Americans Have No Choice; A Diet of Fats, Salts, Sugars
copyright © 2007 Betsy L. Angert. BeThink.org
'Tis the season to be jolly. From Thanksgiving Day to the dawn of the New Year, Americans are encouraged to eat. He, she, you, and I are expected to fritter our fears away. We will worry not of weight gain, heart attacks, coronary artery disease, strokes, or diabetes. Citizens in celebration will gorge on and gulp down millions of morsels. Americans will eat, drink, and be merry with reckless abandon. There are some expressed concerns for food safety, especially after a year of scares; however, for the most part we will dine with delight.
Then, come the First of January we will do as we did last year and the year before, we work to munch more wisely. Most of us will make a conscious effort to decrease the fats, salts, and sugars in our daily diet. Individuals throughout the country will convince themselves it is only a matter of self-control. We can eat well if we decide to. Citizens in the USA believe what they ingest, how, and when is a choice. In the land of the free, and home of the brave, we boldly do, as we desire. Here, in America, there are food choices galore, or so we are led to believe.
However, since the late twentieth century Americans have actually had a very limited selection. They, we, are not free to dine as we might. Our menu is extremely restricted. We can chew on Acidulants, enriched Baking Aids and Mixes, luscious Cocoa and Chocolate, chemical Emulsifiers, Texturants, and Stabilizers, refined Flours, "organic" Nutrition Ingredients, [meager when available], processed Oils and Fats, palatable Protein Products, and "naturally" Sweeteners. If we wish to ingest more wisely, we can; that is, if we are up to the challenge. In the States, the Recommended Daily Allowance is wrought with ruse.
The public professes they want no government in their lives, or more importantly, on our dinner plates. Yet, Americans accept that administrative authorities must regulate to ensure that what we eat is truly safe. Federal Officials are necessary and tolerated in moderation. Indeed, Americans actually appreciate the Food and Drug Administration.
According to a survey of 30 federal agencies being released today, consumers asked about the FDA's performance believe that food labeling is useful, clear and understandable, that consumer alerts of food safety issues are useful, and that customers trust FDA to ensure food safety in the future . . .The survey asked about the usefulness and clarity of food labeling; customer awareness and the effectiveness of inspecting, testing, and labeling efforts; and the usefulness of consumer alerts; meats and poultry are regulated by USDA.
In addition to consumers' positive views of the food label and FDA's ability to ensure that food is safe, the survey also indicated that the FDA should increase public awareness of actions to ensure food safety and focus on awareness efforts during consumer alerts.
Despite the claims of contentment, for the most part Americans resent government influence in their daily lives. Americans are independent minded mavericks. Granted, we are grateful for the small favors the Food and Drug Administration affords us; however, we want no more assistance than we deem suitable. Citizens in this country are selectively scrupulous.
Americans prize and advocate a free enterprise system. We want the freedom to decide for ourselves what is best. Where food is concerned, citizens of this civilized nation want to preserve their right to choose. We welcome the rise of an innovative industrialist who might introduce an ingredient into the mix. A crunchier cookie, a sweeter soda, tastier tenderloins, a savory sauce, and a flavorful fondue, all are appreciated in abundance.
Cakes, cookies, crackers, pies, bread, potato chips, corn chips, popcorn, salad dressing, breakfast cereal, margarine, and animal products all taste good to the average American.. Regardless of the warnings, that each of these manufactured or mechanically prepared foods contain trans-fatty acids, are high in sodium, and are filled with high fructose corn syrup, those in the Western World continue to consume these tidbits with fervor.
Intellectually, we may know trans-fatty acids, salts, and sugars are hazardous to our health. We sacrifice some. Nonetheless, we do so slightly or on occasion. Mostly we gorge, gulp, guzzle and stuff our gullet with these gems and then die.
Clogged arteries might cause our demise. A heart attack could end our life. Obesity may do us in. Still we say, we rather eat fats and be happy.
Scientific evidence shows that consumption of saturated fat, trans fat, and dietary cholesterol raises low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or "bad cholesterol," levels, which increases the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health, more than 12.5 million Americans have CHD, and more than 500,000 die each year. That makes CHD one of the leading causes of death in the United States.
People say they might as well enjoy now. After all, we will all pass eventually. An additional year or two will not make a difference. The quality of our life is what matters. Besides, any true danger is moderated by the system.
In this agri-industrialist nation, we trust that if a corporation wishes to make a profit, they must and will keep the consumer in mind. That construct alone will guarantee quality. When it does not, then, the government will step in to preserve safety . . . well sort of.
Years ago, Josh joyfully ingested his early morning Egg McMuffin ™ in a Fifth Avenue McDonalds. As he ate, he read the news. An article in The New York Times, screamed for his attention. Hold That Fat, New York Asks Its Restaurants. He thought of how much he loves his partially hydrogenated oil filled foods. Joshua would not wish to be deprived of the greasy flavors that warm his belly. The young gent contemplated what might this announcement mean to him. Then, Joshua concluded, he need not worry. At least Gotham City officials give restaurateurs a choice. Proprietors will cater to what the their customers crave; thus, the world will continue to turn as it has.
Months later, a content Joshua sat in his overstuffed chair and snacked on a bag of Doritios®. He could not imagine a life more complete. Suddenly, that tranquil sense of calm disappeared. A radio announcer declared our democratic right to choose would be constrained. The broadcaster bellowed, New York City Plans Limits on Restaurants’ Use of Trans Fats. The earlier "request" had done nothing to reduce usage of the hazardous oils.
The Board of Health vote comes a year after it conducted an unsuccessful campaign to persuade restaurants to eliminate trans fats from their recipes voluntarily. It said yesterday that despite mass mailings about the hazards of trans fats and training programs for 7,800 restaurant operators, about half the city’s restaurants continued to serve trans fats, about the same as before the campaign.Trans fats, derived from partially hydrogenated oils, became popular in the 1950’s as an alternative to the saturated fats in butter. They allow fast-food restaurants to use frying oil for longer periods and make crunchier cookies and flakier piecrust. They also have a longer shelf life than butter, olive oil, corn oil or other alternatives.
Joshua became extremely concerned. He exclaimed aloud, "What is this a Police State?" Eatery entrepreneurs have a right to serve what they believe is best. Customers can digest what they think delicious, or at least they could in some municipalities. In time, concern for the health of a crowded community increased. Last year, during the holiday season, a peaceful Josh took in the decorations in his favorite restaurant. He dined with delight. After he ate, Joshua released his belt buckle. A friend seated across from a full and sleepy Josh inquired, had he heard, New York Bans Most Trans Fats in Restaurants.
The usually quiet chap was aghast. Now officials in this cosmopolitan metropolis had gone too far. How and why would a municipality choose to restrict what the people consume? Josh began to ponder how all this change might affect him personally. He thought of the mashed potatoes and gravy, he consumed only moments ago. Would he be deprived of such tasty fare in the future?
Certainly, the potatoes would not taste as sumptuous if they were prepared differently. Joshua reveled in the delicacy just as he had been for decades. The recipe as is, is wonderful, this fit fellow thought. Joshua belched. Then he pondered; the dozen or so doughy delights he digested moments earlier. These goodies would never be the same. Joshua dreamt of the cookies, cakes, and creams he just ordered for desert. The word "Ridiculous!" rolled trippingly off his tongue,
"No one has the right to tell me what I can consume. It is my life, my body, and I will take care of it as I see fit." In a huff he continued, "I eat a little bit of everything; it is called a well-balanced diet." "No matter what we gulp down or scarf up, it all turns into sugar once in our blood stream." "All food is natural." This news is preposterous." "Who has the authority to tell us what to eat or drink?" The government is already too involved in our lives. "Let them eat what they like and I will munch on what brings me pleasure." Does the Constitution not grant us liberty and the pursuit of happiness? "I want to be left alone, to be free to be me."
Joshua grappled with what seemed inevitable change in his diet. He wondered, "What is all the fuss about trans-fatty acids? Are there not more important issues of concern?" Almost immediately, he received an answer. Another blow brought Joshua to his knees. A condiment that he was certain could cause no harm was listed as injurious to his health.
It was not an e coli spinach scare that altered his awareness. Salt shocked his sensibilities. What could be more safe than salt? For goodness sake, this savory substance sits on his dinner table.
