Junk foods: Are we getting the whole story?

It would be hard to imagine any adult in the Information Age who isn’t yet aware that foods high in fats, sugars and salt are linked to obesity and various other chronic health problems.  Countless nutrition studies over the years have weighed the long-term effects of diet, including what’s labeled “junk” food, to determine its influence on human health.

And the baleful effects of junk foods especially have long since been known.

But how certain can we be that even now we know the full extent of the story?  A scholarly article published in the Public Library of Science (Medicine) looks into nutrition studies funded by food companies, and concludes that there is no reason not to believe that such studies suffer from a credibility problem known to taint comparable studies in, for instance, the pharmaceuticals industry.

It seems that research paid for by producers themselves tends to, in turn, produce findings sensitive to the needs of those actually funding the research.  No real surprise there, right?

The obesity, diabetes, hypertension and other afflictions credited to over-indulgence in junk foods might therefore be merely the tip of the iceberg, suggest the article’s authors.  Not a comforting thought when one considers just how omnipresent such foods remain in our own daily lives and those of loved ones.

Why is it that our bodies seem to tolerate such foods poorly in the long run?  If, as scientists conclude, homo sapiens spent their earliest days in forests and grasslands, happily meeting nutritional needs through nature’s wholesome bounty — might it not be logical to assume that the closer we can come to duplicating that natural feast, the better off we’ll be?

And might YoNaturals’ distinctive YoZone vending machines not be modernity’s closest commercial equivalent to that primeval cornucopia of healthy nutrition?  Consider that very few alternatives in the modern marketplace exceeds the wholesomeness of YoNaturals’ five-hundred healthy snack food and drink choices.  Certainly nothing that sports a modern-age wrapper!

And yet — many simply value YoNaturals products for their delicious taste.

Does the word “Organic” scare the average person?

In recent experience, it’s beginning to seem as if the word “organic” is actually quite frightening to many people. Putting aside us “progressive hippie” types out here in California, the average American seems to be quite fearful of the connotation. “Organic” seems to conjure up images of sprouts, soy, tofu and that weird grass that people grind up and drink. But it doesn’t have to be this way. When we say that our YoNaturals healthy vending machines contain only natural and organic snacks and drinks, it doesn’t mean your days of delicious snacking are over.

Firstly, let’s define the word. Wikipedia defines Organic Food as that which:

“…are grown without the use of conventional pesticides, artificial fertilizers, human waste, or sewage sludge, and that they were processed without ionizing radiation or food additives. Livestock are reared without the routine use of antibiotics and without the use of growth hormones. In most countries, organic produce must not be genetically modified.”

Not so scary huh? In fact, upon reading this, you are probably thinking that ALL food should be grown and produced this way. We agree.

It is truly a travesty that so few foods in modern society are produced this way that so many people are actually turned-off by a mere mention of the word “organic.” All it really means is that caution is taken to ensure that the foods we eat are not exposed to harmful pesticides, waste, fertilizers, etc. It’s still the same food; the edible substance itself is not at all changed. In fact, that’s the point. It’s the NON-organic stuff that is frightening.

It’s difficult to believe that we’ve gotten to the point where food that is grown with economics and profits in mind, rather than health, is the norm. This sort of behavior is irresponsible, reprehensible, and should be abhorred by all those who call themselves public servants. And yet, it is we champions of health, cleanliness and natural food and growth processes that are on the fringes of society, the outcasts and the radicals.

How it got this way is a discussion for another day. The important point is that the pendulum is starting to swing in the other direction. Consumers are demanding natural and organic foods and providers are being forced to change in order to serve those demands. Even despite the horrific state of the economy and rising food prices, demand for organics remains at an all time high.

This is the dawning of a new era for society, and YoNaturals plans to be at the forefront with a full line of beautiful, state-of-the-art healthy vending machines. Check out what we can do for your office, gym, school, hospital, mall, or any other public place.

Do You Know What Your Kids Are Really Eating?

Parents for the most part think they know what their kids are eating, but the question is—do they really? Our children are not always in clear view, and because of that we can only hope they are following the things we have taught them when it comes to eating healthy foods. The problem is when they get with friends they are not going to necessarily abide by your rules, especially not if they are teenagers. The only way to assure your kids will always eat the way you taught them is to only allow them to associates with other kids whose parents think as you do. Unfortunately that is an unrealistic expectation and one that will cause rebellion.

On the other hand think about the foods you serve at home—do you know what is in the foods you serve? If you are serving processed foods you probably have no idea what is in the things you are serving. Unless you are a label reader consistently, it is impossible for you to know what is in the foods your kids eat. It’s time-consuming and difficult to read the labels on everything you buy, but it’s essential unless you want to buy natural and organic foods or grow your own. Even natural and organic foods can be unhealthy if you don’t know the reputation of the source from which you purchase them. Stores are stocking more organic fruits and vegetables in the canned goods section than they used to do which is a step in the right direction.

Schools are contracting vendors such as Healthy Student Vending to provide natural and organic snacks in school vending machines instead of junk food. Instead of soft drinks students have access to natural fruit juices and other snacks. Parents don’t have to worry what is in the snacks their children eat in school under these circumstances but the key is getting the information out to all of the schools and parents. It’s important for everyone to take an interest in what they are eating, and not just the basic information like calorie count, fat content, cholesterol, etc. but how the food was prepared so that you know there are no unhealthy by-products in those foods. We really don’t want to feed pesticides and other chemicals to our children or eat them ourselves but unless we take affirmative action and start to take an interest in what is in the foods we eat, that is exactly what we will continue to do.

Organic Vending: Making the Choice to Be Healthy

Why do so many people complain about the way they feel and not do anything about it? That doesn’t mean going to the doctor to get some medicine to take care of the pain or allergies, but doing something that will really take care of most of the health problems you have, namely learning to eat healthy foods so that your immune system is strong enough to fight all of those illnesses and conditions that may attack you. Parents—stop complaining that your children are always sick and do something about it! No matter how warmly you dress your children or yourself in the cold weather, if your immune system is weak, you are going to get sick. Doubling up on the Vitamin C is not enough—you have to strengthen your entire immune system.

We have all heard of the old remedies for colds like Grandma’s chicken soup. Do you think it works because chicken soup has some magical formula? Even doctors admit to the “wonder” of chicken soup for colds and flu-like illnesses. What does it have that is so special? One can only guess that the ingredients in chicken soup include various herbs and spices that are good for fighting off colds. Fresh garlic is a natural antibiotic and other herbs are good to fight off cancer and even heart disease. It’s little wonder as we look back generations that except for flu and other epidemics people were healthier than they are today. What did they do differently? There are several things that we know for sure: they cooked their own foods from scratch, they exercised (walking, housecleaning, farming, bicycling), and they didn’t use a lot of prescription medications.

There are many things we can do even in the 21st century to regain our health beginning with the foods we eat. Many of us put a great deal of garbage in our mouths—not literally of course, but we subsist on foods that have very little nutritional value. We concentrate on taking away the hunger pangs rather than providing nutrition for our bodies. If people would learn to eat for nutrition instead of eating for taste alone, we could eliminate many of the conditions that have become so prevalent in our fast-paced world. YoNaturals is working to get everyone back on the right track by encouraging everyone, especially children, to eat more natural and organic foods and less processed foods. It would be easier if everyone gave up processed foods, but the process will be gradual, and it’s unlikely if everyone will see the nutritional value. Perhaps one day people will take a trek back in time and redevelop a taste for home-cooking instead of fast cooking.