With studies showing that around three-quarters of adult Americans are either overweight or obese, more attention is being paid to people's diets and eating habits. The Standard American Diet (SAD) is high in ultra-processed foods, added sugar, fat, and sodium and lacking in whole foods, such as fruits and vegetables. This type of diet lends itself to weight gain and is associated with various chronic illnesses.
According to Noel Aldrich, PhD, a licensed nutritionist, certified nutrition specialist practitioner, and founder of Nutrition Proportion, SAD is an apt acronym that describes the impact on Americans' health. These foods make people more prone to Metabolic Syndrome, which is also the top three morbidities in the US—diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. Another disorder associated with ultra-processed and high-fat foods is non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, where the liver stores fat within itself, which decreases its function.
"Clients most often come into my office and they are taking pills to manage their blood sugar, cholesterol, or blood pressure," Dr. Aldrich says. "They're beginning to stack up on all these different types of medications and they're relying on them to manage their health. I work with them and help them learn how to use foods to manage their health instead of completely relying on medicines. Instead of medication being the first step in a patient's resolution of health challenges, we must get back to nutrition as the foundation of health."
Dr. Aldrich says that the rise in overweight and obesity in the US comes from misaligned relationships with food. Instead of seeing food as an important part of life, it is seen as just fuel to get through the day, as everyone is so busy and rushing towards their next destination. On the other hand, food can also be seen as a coping mechanism for stress or mental problems. Both these views result in unhealthy eating habits. He adds that society has also been accustomed to convenience, with fast food extremely commonplace. In recent years, this has been exacerbated by the growth of food delivery platforms, so people are more likely to have fast food delivered to their homes than to prepare something in the kitchen.
Thus, it's important for people to be more conscious about their diet and consider how each food impacts their health. They need to look at the ingredient labels and be mindful of the nutritional values, especially the amount of calories, fat, and sugar in each serving. This is where having an expert like Dr. Aldrich is valuable, as he can provide guidance on which foods to eat and which to avoid, as well as provide support on how to transition to a more healthy lifestyle with whole foods. He believes that just as it took time for bad eating habits to form, building good eating habits also needs to be structured properly for change to last. This is the focus of his Foundation to Thrive program, which, as the name says, builds a strong foundation for a proper diet that will enable people to thrive for a lifetime.
"There's a huge misconception that if a product is on a supermarket shelf, then it's good to eat," says Dr. Aldrich. "However, many products are there only thanks to companies' massive marketing budgets that generate customer demand. What most people don't know is that these foods can contain ingredients that can mess up people's metabolism, leading to the common Metabolic Syndrome."
A former science educator before he pursued a career in nutrition following a family health crisis, Dr. Aldrich is passionate about educating people about the importance of a healthy diet and how a proper relationship with food is important to form good eating habits. Because unhealthy eating has been entrenched in American society for so long, Dr. Aldrich believes it's time for a 180-degree turn to reverse the prevalence of chronic diseases we currently see.
Fortunately, one of the few positives to come from the COVID-19 pandemic was society's shift in perspective regarding our health. It opened people's eyes to the importance of taking care of their health and questioning the information they've been told. They've become more proactive in examining food labels and ensuring that they aren't consuming any harmful substances. Many now recognize that food isn't just something that gives them the energy to work, nor is it an emotional crutch—it's a major factor in how the body functions.
"The worldwide pandemic was a true wake-up call to all of society to recognize what is the foundation to true health," Dr. Aldrich says. "Most health challenges at their foundation are nutrient deficiencies that can be resolved when we understand how quality foods strengthen our health and improve our quality of life. After all, that's what everyone desires."