A hulk of a man, Josh knew, to spill salt is an ominous sign. He understood, since the beginning of time, people believed if they were to waste the commodity considered as valuable as gold, certain misfortune would follow them into the future. Still, this gent never thought there was anything to fear from the sodium substance. Such mythical legends have lived long. As Joshua mulled over the latest revelation, he laughed, he acted as though he believed if he were to carry salt, or throw the small white crystals over his shoulder, he would be assured the best of luck.
A jovial Josh has long assumed the want of good will was the reason we poured the crystalline element on every entrée. Good flavor or good fortune; both together might be wondrous. This healthy man was aware the traditional use of this prized substance is in question. However, he never imagined, the Food and Drug Administration would contemplate a serious and severe crackdown on the zesty zinger of a spice. Yet, as Joshua perused the paper and listened to radio and television reports he learned . . .
Putting the Pinch on Salt, Medical Groups at Odds Over Proper Solution to Sodium Problems
By Carla Williams
ABC News Medical Unit
Nov. 29, 2007The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is holding a public hearing today to determine whether to place federal limits on the salt content of processed foods, such as canned soups and breakfast cereals.
The hearing comes at a time when medical experts are becoming increasingly concerned over the amount of salt contained in many foods on grocery store shelves, including products not normally associated with salt.
For example, said Dr. Randall Zusman, associate professor of medicine at the Harvard Medical School, a bowl of one popular cereal brand may pack more of a sodium punch than many consumers realize.
"One cup of Cheerios -- frequently advertised as heart healthy -- has 300 milligrams of salt," he explained.
"No one eats only one cup, so two to three cups each morning would be nearly 50 percent of your daily allotment. Yet, the FDA allows Cheerios to be advertised as a healthy alternative."
But while most agree that the excess salt in the diets of many Americans poses significant health risks, experts in the medical community remain divided over what should actually be done to address the problem.
Some agree with advocacy groups and believe that the FDA should require stricter labeling for manufactured foods. Such labeling could take the form of warnings placed prominently on the packaging of high-sodium foods.
But others think the focus on salt regulation is misdirected and say that the FDA should address more harmful elements of the American diet and lifestyle, such as obesity.
The American Dietetic Association, for one, has spoken out in favor of stricter product labeling to tackle the problem.
My goodness; Cheerios, a food that Americans such as Josh ate to protect themselves from a coronary crisis may actually place them at risk for a heart attack. What, and whom, can we trust. Do we do as we are told or as the specialists do?
Physicians often gobble just as regular folk do. We have seen stout surgeons, rotund nurses, hefty dieticians, and even a lean doctor dine on junk. Our spouse may insist we eat healthy; yet, he or she does not. Acquaintances swig and swallow whatever they wish. No one seems to suffer serious repercussions at less not while in our range of vision. Thus, we conclude there is little reason to change. People are just overly cautious. Certainly, federal, state, and city officials are wary without cause.
A mild mannered Joshua was familiar with the cautionary tone of doctors. He heard his wife whisper her concerns. For years, medical professionals and his Mom expressed their angst when they discussed his fervent application of this sour, yet sharp, condiment. Josh reduced his use; although admittedly he wondered whether there was reason to do so. Oh, sure, Joshua saw the advice columns. Caveats called him, or at least those who love him suggested he read the literature.
University of Maryland Medical Center, expert on hypertension, Dr. Stephen Havas, states, high-salt diets cause 150,000 premature deaths in the United States each year. Heart attacks, coronary artery disease, and strokes are the frequently result from obesity, high blood pressure, and the perilous pre-hypertension. Each of these afflictions can be traced to the intake of salt. Havas declared there is an imperative need for the Federal Health authorities to reduce sodium consumption.
However, contrary to what this and other physicians think wise, most persons in this civilized country retain the attitudes of their ancestors. Americans are as the rugged individualists, or at least, Joshua was and is. Our countrymen can take whatever is dished out. Salty, sweet, or saturated in oils, citizens of this wild and western nation have the stomach for it.
Americans are independent and we like it that way. No government agency, guy, or gal in a white lab coat will tell US what to eat. They certainly will not dictate to Joshua what he eats. In truth, the Food and Drug Administration does not tell us what is best to consume. Nor do they closely monitor corporate claims; although they would wish us to believe they do. Joshua trusted that his food was safe with thanks to this industry watchdog.
Fake Food Fight
by Paula Kurtzweil"It is true that you may fool all the people some of the time; you can even fool some of the people all the time; but you can't fool all of the people all of the time."
--Abraham LincolnWhen it comes to fraudulent food in the marketplace, Lincoln's sage observation has certainly rung true. In the Food and Drug Administration's experience, when hucksters try to cheat Americans out of millions of dollars of genuine foods, their schemes are ultimately exposed by a sharp-eyed consumer, a competitive industry, or FDA itself.
Known as economic adulteration of food, this practice involves using inferior, cheaper ingredients to cheat consumers and undercut the competition. And even though the 1938 Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act specifically bans it, economic adulteration persists, challenging FDA's resourcefulness to remain vigilant against it.
In recent years, FDA has sought and won convictions against companies and individuals engaged in making and selling bogus orange juice, apple juice, maple syrup, honey, cream, olive oil, and seafood.
According to Martin Stutsman, a consumer safety officer in FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, FDA relies heavily on industry and consumers to help identify instances of economic fraud.
What businesses will not do for money. Artificial adulterants put much dough in many a breadbox. The Food and Drug Administration discovered some producers sold, what they said was pure orange juice; however, the beverage was loaded with corn syrup or beet sugar. Dairy cream was, in fact, corn oil. Corn syrup passed for honey. Bottles of horseradish were actually containers of potato starch. Salt mixed into water was advertised as milk. Scallops, an expensive delicacy on occasion was found to be water worked into sodium tripolyphosphate (STP).
The fake foods, [mixtures of trans fatty acids, salts, and sugars] may yield temporary financial benefits. However, what qualifies for natural, and approved, fodder feeds fills more pockets than the illegal imitations ever did. Corn syrup found in a product labeled pure orange juice is considered an adulterant. However, when the same sweetener is listed on a can of orange flavored juice the Food and Drug administration thinks that fine.
There is a delicate balance between healthy and harmful sustenance. Equilibrium is difficult to maintain when the scales are tipped in favor of corporate influences. For many in the Food and Drug Administration dough is more flavorful than moral fiber might be.
Former FDA Investigator Exposes Aspartame As Deadly Neurotoxin That Never Should Have Been Approved
Can Republish, Namaste, Vol 6, Issue 1,UKMany policies, I found out, were not made to protect the public health, but rather, to provide leverage at appropriation time before Congress, and to protect the industry and their political government. This is especially true when they were paid for their 'services' by the pharmaceutical or chemical industries. This is what I call 'social cancer'.
Many systems for protecting the public health are (were) less than effective . . . making very little difference on public health issues. Much of it was for 'show' and for funding. It was the folks in Rockville and Washington who made the final decisions on how to play most of these issues out. Unfortunately for us, it was not to favor the public health processes. The entire process reeks of political and corporate influence.
If Americans had the time or energy to do more than eat what is easily available they might notice how ubiquitous industry is in our diets. Advertisers have captured our attention.
"Shouldn't your baby be a Gerber baby?" "Trix are for kids." "Keebler. Uncommonly Made, Uncommonly Good." "Mmm Mmm good. That’s what Campbell’s Soup is; Mmm good." "Subway. Eat fresh." "Taco Bell. Think Outside the Bun." "McDonalds. I'm lovin' it," and you do, we do. We are trained to eat prepared foods from birth. At Burger King, we can have it our way. At Kentucky Fried Chicken, we can trust it is finger lickin’ good. At Subway, we can "Eat fresh." If only we knew what that was.
Manufacturers and marketers choose what we consume. High fructose corn syrup is an ingredient is most American food. Many Americans, sadly, a vast majority, do not even know what unprocessed fruits and vegetables truly taste like. Apples? That is the crisp, wet fare under the caramel. Tomatoes top pizza. Strawberries and cherries await your bite when you sink your teeth into that piece of bittersweet chocolate. Squash and pumpkins grace the doorstep during the Fall holidays. Spinach is for cartoon characters. Potatoes, yum-yum. This starchy crop, when deep-fried is absolutely ambrosia.
