Due to a stress-induced case of the Fuck-Its, I seem to be full of Nervous Tummy posts and comments this week. I find that a raging case of the Fuck-Its has a dampering effect on the Nervous Tummy.
Anyway, for whatever reason, I am in the mood to tell you about some of my more boring Controversial Opinions. I'm totally serious about the boring part, so, you know, enter at your own risk:
I think the Lipid Hypothesis is false. The what now? Basically, the lipid hypothesis is the idea that saturated fat and cholesterol cause heart disease, and other health problems. It's the basis for the idea that animal fats are not good for us (you: are you fucking kidding me with this topic?). I think it will soon be proven that inflammation causes heart disease, not cholesterol (that theory is already on its way out) OR saturated fat (still controversial). There are plenty of health problems associated with commercial animal products (hormones, antibiotics, etc), but heart disease is not one of them.
I believe that the Atkins Diet (and other low-carb diets) are healthy, processed foods and certain preexisting health problems aside. There is no doubt that it is effective. In fact, many studies show that a nearly ALL animal foods diet, such as the one followed by some Arctic cultures, is healthy, even in the long run. Listen, I don't eat this way or anything. Jesus H. I eat all kinds of nasty shit. I'm just saying, if YOU wanted to, it's very effective and it's not bad for you. According to me. AND ABOUT A MILLION SCIENTISTS, BUT WHATEVER. Alowfathighcarbdietisnotgoodforyou. I think the high carb thing is on its way out, but the low-fat is still holding strong.
Finally, I don't think meal-skipping and even occasional fasting are bad for you. This is also backed by research, although you would never know it if you read the mainstream press. Just like The Meat Thing, this was the way of the world for millions of years and our bodies are used to it. Our DNA has not yet adjusted to "6 tiny meals per day". Paleolithic man was lucky to get 6 tiny meals PER WEEK. And if you're thinking "well Paleolithic man was also chronically malnourished and died at age 25", that is...also not true. Research shows that if you removed the safety hazards like bouts with a sabre toothed tiger or whatever, and add antibiotics and basic medical care, Paleolithic man would live longer than we do. So maybe there's something there. I think there is. That's all I'm saying.
Are these random or what? Listen, obviously I am no expert here. However, for many top-secret reasons related to our jobs and lifestyle, I know a lot more about these things than the average CPA. These opinions are just that, although they are backed by considerable reputable research (and not just the latest issue of Shape magazine) which is my criterion for any position. If you disagree, though, I ain't mad atcha. There's certainly plenty of propaganda (and money) going the other way.
What are some of your crazy-ass theories?
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38 comments:
well, I agree. I think the over processing of foods has lead to the weigh issues in this country. Also portion sizes. I do not eat red meat (chicken some times and that is about it) but I do buy into the belief that the more processed foods I consumed the heavier I became.
Premade foods are laden with preservatives, fat, sugar and sodium - all things that lead to obesity/heart disease. I really truly do not eat many processed foods and it is fairly easy and NO I am not perfect (we buy chips, ICE CREAM and cakey things all the time...)
I have come to enjoy baking my own goods which are usually much tastier and I know what is going in there. It does not take THAT much time.
I checked (not very hard) to find this factoid but when I was doing that less than useful Health degree - I remember a Nutrition class where were told the French allow something like 10 preservatives into foods while in the US it is something like 100. It was some insane ratio - of course this may have changed but I always keep it in mind.
Finally, on the meal skipping/fasting - it is a good thing if done in the right way. I mean if you skip a meal then go and eat chocolate chip cookie, banana split sundae covered in chocolate syrup lasagna, you are likely not going to see any benefits from this.
I LOVE this topic... can you tell you?! I digress - have a nice weekend!
