cured meats contain nitrites. Over time, nitrites can open the door to pancreatic cancer by breaking down & converting to nitrosamines. Vitamins C & E can counteract that effect. Scientists have reported that vitamins C & E fight pancreatic cancer by neutralizing nitrites - thus inhibiting nitrosamine formation over time & helping to immobilize the cancer-causing process.


• Many of our favorite junk foods are high in sodium. Excess sodium can open the door to high blood pressure by causing our bodies to retain water, which increases the volume of blood. Both potassium & calcium can counteract that effect. Scientists have reported that potassium fights high blood pressure by flushing excess sodium out of our bodies. Scientists have also reported that calcium fights high blood pressure by acting as a natural diuretic to help kidneys release excess sodium & water. These actions help to promote healthy sodium levels - reducing our risk of high blood pressure.


• And SO MUCH MORE!