Even when we think we are ingesting only wholesome fare, surprise, we discover, there is more to the meal than meets the eye. The local bakery still creates healthy doughy fare. The smell of fresh baked flour and yeast reminds us that quality food does exist. Have you read the ingredients on baked goods? Let us consider the plainest of plain preparations, a bagel. The elements that go into this not so enticing ring of dough are numerous. Unbleached flour (wheat flour, malted barley flour), water, dough conditioner (sugar, salt, malted barley flour, molasses, mono & diglycerides, ascorbic acid, L-cysteine, azodicarbonamide, enzyme, ammonium chloride, DATEM, potassium iodate, brown sugar, yeast.
As we study the marketplace we realize, what satisfies our senses is not so sensible.
In the 1980s, manufacturing methods improved, prompting a boost in production of high-fructose corn syrup and a drop in price to just pennies below that of refined sugar. "While that may not sound like much to the average consumer, when you consider how many pounds [the soft drink industry buys], it was millions of dollars if not hundreds of millions of dollars in savings," says Drew Davis, NSDA's vice president for federal affairs.The switch made economic sense and, as Davis notes, "back then, there was no suggestion that high-fructose corn syrup was metabolized differently" than other sugars. More recent research suggests, however, that there may be some unexpected nutritional consequences of using the syrup. "Fructose is absorbed differently" than other sugars, says Bray. "It doesn't register in the body metabolically the same way that glucose does."
For example, consumption of glucose kicks off a cascade of biochemical reactions. It increases production of insulin by the pancreas, which enables sugar in the blood to be transported into cells, where it can be used for energy. It increases production of leptin, a hormone that helps regulate appetite and fat storage, and it suppresses production of another hormone made by the stomach, ghrelin, that helps regulate food intake. It has been theorized that when ghrelin levels drop, as they do after eating carbohydrates composed of glucose, hunger declines.
Fructose is a different story. It "appears to behave more like fat with respect to the hormones involved in body weight regulation," explains Peter Havel, associate professor of nutrition at the University of California, Davis. "Fructose doesn't stimulate insulin secretion. It doesn't increase leptin production or suppress production of ghrelin. That suggests that consuming a lot of fructose, like consuming too much fat, could contribute to weight gain." Whether it actually does do this is not known "because the studies have not been conducted," said Havel.
Another concern is the action of fructose in the liver, where it is converted into the chemical backbone of trigylcerides more efficiently than glucose. Like low-density lipoprotein -- the most damaging form of cholesterol -- elevated levels of trigylcerides are linked to an increased risk of heart disease. A University of Minnesota study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2000 found that in men, but not in women, fructose "produced significantly higher [blood] levels" than did glucose. The researchers, led by J.P Bantle, concluded that "diets high in added fructose may be undesirable, particularly for men."
Other recent research suggests that fructose may alter the magnesium balance in the body. That could, in turn, accelerate bone loss, according to a USDA study published in 2000 in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition.
We can thank the Food and Drug Administration for our fodder, and we can express our gratitude to Archers Daniel Midland, the mother or father of invention. A financial crisis in the parent company led the this corporation to merge and grow beyond their wildest dreams and ours.
In 1971 [Archer Daniels Midland] purchased Corn Sweeteners, Inc., producer of high-fructose syrups, glutens, oil, and caramel color. Corn Sweeteners brought good returns for Archer Daniels Midland and increased the company's finished-food capabilities.
Currently we can find Archer Daniels in most every "finished-food" option. Bread and brews are loaded with high fructose corn syrup. Cereals, before the flakes are frosted, are filled with the fluid. Spaghetti sauce is supplemented. The sugary additive makes up a substantial portion of this tomato-based product. Sodas are essentially high fructose corn syrup, as is . . . [name your food of choice.] While high fructose corn syrup is good for earnings, it endangers human health.
Loading high fructose corn syrup into increasingly larger portions of soda and processed food has packed more calories into us and more money into food processing companies, say nutritionists and food activists. But some health experts argue that the issue is bigger than mere calories. The theory goes like this: The body processes the fructose in high fructose corn syrup differently than it does old-fashioned cane or beet sugar, which in turn alters the way metabolic-regulating hormones function. It also forces the liver to kick more fat out into the bloodstream.The end result is that our bodies are essentially tricked into wanting to eat more and at the same time, we are storing more fat.
Sheer will power must be our guide, for certainly the Food and Drug Administration does not point us in the direction of good health. Nor do the conglomerates have our best interests at heart. Most Americans believe given a choice, people buy what they sense their body craves. Unfortunately, few acknowledge that certain foods create a chemical reaction that fools the physiology and the psyche.
No mysterious ingredient. The Cadbury's secret is out. Chocolate is drug-like in its effect. Artificial taste explodes in the mouth with crunchy, smooth, sweet flavors, supplying intense pleasure. Every texture and nuance of taste contrived to stimulate your 9,000 taste buds into sending pleasure signals to the brain. The intensified pleasure effect is addictive. We don't care about the additives or empty calories. Chocolate junkies crave a fix, driven by the desire for that chocolate pleasure. Pleasure for which we will pay any price, even our health.Chocolate bars are loaded with salt, sugar, caffeine and fat, up to 300 calories per bar. Like a body demanding heroin for its balance, the body will crave sugar, salt and fat. Take candy from a sugar junkie, and look out! Quitting causes withdrawals. Remove sugar, processed fat or salt from your diet, and you will crave them. You will go through the discomfort of facing withdrawal similar to the withdrawal from drugs.
Humans hunger for sweets. We are extremely fond of fats. Salt is savory. Eons ago, our bodies learned to love what would help us survive in the wild. We needed the weight and the energy. The habits of our ancient ancestors now seem innate. Food and chemical industry leaders know this. They exploit our obsession for the flavors that excites the palette and satisfy the electrical impulses within our gray matter; thus, expanding their profits.
Physiologically we cannot resist. Psychologically, we are easily swayed. Financially, we turn our fate over, and fortunes are made. Most of us forget what we once knew before our brains and bellies were filled with trans-fats, salts, and sugars.
The story of how the most basic questions about what to eat ever got so complicated reveals a great deal about the institutional imperatives of the food industry, nutritional science and — ahem — journalism, three parties that stand to gain much from widespread confusion surrounding what is, after all, the most elemental question an omnivore confronts.Humans deciding what to eat without expert help — something they have been doing with notable success since coming down out of the trees — is seriously unprofitable if you’re a food company, distinctly risky if you’re a nutritionist and just plain boring if you’re a newspaper editor or journalist. (Or, for that matter, an eater. Who wants to hear, yet again, "Eat more fruits and vegetables"?) And so, like a large gray fog, a great Conspiracy of Confusion has gathered around the simplest questions of nutrition — much to the advantage of everybody involved. Except perhaps the ostensible beneficiary of all this nutritional expertise and advice: us, and our health and happiness as eaters.
Hence, dear Josh, if you do not wish to be controlled by the government or the corporate kings and queens, if you wish to eat well, remember, to look beyond what seems to be your freedom to choose. Do not travel to the eateries that serve only what they know will leave you yearning for more. Do not frequent food pantries that prefer you be fat. Venture not into the aisles of processed ambrosia. If you wish to be free from the thought police and those that place temptation on the plate, carefully consider foods that are not fake. You can enjoy real foods, unprocessed provisions, and your health if you truly peruse the labels, make meals from scratch, and ask for more than just the menu when you dine out.
Bon appetite Josh. A happy and healthy holiday, every day to all, and to all a good night.
Satiated, Satisfied, and Sources . . .
- 2007: Let’s Eat, Not Fuss. By Frank Bruni. The New York Times. December 26, 2007
- The Price of Food Safety. The New York Times. December 22, 2007
- Next Year's Diet Books, By Andrea Sachs. Time Magazine. December 10, 2006
- Doritios ®
- Customer Satisfaction Results For The Food And Drug Administration Announced. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services December 13, 1999
- Fake Food Fight. By Paula Kurtzweil. Food and Drug Administration. March April 1999
- McDonald's USA Ingredients Listing for Popular Menu Items. Corporate McDonald's.