I don't think any of this is all that controversial. But then, we both know that I really don't give a flying fuck about much, don't we? Anyway, I've done the Atkin's diet, and it is TOTALLY effective. The first time I did it was great. The second time, I learned that even though you don't feel like it, you MUST ACTUALLY EAT. The problem I had is that after a couple days of only protein and fat, I was NEVER hungry. So I didn't eat much at all. Which led to being VERY VERY sick. Whether or not it was healthy, meh, who cares. I'm not doing it again, so its healthfulness doesn't affect me, and ultimately, it's all about me anyway, right? Except when it's all about you, but that takes place in MY comments. Here, in YOUR comments? ME, ME, ME!!
that makes general sense to me, and i too feel VERY STRONGLY that preservatives and fake crappity crap are the real culprits, not a well-cooked steak. (mm... steak.) i do have issues with atkins - not, you know, "scientific" ones though. haha, oh science - because i subscribe more to the "everything in moderation" outlook, and i cannot really get behind an all meat, all the time diet. then again, the very idea of atkins makes my heart cry because OMG NO CARBS? KILL ME NOW.
This isn't boring at all. In fact, it's fascinating, and it makes me want to do a lot more research.
I have one controversial theory about something, but damn if I can remember what it is right now. Maybe I AM sick.
I think low-calorie and low-fat diets full of processes crap only kills your metabolism. I'm not a scientist but that has been my own personal theory for a while.
Despite being overweight I'm in good shape and health and I think it is due to eating mostly natural foods. Or maybe luck, who knows!
Yeah, the processed foods thing is definitely not controversial. That shit is bad for you, no doubt. I eat it, though, let's be clear on that.
The saturated fat thing and the meal-skipping thing are still not very accepted though and the media NEVER reports on the research being done on those topics.
I think overuse of hand sanitizers will end up being like the overuse of antibiotics, all those superbugs and whatnot. I have never used one, ever. I know, you're thinking that's gross. But I do wash my hands frequently with soap and water, so it's not like they are dirty. And I have no medical training at all. Just my little theory.
Also, the idea that very-low-carb diets work is not controversial.
But the idea that they are not at all harmful, and in fact may approach the ideal way to eat with certain adjustments (and I'm not talking about adding whole grains), IS.
MBM-Right on! I believe that one too. That shit is terrible. This idea is approaching mainstream acceptance, I think.
I will go another step further and say I think obsessive cleanliness is bad news too and is causing our bodies to become total Germ Pussies.
I totally agree with you. Not to be all preachy, but the Bible talks about Fasts and allows you to refocus your mind. I do hate fad diets, like the crazy organic stuff. I like organic and I eat organic (mainly because of the hormone stuff), but I know that it is not heavily regulated and we really don't know a lot about it, and it is still okay to eat meat!!!! I like natural stuff, made with ingredients that say a Paleolithic man would have been able to find. Like you though, I eat my fair share of CRAP!
I also believe cholesterol levels have very little to do with heart disease and inflammation or virus is the source of heart disease.
I think drinking milk is bad and disdain it completely even though people seem to think my bones are going to break and my child is going to be malnourished. SHE ALSO WON'T HAVE BOOBS AT AGE SEVEN.
I think Nutrasweet causes people to overeat.
I think "metabolism" is bullshit. People are overweight because they eat too much and exercise too little.
I think the perceived explosion of autism is caused by better diagnostics and a general rise in maternal age, not vaccines.
Oh and tonsillectomies, ear tubes, and cold medicines are completely unnecessary for children. This one is fact, but no one wants to believe it.
There. That ought to rile some people up.
I am a total follower, so if you say Atkins is healthy, BRAVO! Obsessive cleanliness is bad news? BRILLIANT!
Sign me up! Purell in the trash and bacon for dinner, baby!
Although, I wish this post added that high carbs were good, too. I love me some french fries. And Cheez Whiz, come to think of it. Damn the processed foods!
Jane-I agree with all of yours TOO, except I don't know jack shit about autism and don't pretend to. And my kid has ear tubes, but they were purely for MY OWN convenience and I agree that they're not necessary.
