There is no arguing that of course the huge difference is that the *addictive* foods are everywhere we turn.

But it is still up to us as individuals to decide how we want to live our lives.

My oldest DD has a condition in which we are seriously considering putting her on a very restrictive diet in the hopes that it will keep her condition at bay. It would entail never, ever being able to eat any cooked foods unless it was cooked by herself or me or someone who knows the strict guidelines. No restaurants, no peoples' homes, no parties, no weddings, etc. Ever. Not a bite. Not a single bite. And that's just the beginnings of the restrictiveness of it. Every thing will have to be made by scratch. Everything. Zero chocolate, zero sugar, zero canned goods, zero ready made foods, zero grains, zero potatoes, zero milk, zero this and zero that. Zero. One bite and the effectiveness of the diet is compromised and history. Many people with her condition DO adhere to this diet and have had fabulous results.

I am certain my daughter would trade the no sugar/flour diet for the one she is contemplating and the one that many people adhere to that has her condition.

It's all a matter of how important it is to you.