We recently held a Black Belt test for some of our most prominent students and they all did outstanding.. The reason I am bringing it up is, we have been monitoring what the students have been eating for the last three months. I am amazed at the diet of America these days. An amazing amount of the children and young teens survive on a diet mostly consisting of Pizza and Soda. Of course they throw in an assortment of goodies like chips, candy and ice cream. All in all they are eating foods that are not good for them. How can a perfect machine like your body run on these items?

I am not a dietician nor do I have any degrees in nutrition. I learned what I know mostly from reading books and doing courses on proper eating. I recommend that you take the time to write down what you eat for one month. Then continually review your diet. Eliminate the fuels (food) that don’t make you run properly. Imagine a car that ran on high test. Start putting half water and half gas in the engine and before long the engine will not run. The body is a perfect machine, it runs the same, it will continue to run on junk but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have an effect long term. Disease is linked to diet in most cases. So you are truly what you eat.

Don’t be fooled by labels. Many times what a label says in not entirely the truth. Understanding that you may drink a Snapple and it says 110 calories but if you don’t read the fine print, one bottle is two and one half servings. So you are really getting 225 calories or more in many cases. It is not a trick it is a half-truth. Low fat most of the times means lower in fat than before. So if the company lowered its fat content in its product then it is lower in fat. It doesn’t take into account whether it is low or not.

In closing I recommend becoming a more educated consumer and watching what you eat. Not as it goes in your mouth but before you eat it. Eat healthy and live longer take your health to the next level. Investigate and educate yourself on what fuels you put in your body. Be careful.

Allie Alberigo is a 6th Degree Black Belt in the art of Ninpo/Ninjutsu and Jujutsu and has been training in the martial arts for over 39 years, as well as being a martial arts school owner, self-defense expert, public speaker and business owner. Allie is the owner of the L.I. Ninjutsu Centers, which has locations in East Islip, West Islip, Port Jefferson, Lindenhurst, and Bermuda. In 2000 Allie his first book “The Beginners Guide to Ninpo” and has also released his first video “The Warrior Spirit” (39 minutes). If you have any questions do not hesitate to call 631-321-5432, email him at renshilininja@aol.com, or check them out online at Lininja.com. He loves to hear from you.