1. Way Out West
The Western pattern diet isn't all beans and flapjacks over an open fire. When cowboys ate jerky and stew on the trail they had the activity level to compensate. The western diet in this case refers to the diet patterns of western civilizations. Unlike their Asian counterparts, people in the west tend to base their diets around the consumption of meat. That's why heart disease is one of the biggest killers in the United States, and cholesterol levels as a population continue to be at all time highs. Diets built around meat are higher in fat, calories and cholesterol than diets centered around fruit and vegetable.
2. Please Pass the Bread
Bread is the other main component of a western diet, and it usually isn't whole grain bread. White flour products, such as breads and pastas, and potatoes make up another large percentage of the western diet. Unlike whole grains which burn slowly in your body to supply a steady energy source, white flour products quickly turn to sugar once you eat them, a spike that contributes to the growing number of Type II diabetes cases. French fries, potato chips, hamburger buns and other empty calorie fast food options also are a regular part of the western diet.
3. Let Them Eat Cake
Sugar is the other culprit in the typical western diet. Candy, desserts and sweetened soft drinks have most Americans eating more sugar in one day than they should consume in a month. Sweets at the end of a meal are as American as apple pie, provided that pie is topped with ice cream. The consumption of sweets and pastries have contributed to the climbing obesity and diabetes rates.
4. Western Worries
Studies show that diets too high in fat and cholesterol cause heart disease and certain types of cancer. Colon cancer and breast cancer have links to the high fat content and accent on red meat in the western diet. Studies show that too much red meat increases the risk of breast cancer in post menopausal women. Colon cancer kills more than 600,000 people per year. Diets rich in red meat, white flour and sugar also increase a person's risk for developing Type II diabetes. With childhood obesity on the rise, more children have Type II diabetes that ever before.
5. A Little Goes a Long Way
Doctors suggest that even moderate diet changes can produce big results. Choosing fast food as an occasional meal rather than as part of your weekly diet is a step toward changing western diet eating patterns. Adding fruit at the end of a meal instead of cake gives you a taste of something sweet without all the added white sugar. The pulp of many fruits slows down your body's absorption of that natural sugars they contain, thus avoiding the sugar spikes that contribute to diabetes and obesity. Focus more on poultry, fish, whole grains and vegetables to get off the western diet wagon and on the road to better health.
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