by Julie Young

Created on: February 14, 2009   Last Updated: February 19, 2009

Nutrition is absolutely the most important element in the foods we eat. Our bodies are amazing and naturally do so much to keep us alive. Why then, do so many people take this gift for granted and choose to please their senses before choosing to please their internal intricacies?

One reason, as I see it, is the picture of "the future" people hold in their minds. When most people think about the future, they imagine life to be filled with harmony and happiness, everything meeting their ideal expectations. They will have lost thirty pounds, have a perfect marriage, be financially stable or even rich, you know how it goes. However, an expectation people either hold or don't think about, is their general health. Of course they'll be alive and well in twenty years! Or will they?

Fact has it, that every 33 seconds someone dies from cardiovascular disease, only one of the diseases we can acquire through our daily food choices. Before choosing taste over nutrition, examine and compare health foods carefully, that is, if you respect your body enough to avoid risking its life. The things we wish to obtain in life will not be delivered on our doorstep. And before obtaining anything in life, we must accomplish the pre-requisite of actually being alive.

Maybe you think you do an ok job at buying nutritional health food. The label says it's healthy, so it must be, right? Rarely is that the case. Many stores carry "health foods", and attract customers with eye-grabbing labels: "All-natural," "100% Whole Grain!" "No Hydrogenated Fats," "Heart-Healthy." Before taking such items off the shelf to purchase, take your time to fully evaluate the product. Read the list of ingredients before scanning the nutritional values, as it will give you a better understanding of what you'd be putting in your body, and will help you weigh the pros and cons of the product.

Take your time to research common ingredients and learn the names of each possible form. Don't be a victim of food-trickery! Know your facts. Learn about different sugars and what they do to the body, research various types of flour, read about your favorite foods and determine whether or not changes should be made to prolong or even improve your life.

You also must be careful not to fall for the misconceptions society would like you convinced of. Don't be a conformist and fall for the belief that convenience and instant gratification are of most importance or you will be likely to buy pre-cooked foods for their taste, while contributing

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