My how things have changed! Back in the day, when I was a kid (I am 54), going to McDonalds was without a thought. It was the Nirvana of dinner! No cooking and cheap! As the years progressed the facts about the health of fast food began to trickle and then began to pour in. I’m not here to slam McDonalds. The history of fast food is an interesting subject and is closely aligned with the “baby boomer” generation (also known as the “sandwich generation”). McDonalds, Burger King and Taco Bell all started to thrive in the 1950’s, which is the beginning of the “baby boomers” generation. In 2005, America spent over 160 billion in fast food. Back in the day, feeding a family of five for $10 was brilliant but as the years rolled on our nation has gradually become the most obese nation in the world. And we tend to scratch our heads and ask, “how did this happen?” 
Things have certainly changed. My grandmother would go to the market and shop for food that would be that night’s dinner; and she would do this on a daily basis. That was good for many reasons. It was fresh, non-processed food. She bought what she needled for that day’s meals and after dinner, the family talked and spent time together. There was no pantry loaded with packaged, processed goodies that we pillaged throughout the evening. Additionally, virtually no food was deep-fried. The food was boiled or broiled. Simply put, in those days food was food. Let’s fast forward… Today we walk into a fast food joint and order a burger/fry combo meal. The meat is made from ALL parts of the cow –all parts of the cow! The food sits under heat lamps and is full of rancid cholesterol and chemicals. The food possesses virtually no nutrient dense calories, no real nutritional value. When we eat food that has no nutritional value, our bodies don’t really know what to do with it so it gets stored as fat. And we do this over and over and over. The concept of food and nutrition is really quite a simple one. When we eat food that is void of nutrition, the body stores it as fat, along with all the toxins and chemicals. When we eat nutrient-dense food, those calories go to work and provide energy, health and healing. Personally, I am an entrepreneur who believes in capitalism and free enterprise. But our constitution provided for our government to protect its people. With that in mind, I believe that every restaurant in this country should publish the calories, fat, carbs, glycemic index, GMO’s and list of the artificial chemicals in every meal. Some may argue that most restaurants have this information on their websites but how often are we going to grab our smartphones and do research before we order? What if when you were just about to order the Double Whammy Bacon Slammy and Cheese Fries Combo Meal you noticed it contained 2,500 calories, 2,000 mg of cholesterol, growth hormones, insecticides and pesticides, and MSG, would you still order it? Perhaps. Perhaps not. Perhaps also, if these fast food and conventional restaurants had to add full disclosure to every menu item, it would change the food they served and the way they prepared it. At the very least, it would take ignorance out of the equation. Consumers and restaurants alike would make decisions with eyes wide open. Just remember that more than any other lifestyle activity, the food you eat will have the biggest impact on your health. So with that in mind, Think, then eat, and enjoy! Yours in Good Health, 
Joe Costello