I like to believe that drinking Mt. Dew is beneficial and that a shortened work week would result in more productivity.
Totally agree on the fasting and skipping meals. I do it all the time.
I have no research based opinion on low-carb except that I had to convince my marathoning hubs that low-carb is bad for runners and that no amount of protein was going to turn his distance runner's physique into Biff the Body Builder.
I think all things in moderation are good with the exception of HFCS. I think High Fructose Corn Syrup is a major cause of obesity. Like Tessie, Im not saying I never eat it, I just think it is really, really bad news.
Also, I don't think anyone can overlook genetics in body/health/weight issues.
As if my opinions matter one bit!
Oh, and I am totally intrigued by the "top secret reasons"...is this a way of not having to enumerate them, or are they really secret? Do you double as a celebrity's accountant and personal trainer?
You sure are feisty, aren'tcha?
You know what sucks . . . being healthy costs more. I know, I know, in the long run it costs less, but we've tried to eliminate all processed crap from coming into our house, and I was upset that our grocery bills were higher. Seriously, my dream is to become magically self-sufficient in terms of producing food and also, just as an aside, China scares the shit out of me.
Oh, and I saw some show on PBS (maybe Nova Science NOW) about how a super duper low calorie diet actually meant a longer life in lab mice. Interesting. Of course I ate and drank my weight in buffalo wings and Miller Lite while watching the Packer's lose last night, so I have no practical knowledge of these things.
MaryB-They DO matter, because I want to know!
There is no evidence that low-carb is bad for runners or that runners, or anyone for that matter, "need" to eat high-carb. We are marathoners too (BR is a Boston Qualifier) and we've seen this is action.
There IS some emerging evidence that marathoning and other long endurance activities are bad for you though. Bummer. But then, I never let the fact that I KNOW something is bad for me stop me from doing it. Obviously.
And on the Top Secret Reasons. They have to do with my job and BR's job, so I try to keep them out of the blog.
So you are saying bacon is good for me? I heart you!
My main (and I believe many other people's) problem is portion size. An actual serving size is small! I have to retrain myself to eat a smaller portion of a larger variety of foods so that I actually get food groups into my world on a more consistent basis. I'm lazy.
I do, with my whole heart, think that PROCESSED, chemically preserved foods (nearly all of which are loaded with high fructose corn syrup!) are probably the closest thing to evil in our diets. EVIL.
REAL food + regular activity = happy, healthy people.
Hmmmm, I have many crazy-ass theories that I am always happy to rant about over a nice, local microbrew. That our government is just a cog in the worldwide, free market capitalist machine? That is probably my favorite one to rage about. :-)
I completely agree the "cholesterol and saturated fat causes heart disease" hypothesis is completely false. Even it's origin - the study that brought this idea into American mythology - was a questionable study at best. The scientist only used one set of data to prove the hypothesis. I also believe that more and more this theory is being debunked and in a few years/decades it will be replaced with another theory.
Like I mentioned yesterday in Swistle's post, it is also fascinating that studies are showing we don't need 6 meals a day. My husband is a one to two meal a day eater (although they are often very large meals, does that matter?) and he is in better shape than most of the people I know. This was a new one to me.
The food we should be staying away from, and I see that almost everyone here agrees, is processed carbs and meat with chemicals like nitrates and hormones and antibiotics. A low fat/high carb diet may help you loose weight initially - but its usually because when you are on any diet you are eating less than you used to and you are exercising more. Once you complete your diet, chances are the processed carbs go right back onto your ass. I, unfortunately, know this well.
I love this topic! Thanks Tessie.
I totally agree on the meal skipping thing. SOMEWHERE I read that eating the same amount of calories every day will cause your body to get into a routine and lowers your metabolism. At least, I think that was the gist of it. Of course, I have no recollection of where I read it.
Not that I typically skip meals--I am grouchy with a growling stomach!
