healthy lifestyles

I've been thinking about it lately and I may owe an apology to people in various other parts of the country for thinking they eat like shit because they have no self control. This bad eating can lead to all kinds of healthy problems, including obesity, heart disease, diabetes. I've thought for a long time that it our eating habits are totally under our control and I still believe that but I've also realized that much of what we eat is dictated by what's available.

Now - before everyone gets their frilly panties in a big ole' bunch, let me explain. Before I moved to Portland, I felt like I ate fairly well, limited the amount of refined sugars and flour, little fat, little grease, etc. I still believe that was a healthy diet but it's *nothing* compared to what I can eat out here. I mean, there's almost no comparison between the quality and quanitity of fresh, organic, and wholesome foods I can find in any store here and the mass-produced, genetically enhanced, pesticide covered stuff I got in Charlotte. No comparison at all.

I didn't bring this up just to make everyone jealous, I brought it up to make a point: If you have no idea that wholesome and healthy foods are an option, how would you know to even look for them? If your diet has always consisted of fast foods, heavy grease/fast, lots of refined, chemical-laden junk, how would you even know there was other stuff available?

For a more in-depth look at fast food and obesity in America, go see Supersize Me.