Barbecuing in the backyard during the summer months is a celebrated tradition in millions of American households. Putting a few hamburgers, hot dogs or steaks on the grill is an easy way to throw together a tasty and fun meal, and also a great opportunity to socialize with family members and friends. Unfortunately, the typical barbecue foods are not the healthiest, especially when prepared improperly. Health experts have long warned that consuming grilled meats may be linked to an increased risk of cancer.

We are poorly equipped to perceive calamitous causes and effects when they play out in slow motion. That is especially true when it comes to the obesity crisis we are currently facing in this country and around the world. We could fix obesity. It’s hard because profit and cultural inertia oppose change. But it’s not complicated. Consider how differently we would feel about junk food if it caused obesity or diabetes immediately, rather than slowly. Imagine if you drank a soda and your waist circumference instantly increased by two inches. It likely will anyway, it’s just a matter of time. But its not immediately obvious. And that’s part of the problem.

Eating disorders have been on the rise for some time. Now there is a new variety that has become more common over the last twenty years or so. This one is called “orthorexia,” and the name refers to an obsession with eating correctly or eating pure food only. A person with orthorexia may begin with a desire to eat more healthfully but may still end up with health problems caused by compulsive behavior.

Especially in the warm weather season, it is crucially important to be vigilant about how our food is stored and handled. Each year, more than 76 million Americans succumb to foodborne illnesses, affecting all age, ethnic and income groups. Although we are quick to blame restaurants and food companies for causing these sometimes serious health hazards, it is also our responsibility as consumers to take the necessary precautions.

“Eat your fruits and vegetables” is not only your mother’s advice for your nutritional health but also the core message of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the official recommendations by the United States government for how its citizens should eat to stay healthy and slim. Diets rich in fruits and vegetables may also reduce the risk of cancer and other chronic diseases. Unfortunately, many of the enormously valuable characteristics of the fruits and vegetables we commonly consume today have been diminished or altogether lost over time due to modern breeding and farming methods.

Eat more plants. That’s the simple advice coming from everyone’s lips, from best-selling authors like Michael Pollan to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in the latest version of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. For the first time, the nutrition establishment – including the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND), registered dietitians, and researchers and academics in the field of nutrition – is in agreement that the diet prescription for optimal health and well-being is one focusing on whole plants.