In order to secure his appointment as the new European Commissioner, Wopke Hoekstra was able to convince the European Parliament last week of his progressive insight into the nature restoration law. Meanwhile, the real fanatics of Extinction Rebellion again blocked the A12 for the removal of subsidies on fossil fuels.
When it comes to climate change and the need to protect nature, everyone in Europe seems to increasingly agree.
Meanwhile, an unprecedented human disaster has been unfolding for decades. More than half of the European population is overweight and despite all the lifestyle coaches and diet advice, the trend does not seem to be reversing.
Taste is tailored to what we like: fatty, sweet and salty
When it comes to obesity and its associated ailments, no political party has included this social problem in its party manifesto, nor are there any massive protests. Under the motto ‘personal responsibility’, people with a BMI that is too high get the feeling that it is all their fault and that they should eat less and exercise more.
The first only has a short-term effect and the second unfortunately only leads to minimal fat burning. There is increasing scientific evidence that we have all ended up in a situation where about 60 percent of the food we consume every day consists of highly processed products with many calories.
Our digestive system is completely disrupted by the large amount of chemical additives, trans fats and artificial sugars. The taste of these products is tailored to what we as humans like: fatty, sweet and salty.
Temptation to eat is ubiquitous
The alchemists of industry have proven perfectly capable of creating products that we buy again and again. And once we start, it’s hard to stop. Whether it concerns chips, pizza or soft drinks, our brain reacts like an addict. Substances are produced (dopamines) that encourage us to consume more and more and this is reflected in the profits for the industry.
Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and of course obesity have increased alarmingly in recent years and the associated medical costs are being passed on to society. The temptation to eat is ubiquitous and it is actually a wonder that we are not all way overweight. This is partly due to genetic predisposition, but when you realize that more than 30 percent of our children are already overweight, you can only draw one conclusion: there is no time to lose!
Social security is the magic word in the coming elections. I vote for the politician who comes up with a ‘body rehabilitation law’. And regardless of the political color of this missionary, I hope that he will make this statement in the European Parliament. Perhaps Wopke can provide some guidance.
Hanneke Schaafsma from Leeuwarden is a nutritionist and fasting coach.
2023-10-14 11:30:00
#European #population #overweight #politics #body #recovery #law #opinion
