Does the Government Cause Your Cravings?

So many New Year’s resolutions revolve around weight loss and becoming healthier. We all want to be healthy. If everyone wants to be healthy, why aren’t they?

Because of temptation.

It’s as old as Adam and Eve. And it’s really hard for us all to resist. Especially with food.

The Government tries to make it easier to resist things like illegal drugs. Or alcohol for minors.

On the other hand, they sure make it easy to eat processed foods. The government actually subsidizes the US sugar industry to the tune of $4 Billion per year.

The highest government subsidies for food go to corn, soy, wheat and rice.

Although there are subsidies for fruit and vegetables, they are very small compared to “Big Carb”.

The government doesn’t subsidize cattle ranchers and meat production directly. Some people might say the meat industry is subsidized indirectly through the subsidies on crops like corn and soy. Basically what many farmers purchase to feed their animals.

Those crops also go into high fructose corn syrup and lots of processed food that makes it very cheap.

Then the government provides these guidelines for 2020 through 2025:

• Vegetables of all types—dark green; red and orange; beans, peas, and lentils; starchy; and other vegetables

• Fruits, especially whole fruit

• Grains, at least half of which are whole grain

• Dairy, including fat-free or low-fat milk, yogurt, and cheese, and/or lactose-free versions and fortified soy beverages and yogurt as alternatives

• Protein foods, including lean meats, poultry, and eggs; seafood; beans, peas, and lentils; and nuts, seeds, and soy products

• Oils, including vegetable oils and oils in food, such as seafood and nuts

Now I don’t want to just blame the government for all our health issues. I’m a huge fan of taking charge of your own health. Your body is an ongoing science experiment and you are the researcher.

I’m just trying to acknowledge that the government really helps you give in to your temptations. Especially food cravings.

Subsidies means lower prices.

If your New Year’s Resolutions include losing weight or becoming healthier, don’t necessarily rely on government advice.

Don’t just blindly take your doctor’s advice either.

Or even mine.

Don’t put a huge weight on studies. There’s a lot of corruption in studies. And it seems like for every study I can find, someone can show me a study that contradicts it. Remember that epidemiological studies often rely on food questionnaires that require people to remember what they ate over a certain time period. Can you do that accurately?

Definitely don’t just rely on the top search results in Google. Being at the top says more about their ability to market on the internet than actual accuracy.

Look at all your sources. Figure out which ones have a track record of advice that have helped you personally. Use your noggin to reason out which ones make sense. Find testimonials from people that have no tie to the product or advice. If unbiased people say something really works, it may be worth trying.

There are ways to overcome your temptations. I see it happen in my assisted living homes. I also have personally experienced it. The best methods are different for each person. You have to find what works for you.

Maybe I can get you started. Check out this article from a friend of mine. She has a ton of testimonials from people who say her methods have helped them overcome temptation.