Everyone loves to eat and drink. Food and drink are part of most Holidays, festivals and vacations. And with vacation time coming at us, we know we’re going to be tempted to overindulge.
The old saying goes, “A moment on the lips, a lifetime on the hips” and that’s the horrible truth. But in the USA, we have developed a fondness for that fleeting moment which leads to obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes and musculoskeletal dysfunction (as a bonus).
So, eat, drink and be wary: the health risks of overindulging is dedicated to the great American hobby – having to undo the button on our pants after we’ve celebrated a wee bit too much.
But It Tastes So Good!
Ah, that pie! That cake! That huge, honking burger. All so delicious. All so desperately fat and sugar laden.
I’m not about to tell you to stop eating your favorite foods. What I am going to tell you is that moderation is the key to a life that’s well-lived and which doesn’t make you sick.
Consider that in 7 US states, the rate of obesity has skyrocketed to a shocking 35% states. In 29 states, the rate is not that much better, at 30% and in the remaining states, it’s at 25%.
So, no matter where we live, fully one-quarter of us are courting disaster.
Disaster means the health conditions, I’ve mentioned above. Diabetes, for example, now affects about 24 million Americans. In 1958, that number was about 1.5 million.
A lot of that has to do with the quality of the food we eat. Prepared and fast food are the culprits here, featuring an addictive trilogy of sugar, fat and salt that we can’t seem to keep out of our mouths.
And did you know that 1 in 4 deaths in the USA is caused by heart disease?
Nothing Like a Good Drink
At the end of a long day, there’s nothing quite so comforting a good snort of something strong. But overdo it and you’re opening yourself up to a constellation of health consequences, some of which may not be obvious to you.
Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) peaks at 30 to 45 minutes after you consume an alcoholic beverage. It’s higher if you pound back a bunch of drinks.
And the risks aren’t just to your health (cirrhosis, weight gain, intellectual impairment, heart disease), with prolonged and extensive use. Drinking excessively also leads to interpersonal problems, loss of inhibitions which may lead to criminal behavior, dangerous altercations and impaired driving. The social costs can’t be overstated.
And lest you think you’re fine if you stick to soft drinks, remember that drinking one to two soft drinks every day can lead to obesity, especially the accumulation of fat in the mid-section – the most dangerous place to develop fatty tissue.
So, eat, drink and be wary. Your health is too precious to squander for a moment on the lips. Think about what you’re consuming. Overindulgence can abbreviate your life.
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