Let's try Stop Eating Fast Food

"How could you eat that junk? It's so bad for you!" . "Don't you know those fries will give you a heart attack?". "You have to stop eating all that fast food, it's going to make you fat!". "You have to eat more healthy food like fruits and vegetables - they're good for you!". Your friends nag you, your family nags you, your doctor nags you, the health newsletters, websites and magazines - they all nag you, and of course, your personal trainer nags the heck out of you, to stop eating all those BAD FAST FOODS. But does all that nagging you and bad-mouthing the fast food industry really help anyone stop?

It doesn't look that way. The fast food industry is thriving, even in the bad economy. The Chicago Tribune recently said that McDonalds is "recession proof."

As one of only two companies to turn a major profit over the last year (the other being Wal Mart), McDonald's is laughing its way to the bank. In fact, McDonalds plans to open 1,000 new stores this year.

The study, which was conducted by environmental chemists at the University of Toronto, shows that synthetic chemicals called perfluoroalkyls are leaching out of fast food packaging and into the food. During their testing, researchers looked particularly at perfluorinated carboxylic acids (PFCAs), a result of the break down of polyfluoroalkyl phosphate esters (PAPs). These chemicals have been shown to increase cholesterol and uric acid levels in humans (which could lead to gout, cardiovascular disease, or diabetes). High exposure to PFCAs has also lead to cancer in rats.

So why are these chemicals found in fast food packaging in the first place? PFCAs are responsible for making sure grease doesn’t seep through fast food wrappers. So basically, because the food is so bad for you in the first place (i.e., dripping in grease), there is the necessity to wrap it in equally unhealthy packaging. Bon appetit.


Beware of some of those salads. Just because it has lettuce doesn’t mean it’s healthy. Some salads have over one thousand calories. Order your salad without croutons, cheese, fried chicken, and fatty dressings. Instead, choose a salad with grilled chicken and either low fat or fat free dressing.

The nations obesity epidemic has focused attention on fast food restaurants. The good news is that many chains have begun offering healthier options. But they don’t help unless you actually order them. So while it’s not always the ideal choice to eat at one of these chains, with some knowledge and good common sense we can stay on track towards a healthy lifestyle.


If you appreciate a condiment on your chips or your hamburger, use mustard or ketchup, rather than of the mayonnaise which is much fattier.

The drink. You can replace traditional soda by water or a fruit juice. If you make a point of taking a soda, choose rather the forms without sugar (light).