- Sugar coated, We're drowning in high fructose corn syrup. Do the risks go beyond our waistline? By Kim Severson. San Francisco Chronicle. Wednesday, February 18, 2004
- pdf Sugar coated, We're drowning in high fructose corn syrup. Do the risks go beyond our waistline? By Kim Severson. San Francisco Chronicle. Wednesday, February 18, 2004
- Former FDA Investigator Exposes Aspartame As Deadly Neurotoxin That Never Should Have Been Approved, Can Republish, Namaste, Vol 6, Issue 1,UK
- Unhappy Meals, By Michael Pollan. The New York Times. January 28, 2007
- pdf Unhappy Meals, By Michael Pollan. The New York Times. January 28, 2007
- Sweet but Not So Innocent? High-Fructose Corn Syrup May Act More Like Fat Than Sugar in the Body, By Sally Squires. Washington Post. Tuesday, March 11, 2003; Page HE01
- pdf Sweet but Not So Innocent? High-Fructose Corn Syrup May Act More Like Fat Than Sugar in the Body, By Sally Squires. Washington Post. Tuesday, March 11, 2003; Page HE01
- New York City Plans Limits on Restaurants’ Use of Trans Fats, By Thomas J. Lueck. New York Times. September 27, 2006
- pdf New York City Plans Limits on Restaurants’ Use of Trans Fats, By Thomas J. Lueck. New York Times. September 27, 2006
- Hold That Fat, New York Asks Its Restaurants, By Marc Santora. New York Times. August 11, 2005
- pdf Hold That Fat, New York Asks Its Restaurants, By Marc Santora. New York Times. August 11, 2005
- New York Bans Most Trans Fats in Restaurants, By Thomas J. Lueck and Kim Severson. New York Times. December 6, 2006
- pdf New York Bans Most Trans Fats in Restaurants, By Thomas J. Lueck and Kim Severson. New York Times. December 6, 2006
- Spinach and E. Coli Outbreak. US Food and Drug Administration.
- pdf Superstitions about Salt. The New York Times. December 31, 1883
- FDA contemplating crackdown on salt, The AMA, which says Americans should consume 50% less sodium, has joined consumer groups asking for government intervention. By Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar. Los Angeles Times. November 29, 2007
- pdf FDA contemplating crackdown on salt, The AMA, which says Americans should consume 50% less sodium, has joined consumer groups asking for government intervention. By Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar. Los Angeles Times. November 29, 2007
- Salt: The Forgotten Killer. Interview by Michelle W. Murray. University of Maryland Medical Center.
- Corporations Control Your Dinner, AlterNet.
- DATEM, Wikipedia.
- Food Ingredients. Archer Daniel Midland
- Vegan Nummies Panera Bread.
- Are We Really Force Fed? By Gard Goldsmith of the Ludwig von Mises Institue. July 30, 2004
- Your Food Addiction is Great for Business. Healthy Recipes.
Posted by Betsy L. Angert on December 26, 2007 at 09:00 AM in Addiction, Advertising, Calories. Cells., Diet, Economics, Ethics and Profits, Food Drug Administration, Food Folly, Health, Soda, Soft Drinks, Sugar, TransFatty Acids, Weight | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Overweight Children - Adults Face Widespread Stigma and Strain
copyright © 2007 Betsy L. Angert. BeThink.org
In America and the European Union Overweight Kids Face [a] Widespread Stigma. Only days ago, I contemplated this truth. As I watched a family shop, I was struck. She was young, perhaps ten years old. She was very heavy. I wondered how could one little girl carry so much weight on such a small frame.
The lass was sweet, quite petite, although clearly troubled. She had been shopping with her Mom, her grandmother, and her younger brother. From appearances, it seemed this family was in Target gathering wares for Grandmamma. They did not give the impression of being poor; nor did they look to be wealthy. They were average folks; they could have been you or me.
This family did not dress well. Their clothes were clean, just not stylish. Were this group more fashion conscious pants, shirts, and shoes would have been color-coordinated. Patterns might have blended in a manner that was more appealing. However, I guess they were comfortable in casual apparel. After all, making purchases in a discount department store does not require a person to dress with finesse. Simply covering your body is sufficient for such a chore.
The family of four entered the checkout line. I was standing behind them. Their exchanges were pleasant. The children each chose to purchase an item for themselves. Grandmother and Mom paid for their goods, as did the boy. Then the young woman did her transaction. The cashier rang up the sale. Dollars passed from one hand to another. There was change. The school age girl went to place her pennies, nickels, quarters, and dimes into her tiny purse. A single nickel fell to the ground. The coin made a sound as it plunked to the floor. The girl heard the noise and saw the shiny nickel.
She looked at the currency longingly. Then, this lass turned and glanced at her family. They were walking away. Her brother, mother, and grandmother had not noticed what occurred. The group was not far and yet, not near to the girl. It would only take a moment to pick up the coin and move towards the others. Pensively, the female child considered the nickel. She looked down and then up and down again. Finally, she fled in haste, leaving the lonely coin behind. She never bothered to pick it up, although she did think too.
It did not seem to me that this little lady thought a five-cent piece was not worth much. From appearances, or perhaps I am projecting, recalling my own struggle with excessive weight, her greater concern was the effort involved in bending over to retrieve a small piece of anything. I remember the days, and not too fondly. My heart went out to this child. There, but for the grace of G-d, go I.
I am reminded of the time when I was obese, not pleasing plump, chubby, or fat; I was corpulent. I grew into a size that was twice that of normal quickly. I did not consume gross quantities of food. The portions on my plate, or in hand were not large. It was actually quite startling to see the weight pile on. Pound after pound was added to my body mass. There was no index to guide me. Indeed, I was eating less than I had for years before this gain.
However, my weight gain was not an anomaly. For me, fighting with my body mass was normal. My family was substantial mentally and physically. Many of my relatives are big people, not tall, just wide. The little girl and I seem to share a family shaping, or might I say out of shape. Her mother and Grandmother were large. Her brother was not as rotund; however, he seemed to be ready to tip the scale.
In my family, some were fit. My Grandpop walked for miles, each and every day. He was active and agile; a few relatives are. However, it seems on average, the propensity toward plump was prominent in my world. The younger generations in my own family might have mirrored their elders, or perhaps more accurately did as their parents had. This is true in most families, even the thin ones. However, patterns change. In recent years, Americans are shorter and more stout. For generations, Americans were taller than those in other nations; however, this is changing.
[H]eight has been stagnating in the US for a decade, and Americans are now shorter on average than many Europeans, including not only the very tall Dutch and Scandinavians, but even the citizens of the former East Germany, see John Komlos and Marieluise Baur (2004).This is troubling for many reasons. Not only is our health and life expectancy effected, so too is our income. For years, Economists told us tall persons earn more money than the diminutive do. An inch can increase your net worth by at least a thousand dollars per year. However, recent research reveals the height you achieve in adulthood may not determine your income. Stature may not be the key to financial success.While Americans are not expanding upwards, they continue to expand outwards, and the average American, like the average Briton, is now heavier than the weight that would minimize mortality risk given average height.
Tall men who were short in high school earn like short men, while short men who were tall in high school earn like tall men.If, during our younger years we do not think we are worthy, excellent, brilliant, or outstanding than likely we will not believe we are the best later in life. Often, we trust we are admirable when others act as if we are.That pretty much rules out discrimination. It's hard to imagine how or why employers could discriminate in favor of past height. If tall adolescents—even those who stop growing prematurely—grow up to be highly paid workers, it's got to be because they've got some other trait that employers value. [Nicola Persico, Andy Postlewaite, and Dan Silverman of the University of Pennsylvania] believe that trait is self-esteem. Tall high-school kids learn to think of themselves as leaders, and that habit of thought persists even when the kids stop growing.
For the fatter child, the need for approval weighs on their minds. Much embarrassment is felt, and experienced early on.
Overweight children are stigmatized by their peers as early as age 3 and even face bias from their parents and teachers, giving them a quality of life comparable to people with cancer, a new analysis concludes.At the age of two, nearly three, I recall sitting in the den with a ballpoint pen in hand. I drew lines on my thighs designating exactly where I wanted the excess meat removed. I do not recall being ridiculed at home; nor do I remember peers speaking of my weight.