I completely agree with you. Our health and food beliefs in this country are completely bought and sold in politics and good ol' boy agreements. If everyone could use COMMON SENSE, a lot of this stuff would fall under the category of NON-ISSUE. Remember the old saying, "If it's too good to be true, it probably is?" Think of this next time you're at the grocery store or considering a medication. Food companies + pharma companies + government + ignorant citizens = screwing the American people to death. Literally. And I've worked for the first 2 variables in that equation. Some things in those areas are true advances. However, progress isn't really progress if we have to make advances do undo things we shouldn't have done in the first place. Am I right?
P.S. This former scientist says BOO GERM PUSSIES! Throw out the antibac soap (except in the kitchen maybe) and the hand gel sanitizers. That stuff is killing our immune systems!!!
MOTY-Also, TUPAC. Am I right or am I right? Heh.
Ohmigod I am loving this topic.
I am totally into healthy living but I think buying organic stuff is a waste of money. I think it's a fad, like bottled water, that will prove to be no safer than buying non-organic, locally grown meats and produce. I just don't think the "organics industry" is well-regulated enough to make anyone really sure.
Processed fats (trans fats) are evil.
Vaccinating against an evil disease is worth the risk of having a bad reaction to the vaccine.
Wish I had more time...
Lori-I am fascinated by your thoughts on the organic stuff. That is one of BR's strongest beliefs too. We do buy organic dairy though, since, as Jane said, I don't want my 6 year old daughter to get boobs.
I hope you'll come back if you have more time or post on this yourself!
Thanks to everyone who's commented. I am SO interested in all of your "crazy" opinions.
Tupac is alive and well I'm sure. YAY BABY!
As a person with sensitive kidneys, I can tell you that low-carb is very bad for the kidneys. We need carbs to move stuff through our bodies. We particularly need fiber. The problem with low-carb diets is that people tend to take it to the extreme, and not eat enough fiber to digest properly, and screw up their kidneys and livers.
And dude, metabolism is so not bullshit. Two people can eat and move the exact same amount and have completely different body shapes and weights. Thyroid problems, aging, all sorts of things slow down metabolism.
So there. :)
Fay-Dissenting opinions are COOL man, I TOLD you I wouldn't be mad at cha. You're right, kidney problems are one of the "preexisting conditions" I was talking about.
I think that Crohn's disease might be caused by the presence of flouride in our water (cases of Crohn's skyrocketed after the flouridation of water became widespread). I also think there is a medicinal/nutritional (read additive) reason why so many of us have been diagnosed with autoimmune diseases (i.e. Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lupus, Crohn's) in the 90's and 00's. I always wanted to research into that and I never found the time. I just find it odd.
Well hmm. I guess I agree with some of it; not sure about the atkins thing but I don't really have evidence to the contrary.
I actually agree with the skipping meals part. It's pretty simple when it comes to weight anyways: you have to burn more than you consume. Less consumption, more likely you'll end up in the red.
Anyway, I have a theory about Serum Poison Levels. Serum Poisons build up in your system and make you grouchy. When you run, you lower your levels, pounding them out and sweating them away on the road. Serum poisons can also make you sick. If you feel a cold coming on, best to get out there and sweat it out.
(I only say this half-kidding. I think there is some truth to it. If I feel myself getting sick, I try to get outside and run. And it usually works to nip it in the bud. Also, running makes me a happier person in general.)
Here's my theory on avoiding colds. Work out hard for at least an hour a day - hard enough to raise your body temperature at least two degrees. Human cold viruses are very sensitive to body temperature (ever wonder why your damn dog doesn't get your cold?), so if at least once every 24 hours your body temperature is higher than normal, all viruses attempting to invade your body will DIE.
That's my theory and I'm stickin' to it.
My theory is that if you eat more--like, LOTS more than recommended--your weight is higher than it "should" be, but you can eat disproportionately more than other people. Like, you might be bigger than your skinny best friend, but she can eat X, and you can eat 10X.
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