I did attend summer camp at that age. At two and one half years, I was the youngest camper. Perhaps, being four years younger than all other campers had an effect on me. Indeed, I was left out of much. The counselors were not willing to teach me to swim. My bunkmates did not wish to include me in games. Being a person that loathes and avoids competition, and always did, I had no desire to participate. I was somewhat sedentary.
Possibly the situation demanded it. I could not go off and play on my own. I needed to stay with the group. Yet, I was separate. I sat still for hours while my bunkmates engaged in recreational activities. My situation, although different, mirrors much of what occurs today.
Lack of exercise is a major factor in the growing problem of obesity, both for children and adults, according to Dennis Styne, a UC Davis Medical Center pediatric endocrinologist who is a recognized authority on issues of childhood obesity. "Obesity has become a serious health risk in America, and it is reaching epidemic proportions, even in the pediatric population," Styne says. "Close to 25 percent of America's children and adolescents are now considered overweight, and the numbers are increasing."I developed habits that hurt my already hurting heart. The children ran, jumped, laughed, and enjoyed each other's company. I could not join in. They thought me too young. At an early age, my less active life took its toll. The pounds piled on. Later, as the years passed, I was just lethargic.
They say obese children are victim to teasing, rejection, bullying, and other types of abuse because of their weight. I was fortunate, I did not experience much, if any of this in my youth. However, when I reached the age of sixteen, and added a few more pounds, a phrase was used by a loved one to describe me, "butterball." To this day, every year from Thanksgiving to Easter when the company with the same name advertises their turkeys, I cringe.
"The stigmatization directed at obese children by their peers, parents, educators and others is pervasive and often unrelenting," researchers with Yale University and the University of Hawaii at Manatoa wrote in the July issue of Psychological Bulletin.Research determined the heavier child exposed to such pressure is two to three times more likely to report suicidal thoughts. Frequently, the young and hefty suffer from other health issues. High blood pressure and eating disorders are not uncommon. Yikes, there I am. I was anorexic, then bulimic. My eating was out of order.The paper was based on a review of all research on youth weight bias over the past 40 years, said lead author Rebecca M. Puhl of Yale's Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity.
I have long been certain that my bingeing and purging was not related to my weight. Indeed, doing as I did, did not help me maintain a stable mass. The process stressed my body and my mind. Anorexia and bulimia are burdensome. They are as obesity in many ways. There is great shame associated with starving oneself. Over-eating and puking do not leave one feeling proud. People judge those that do not appear perfect or act in a manner that pleases others. We all criticize ourselves.
"The quality of life for kids who are obese is comparable to the quality of life of kids who have cancer," Puhl said, citing one study. "These kids are facing stigma from everywhere they look in society, whether it's media, school or at home."In a time when children are growing fatter, we can no longer avoid an issue that is pervasive. We must consider that they way people treat us when we are young has an effect throughout our lives. Height and weight evoke a response. That reaction stays with us. At a time when childhood obesity overwhelms the planet, we must consider the effect of this epidemic.Even with a growing percentage of overweight people, the stigma shows no signs of subsiding, according to Puhl. She said television and other media continue to reinforce negative stereotypes.
"This is a form of bias that is very socially acceptable," Puhl said. "It is rarely challenged; it's often ignored."
By 2010, almost 50 percent of children in North America and 38 percent of children in the European Union will be overweight, the researchers said.At times, we as a society must shield children from those that love them most, us. Sadly, parents, teachers, and friends do not realize how they hurt a fragile heart and soul. Teasing is thought to be just in fun. Expecting less of a fat child is considered realistic. Reacting to personal guilt for not caring for a child as you thought best, in a moment, might seem reasonable. However, the harm we do is immeasurable. Children internalize their pain.While programs to prevent childhood obesity are growing, more efforts are needed to protect overweight children from abuse, Puhl said.
A growing body of research shows that parents and educators are also biased against heavy children. In a 1999 study of 115 middle and high school teachers, 20 percent said they believed obese people are untidy, less likely to succeed and more emotional.Fat children are distinct. They stand out in a crowd. Actually, in their own mind they are often larger than life. I know I was. I was so surprised years later when I saw photographs of myself as a camper. I was not obese then. I only thought I was. For me, it was as Lynn McAfee stated, "You hear it so often; it becomes the truth." Even if the words were heard only in my head, they were repeated routinely. The belief that I was fat became my reality. In my teens I grew into the person I long thought I was. I became obese."Perhaps the most surprising source of weight stigma toward youths is parents," the report says.
Several studies showed that overweight girls got less college financial support from their parents than average weight girls. Other studies showed teasing by parents was common.
"It is possible that parents may take out their frustration, anger and guilt on their overweight child by adopting stigmatizing attitudes and behavior, such as making critical and negative comments toward their child," the authors wrote, suggesting further research is needed.
Lynn McAfee, 58, of Stowe, Pa., said that as an overweight child she faced troubles on all fronts.
"It was constantly impressed upon me that I wasn't going to get anywhere in the world if I was fat," McAfee said. "You hear it so often, it becomes the truth."
Her mother, who also was overweight, offered to buy her a mink coat when she was 8 to try to get her to lose weight even though her family was poor.
"I felt I was letting everybody down," she said.
Other children would try to run her down on bikes to see if she would bounce. She had a hard time getting on teams in the playground.
"Teachers did not stand up for me when I was teased," McAfee said.
A study in 2003 found that obese children had much lower quality of life scores on issues such as health, emotional and social well-being, and school functioning.
"An alarming finding of this research was that obese children had (quality of life) scores comparable with those of children with cancer," the researchers reported.
Sylvia Rimm, author of "Rescuing the Emotional Lives of Overweight Children," said her surveys of more than 5,000 middle school children reached similar conclusions.
"The overweight children felt less intelligent," Rimm said. "They felt less popular. They struggled from early on. They feel they are a different species."
Anyone that has ever struggled with their weight knows, trying to take off a few pounds can be a challenge. Eliminating the weight of years of mistreatment takes more effort than most can imagine.
Heavy children are insulted, ignored, rejected, and ultimately resent themselves. They misuse food. The weighty wonders may not appear malnourished; however, they are. The obese do not eat well.
[P]oor nutrition remains an impediment to health in much of the world today, Much less obvious is the idea that nutritional deficits are an important part of the health story in the rich world today. Yet there is a good deal of evidence, even—and in some cases particularly—in populations whose most obvious nutrition-related problem is obesity and over nutrition.Such mass consumption does not serve our children well. Nor do our eating patterns benefit us as we age.
"Obesity rates are increasing fastest among children, and they will carry obesity-related health risks throughout their lives," Ludwig says. "An adult who gains a pound or 2 a year through middle age will be at increased risk. But that is much less dire than the overweight 4- to 6-year-old who gets diabetes at age 14 or 16 and has a heart attack before age 30."Sadly, some of those that were heavy as children are already adults. Older persons, for the most part, do as they did in their childhood. Even if individuals lose the "baby fat," the feelings and ill effects associated with obesity often linger. Lifestyle, habits, health problems are more difficult and daunting than poundage. There are infinite influences on our body and mind. The marketplace matters.Ludwig -- director of the obesity program at Children's Hospital, Boston -- says the childhood obesity epidemic has three phases. The first came in the last decade, when child obesity became common but the public health effects weren't yet felt. Phase two is right now, as we begin to see serious complications such as type 2 diabetes in very young people. Phase three, Ludwig predicts, is coming soon.
"But we still have a little time before these children become young adults with diabetes and start to have heart attacks, stroke, kidney failure, and increased mortality," he says. "It is a massive tsunami headed for the United States. One can know it is coming. But if we wait until we see the ocean level rising over the shore, it will be too late to take action."
The advent of processed foods altered the physique and psyche. Motor vehicles and machines have an effect, A commuter and computer culture counts. The number of calories we consume and do not burn off as earlier generations did effects our overall well-being. There is ample cause for concern.
Today, we stunt our growth upward and expand our girth outward. Perhaps, we need to advance our awareness for what motivates us. Why do we torment the portly? How easy it is to ridicule and judge. Frequently, the tall, the thin, those that appear healthy blame the obviously wounded one. These saintly souls think obesity is a choice. People are not born fat. Perchance that is, in part, true.Poor nutrition and lack of physical activity are responsible for an estimated 300,000 to 600,000 preventable deaths each year.
An estimated one third of all cancers are attributable to poor nutrition, physical inactivity, and being overweight.
It was once thought diabetes or the tendency for this illness was inherited; however, there is ample to reason to believe that is not always true. Might we imagine that nothing occurs in isolation. If we are to cure what ails us, we must be open to options that are not easily observed.
Might we assess why those that gain so easily gravitate to food. I believe for too long we have presumed the answers are simple. It is often claimed obesity runs in families. The genes prime the pump. Numerous researchers prefer placing the blame on parents. Habits are learned. Mothers and fathers are our primary teachers. Schools receive their fair share of culpability. Surely if educational institutions supplied more nutritious fodder children would not eat as they do. Restaurants, food manufacturers all can claim an ounce of responsibility.
We too bear a burden; each of us decides what we will eat and enjoy. We believe we can easily forego exercise. We all are as the little girl. Bending down to pick up the nickel is not a simple task. Our mind may wish to do what we think wise; yet our body says we cannot. The two work in unison.
I believe, too often we do not honor the mind body connection. Possibly, we all are vulnerable to whatever affliction inhabits our bodies. In recent years, we are realizing that many ailments, once thought to be the result of natural causes are related to diet. What we eat has power; it effects the brain and bulk. Might we consider victuals feed us in ways we rarely explore.
To learn how to work with your appetite center, you must first understand it. It's time for you and your brain to become better acquainted.Perchance, we might empathize with the chunky little lass. She is you and me. Might we consider that our culture provides us with foodfare that harms us. Society teaches us habits that hurt us. Some lessons are learned subliminally. Others are fashioned at the dinner table. Possibly, we all would be wise to teach and treat the children well. If we do not attend to the biological, physiological, intellectual, and emotional needs of our progeny, they will suffer as will we all. If one man, woman, or child is diminished, we all are. Little girl, may I help you reach for more than a nickel.As soon as you bite into any food, sensory stimulation of nerve endings on the tongue leads to the release of a number of chemicals, including opioids, into the bloodstream. You release more opioids -- the body's natural versions of drugs like morphine -- when you consume foods high in sugar and fat, creating a powerful, neurochemical drive to overeat those foods.
These opioids and other chemicals enter the bloodstream and carry their messages to the hypothalamus, which sends out yet another set of chemicals to regulate appetite. The more flavors your taste buds register, the more stimulated the hypothalamus becomes, releasing the hunger-promoting hormone neuropeptide Y. When you taste a lot of flavors at once, the brain releases a lot of neuropeptide Y.
Meanwhile, in response to the smell and taste of food, your stomach produces the hormone ghrelin, which also stimulates appetite. It continues to produce this hormone until you eat enough food to literally fill your stomach and stretch the stomach wall. Farther down the line, in your intestines, levels of several hormones rise to varying degrees -- depending on the nature of your meal -- either inducing more hunger or turning off hunger..
The thick of it . . .
Thursday, July 12, 2007; 3:54 AM
Posted by Betsy L. Angert on July 13, 2007 at 01:44 PM in "Take me as I am!", Adult Influence on Children, Calories. Cells., Childhood Obesity, Diabetes, Eating Disorders or Habits, Food Folly, Habits, Health, Nature or Nurture, Nutrition, Quality of Life, Teach The Children, Weight, When Will I Be Right? | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack
I Am An Anorexic, Bulimic, A Person! ©
Once you label me, you negate me.
~ Soren Kierkegaard [Danish Philosopher]
An article in the New York Times grabbed my attention instantly. It appeared in the health section. The title, One Spoonful at a Time. This writing was heartfelt. Author, Harriet Brown tells a gripping tale. It took me to memories of my own struggle with anorexia and bulimia and how these affected my family. In this exposé, the dilemma of how to treat the condition was thoroughly discussed. I wish to share my response to this situation and story. My personal experience of this is vast. I hope my thoughts, realizations, and rejoinders on this topic will be helpful to those grappling with similar issues. I trust that the effects of anorexia and bulimia are trials and tribulations for all those afflicted by these.
The subject of weight alone is a sensitive probing. An individual need not starve, binge, or purge in wrestling with weight. On the same day another New York Times essay loomed large entitled "Big People on Campus." This commentary contemplated the plight of being "fat." I was once that too. Many may muse in this moment, all anorexics believe they are chubby, and while that may or may not be true, I actually was at times in my life. My weight rarely was stable; nor was I when reflecting upon it. However, my weight was never the issue; it was a distraction, a symptom of what was within.
I read the articles mentioned above, then, when I turned on the television and saw a report on the increasing male bulimic and anorexic population, and as I listened to a discussion focusing on the media, and the message of being thin, I wondered. Why are Americans obsessed with their weight and avoiding the truer concern?
Americans spend billions of dollars on books, diet programs, professional weight trainers, and behavioral experts that might deliver them from "evil" otherwise known as "eating disorders." Some recount, "I eat too much," others muse, "I eat too little." There are those that think they do not make healthy choices, those that believe themselves fine; their family worries about their physical condition.
I lived in a plump body; a buff body, a slender body, and one that was sickly thin. As a child I over ate. It was what most members of my family did. As an adolescent, I dieted. That is what teenagers do. However, weight was not the trepidation it appeared to be. My problems with body image were not pressing; nor did my peers influence me.
It was my life at home, in my heart. Much was disquieting. My parents were together; yet, they were not. My natural father was rarely home and when he was, it was not fun for me. My sisters were close in age and seemed to have a connection with me; however, it felt incomplete. For me, school began at an early age. I love learning and welcomed the opportunity; still, there were demands, those I placed on myself. Life progressed and it seemed perfect.
I had goals, visions, and dreams. In my late teens, I wanted to lose my virginity. That seemed the natural progression, at least in my neighborhood, or among my peers. Oddly enough, a young man began paying attention to me. This may not seem unusual; yet, it was. Those that are closely familiar with my ways and thoughts recognize that this was quite striking.
I was never "boy crazy." I had no thoughts of marriage or even being in a relationship. I was and still am extremely comfortable with my own company. Perhaps, I am a little too independent. While I have always had very close friends, I was not one to seek physical intimacy. I did not need company or companionship. It could be imposing. I needed time to be me. Nevertheless, this gentleman delighted in my presence.
Yes, we did "connect;" we did the deed; still he wanted more! Imagine that! Eric wanted a real relationship, with all the bells and whistles. I later learned Eric wanted to marry me. Years, before realizing that his intention was to wed, I freaked. When confronted with the fact that he wanted us to spend all our time together I panicked.
Eric was and is an extraordinary man. Physically, he is quite the "looker," not my type. I love brains; brawn does little to warm the cockles of my heart. He is kind, tender, and evenly tempered. Eric is infinitely considerate, and amazingly enough, he does love to learn.
Women fell for him, flocked to him, and fought for his attention, all but me. Initially, I just saw him as a vehicle for losing my virginity. I never expected he would fill my mind. I did not plan to take time and be with him beyond the bed. I never imagined he would enter my heart. Yet, he did and that scared me. I put on weight, lots, and lots of pounds. I did this as I do most things. I am exceptionally thorough. If I am to do a job, I will do it incredibly well. I grew fat! Perchance, obese might be a better word. Eric said nothing. He still wanted to be with me.
Now, what was I to do? All this weight, I wore poundage that poured over the edges of my clothing. I was uncomfortable in my body. I needed, no wanted to loose all this excess mass. I began dieting. I did it well depending on your standard, and not well, if health is a main concern. At first, I only wanted to lose what I had gained. I did this. Then as the pressures of life grew, my apprehension for food and what would follow were I to eat it grew.
Years passed, as did my obsession with weight and food. After a time, apprehension for my impending graduation from college consumed me. The more I thought about this the more I struggled. Careers, professions, being more a part of the "real" world, more responsible for my self, it all seemed a sacrifice. What was I to do or be now?
While attending the University, I never hesitated. I chose my majors and pursued each discipline with zeal. My course of study never changed. However, I never expected to graduate. That was not part of my plan. I had no desire to leave the sanctuary of school. I first enrolled in classes at the age of two. Academia was the world I knew. What next?
Next, or soon, I would become a statistic. Not unlike the "Kitty" in the tale her author mother, Harriet Brown tells. I was anorexic. Ultimately, that lifestyle was too difficult. Starving my self was such a struggle. I chose bulimia instead. I "thought" that would be an easier avenue to pursue. It was not. I had no control over my life, my weight, my worries, my ways. A person such as myself that prefers infinite tranquility, found herself in a world of chaos, chaos I created!
For decades my family deliberated, what would they do? What could they do? Some pondered what had they done. Who was at fault and would the circumstances ever change? There was much guilt, theirs, mine, and ours!
I share this revealing story with reason. Harriet Brown, the parents, the professionals in her tale all do as people customarily do. They look for facts, quick fixes, simple solutions, thirty-second spots, immediate gratification, and spontaneous change. I acknowledge the year or more this family invested in re-parenting and feeding their child; one spoonful at a time was overwhelming. Yet, in the end, wonderment still fills the void of not knowing.
Ms. Brown discusses in depth the niche, a role, the pondering, the play, the place, and the label each person holds. Yet, for me, she misses the nuances. The world within will determine whether Kitty again chooses an addiction with food or the lack of it. I believe and experience that our compulsions cannot be broadcast through numbers. I understand the fascination with facts, the need to look for answers. Nevertheless . . .
Programs may not be profound no matter what they cost or what their supposed success.
we asked Kitty's pediatrician where her other anorexic patients went for treatment. "When they're this sick, they go away," she said, referring to inpatient eating-disorder clinics, where people often stay for two or three months. The nearest was an hour away and cost $1,000 a day, most of which would not be covered by our HMO.There is ample reason for alarm.
Anorexia is one of the deadliest psychiatric diseases; it's estimated that up to 15 percent of anorexics die, from suicide or complications related to starvation. About a third may make some improvement but are still dominated by their obsession with food. Many become depressed or anxious, and some develop substance-abuse problems, like alcoholism. Almost half never marry. It is thought that if anorexia is not treated early on, during adolescence, it tends to take an average of five to seven years for the person to recover - if it happens at all.There are behavioral modification plans and they tout great success.
Among the few studies done on anorexia treatment, I came across one from 1997, a follow-up to an earlier study on adolescents that assessed a method developed in England and was still relatively unknown in the United States: family- based treatment, often called the Maudsley approach. This treatment was created by a team of therapists led by Christopher Dare and Ivan Eisler at the Maudsley Hospital in London, in the mid-1980s, as an alternative to hospitalization. In a hospital setting, nurses sit with anorexic patients at meals, encouraging and calming them; they create a culture in which patients have to eat. The Maudsley approach urges families to essentially take on the nurses' role. Parents become primary caretakers, working with a Maudsley therapist. Their job: Finding ways to insist that their children eat.Yet, I think it is essential to consider what works for one person may be the kiss of death for another. I personally, would have rebelled and reacted more overtly had my parents spent their every waking hour with me, as the Brown's did.The two studies showed that 90 percent of the adolescents recovered or made significant gains; five years later, 90 percent had fully recovered. (Two other studies confirmed these results.) In the world of eating disorders, I was coming to understand, this was a phenomenally high success rate.
I would not have felt loved, quite the contrary. I would have felt as though they did not trust me. I grew up in a family whose primary principle was "No one has the right to tell you what you "should," think, say, do, feel, or be!" Granted coupled with this was the belief, "Do whatever makes you happy, as long as it does not hurt anyone" and of course, my reactions were hurting everyone; nonetheless, they were mine to choose. In my mind and in the family I was raised in, it was accepted, in order to learn we must error. It is part of our evolution. To force another to be, as we believe is best gives them no room to grow and discover for themselves.
Harriet Brown acknowledges that
The idea that parents should be intimately involved in the re-feeding of their children can be quite controversial, a departure from the conventional notion that the dynamic between parent and child causes or contributes to the anorexia. Many therapists advocate a "parentectomy," insisting that parents stay out of the treatment to preserve the child's privacy and autonomy. They say that a child must "choose" to eat in order to truly recover.However, she chose to believe as Maudsley advocates "no one else knows the child as well or has the same investment in the child's well-being. She states, "That felt right to us."
As I read Ms. Brown's re-counting, I was continually struck by the specifics of the feeding process and the lack of luminosity. There was so little of Kitty's feelings expressed. While I trust that her parents spoke to her of her fears, apprehensions, and worries, the details of these discussions were not shared with the reader.
As I reflected on Kitty's approaching entrance into high school, my own memories flooded my mind. I knew while living through anorexia and bulimia, it was never about the weight. It was the wait, the anticipation of the unexpected, unknown, unidentified, and unfamiliar. It was the strange, the strain, the mysterious, and the mystifying musings that strangled my soul!
I do understand the dynamic; the habit becomes the pattern etched into the brain and physical memory. I comprehend the ever-present question, which comes first the chicken or the egg. I recognize the theories
Over the last few years, most eating-disorders researchers have begun to think that there is no single cause of anorexia, that maybe it's more like a recipe, where several ingredients - genetics, personality type, hormones, stressful life events - come together in just the wrong way.What I think is in error is the prospect presented by
Maudsley practitioners say that focusing on the cause is secondary, ultimately, because once the physiological process of starvation kicks in, the disease takes on a life of its own, unfolding with predictable symptoms, intensity and long-term consequences. Anorexics become almost uniformly depressed, withdrawn, enraged, anxious, irritable or suicidal, and their thinking about food and eating is distorted, in part because the brain runs on glucose, and when it has been deprived over a long period of time, when it's starved, it goes haywire. It's important to get the patient's weight up, fast, because the less time spent in starvation, the better the outcome. Adult anorexics who have been chronically ill for years have much poorer prognoses than teenagers.In my own life and search for a cure, I found professionals that believed as these do. I contend, the obsessions of medical professional almost killed me. Killing with the kindness of tough-love, prescribed by parents or physicians has the potential of doing a person in. It certainly would have taken a toll on me.
Thankfully, I located others, those that treat with love, just as my parents did and do. I discovered "experts" that acknowledge they are not. They understood the notion that a person that has never experienced an illness cannot fully understand it. Thus, they turned to me. My parents and physicians reflected on who they knew me to be as a person. They thought me wise.
I was trusted to resolve the situation for myself. I was given only potassium and talk therapy to keep me alive. Those in my life trusted my intelligence, my reflective nature, and my ability to be introspective. The professionals, my parents, and my peers believed in me when I did not. This was confusing, though extremely meaningful to me.
Those close to me knew of the tens of hours I devoted daily to eating, isolation, and purging. They hoped, based on their history and knowledge of me that I was not simply doing binging and purging, but that I was also thinking. I was working through my concerns and circumstances. Indeed, I was. When I finally, she says with great exasperation, found myself, discovered what Harriet Brown might refer to as my demons, I met them with delight. I no longer; nor did my family or friends need to contemplate the possible impending doom. I would not, will not return to those trying days of old anorexic or bulimic beckoning.
Four months after the "change of life" [no, not menopause] giving up my ways, I was thrown into a situation that truly tested my will. I was in a serious accident. Unexpectedly, my life went topsy-turvy. I was badly injured and unable to walk. The prognosis was grim. It would be half a year before I could again return to a standing position. I had perfected the bulimia process through many a situation, and in the past, I would have found a way to again engage. I had the will and there was always a way. However, on this occasion I did not return or resort to my decades old pattern. I did not consider the option.
Ms. Brown, I share this with you for you are questioning, anxious, what might the future bring. I myself think behavior modification programs such as the Maudsley plan may be nice. Their success rate may seem comforting; however, I caution, it is my experience that unless or until the cause is addressed, the emotional effects are evaluated the likelihood that there is true resolution is "slim." Many experts say anorexia and bulimia are chronic conditions. Years after my coming of age, I still do not experience sweaty palms. I do not white knuckle my way through stressful situations. I think the emotional, intellectual work is essential. Kitty may have done the work that you did not speak of. I know not. Nonetheless, I worry. I think "cures" and certainty come with more than one spoonful at a time.
Please weigh your options. Read the references. Reflect who you are, more than your mass.
Dear reader, you may wish to peruse Chapters One through Six, of my life as an anorexic, bulimic, a person. Please do.
Or Similar Discussions . . .
A reader asked that I share this information.
The National Eating Disorders Association's "Every BODY Is Beautiful" Online Fundraising Auction currently running through Wednesday, December 6th! There are some unique holiday shopping (jewelry, handbags, clothing, celebrity-autographed collectibles - featuring customized jeans from The Sopranos' Jamie-Lynn Sigler and singer Sarah Evans - and much more) while at the same time contributing to an amazing, life-saving cause!
You may wish to read of the artist in an LAWeekly essay, The Art of Spooning, By Caroline Ryder, or of the fundraiser at SpoonFed Art on MySpace.com.
Posted by Betsy L. Angert on November 27, 2006 at 03:28 PM in "Take me as I am!", Addiction, Anorexia Nervosa, Approval or Love, Being, Becoming, Bulimia, Calories. Cells., Change the World [Within], Childhood Obesity, Compassion, Conflict, Complex, Desire to Learn, Diet, Dreams Live and Die , Emotional Decisions, Emotional Intelligence, Empathy and Evolution, Facts or Fictions, Failure, Family, Functioning, Fables, Fear, Food Folly, Habits, Health, Human Nature, Humans, Self-Destructive, Life, A Forward Motion, Light. Darkness., Looking at Life, Looking for Love, Loss, Love of Learning, Metamorphosis of Minds, Nature, Nature or Nurture, Nutrition, Parent Child Relationship, Personal, Psychology , Quality of Life, Reality or Perception, Short-term Solutions, Society, Standards in Society, Teach The Children, Weight, When Will I Be Right?, “Art of Loving” , “When is Enough, Enough?” | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Calories Do Not Count. Cellular Considerations Do ©
People ponder, “How many calories might I eat or burn? Will exercise bring me bliss? What is my heart rate, my blood pressure, and how are my Triglycerides? What is my HDL, [High Density lipoproteins] or LDL [Low-density lipoproteins]? Is my glucose level good?” BMI [Body Mass Index] is an important concern, or is it. I contend our weight may not be the issue. Calories are not the contribution that counts, cellular considerations do.
Nevertheless, conversations on health turn to diet and weight is always the issue. Talk of menus, medical issues, and diets always turns to surgery, and medication. Good health seems to be the concern. People want to achieve it, maintain it, or ignore it. For many, loosing excess pounds or gaining them is the solution. They think all ailments are caused by excessive or inadequate weight. I think they are not. Many healthy looking people are not as they seem to be.
Still, diet books sell in mass. Bulky building “nutrients” are also flying off shelves. Manuscripts mimic what experts may state; however, often they propose what is thought to be the contrary. In America, and possibly worldwide, those living in “civilized” societies are consumed with their weight. Individuals count calories, carbs, grams of fat, and points. People flock to join groups looking for support; they try Weight Watchers™ and Jenny Craig™. They descend into a world of trends. The Zone, South Beach, and Atkins diets come to mind. Individuals calculate the numbers. They do so in every office, home, restaurant, and car.
The common consensus remains, thin signifies vigor and vitality, as long as it is not too extreme. Fitness is visible, rather than veiled. For some reason we are convinced, if a person that appears to be in good physical shape, s/he is. We do not look deeply; we focus on the obvious, weight and vitals.
Over the last decades, I too was consumed with the superficial, the diagnosis, and not the cellular forces that guided me. I did not always consider the function of food as much as the taste. There are those that eat only to survive; they too rarely weigh the benefits of their choices.
I thought emotions were my main guide. I ate because I felt sad, happy, scared, or expectant. Even the experts, media, and conventions told me that my eating, weight, and milieu were responsible for what was my life. Numerous persons believe convenience, cost, and accessibility are the decisive factors that influence them.
While these rationalizations, in part, may be true, why we eat, as we do, cannot be easily categorized. Nothing is that simple. Therefore, I propose we must take a comprehensive approach to assessing our food choices and the results of these.
We look at the body and see only the size. Rarely, do we assess the color, texture, and quality of a person’s skin when we are evaluating health. Judgments are often that, appraisals with little information. In the minds of most, outer beauty defines what is within. Even as we scan our own bodies, we rarely look at the characteristics of our nails, teeth, or hair. When considering good health we ignore the clarity of our eyes. We attribute what we do see to outside forces. Few of us think about what is happening within.
For the most part, studying these nuances is not possible. Nails are painted, broken, or bitten. Teeth are capped, bleached, false, or stained. Hair is dyed, fried, or otherwise altered. The glow in one’s eyes, some think, simply fades with age. Age, now that is an interesting topic. Why do we age and do we need to. I myself am experiencing juvenescence.
I offer my beliefs and those that substantiate my experience. In my own life, I have realized that weight was never my problem. Counting calories did not help. Actually, ignoring these and the scale were my answers.
I looked at science, at chemistry, physic, physiology, and psychology. I combined all schools of thoughts and determined what would be my truth. Yours may be different and that is fine. I merely wish to bring possibilities to the table. Please feast along with me, differ, disagree, and discuss. My mind is open to the opportunity.
In my life, there were many food addictions, poor eating habits, and health concerns. All were interrelated. I lived on sugar, transfats, grains, and goodies that were made of these. I stayed away from these at times and; yet, I was always drawn back. I struggled to gain control over my food plan, not my weight. However, they were inextricably tied. Until I realized this, I was lost in a world of confusion, consumption, calories, or chaos.
Finally, I recognized calories and consumption were not the problems; the way my body reacted to the quality of these was. For me, the chemistry of foods, the cellular reactions were more important than the calories or other superficial considerations.
I changed. I exchanged complex carbohydrates for simple sugars. I studied the Glycemic Index so that I might determine how foods were being processed in my body. Were they physically and psychologically fulfilling? Were they acting as fuel and fending off ailments.
I increased my protein while balancing this intake with other nutrients. I chose fats and oils that were healthy and essential. I personally decided against dairy and looked to food that are naturally fortified with calcium. This thought may not be a popular one. I offer it only because it works for me.
Grains and starches, for me, need to be consumed with caution. When I start filling my empty stomach with these, I can easily become bloated. I forget to eat the more nutritious victuals. For me, a wholesome diet is beneficial. Manufactured blends that are now labeled “food,” I think are empty. I know the arguments, time, money, convenience, and comfort. For most people these are all truths. I struggle with none of them; nor do I believe these dictums. I have made my life work, and I eat, as I prefer.
Personally, I think simple sugars are costly. Fast food does not come quickly. The affects of these last a lifetime. It is more convenient for me to eat nourishing foods. I can grab a piece of fruit or a vegetable easily. Preparation, at times, can be nil. As for comfort, ahh, I can only sigh. There is such comfort in not needing extraordinary amounts of medication, if any, in visiting physicians at will and not because of a chronic condition. I trust that healthy food is not the answer for all that ails any of us. However, if we eat well, we can eliminate worries of weight.
In all, I make no recommendations. I only ask you to do your own research. Study your body. Look at more than weight, or the indicators of overall health. Reflect upon the data and then digest how the foods you eat feel within you.
• The New Superfoods, By Anne Underwood. Newsweek October 24, 2005
• Bulking up without 'the juice,' By Jacqueline Stenson MSNBC March 24, 2006
• Getting Thin On A Budget CBS News. May 25, 2004
• How the new diet books measure up, By Nanci Hellmich, USA Today January 4, 2006
• Skinny models 'send unhealthy message By Audrey Gillan. The Guardian. May 31, 2000
• Unhealthy obsession, By Gabriella Boston. The Washington Times. April 9, 2006
• The Effects of Physical Activity On Health and Disease Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Weight-Loss Surgeries Info Ethicon Endo-Surgery 2006
• Common Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss, By Robert B. Saper M.D., M.P.H., David M. Eisenberg, M.D., and Russell S. Phillips, M.D., Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
• Who made America fat? By Julie Flaherty. Tufts Nutrition. Tufts University. Fall 2004
The farmers passed the extra calories onto the food companies in the form of inexpensive raw materials. The food industry prospered by supplying large volumes of low-cost, good-tasting processed food that the American public was very willing to buy. Americans chose and bought their food mainly on taste, convenience and price, rather than on health benefits.
As food producers consolidated into larger corporations, they were able to invest millions in the marketing and promotion of processed foods. Advertising was a good way to reach every available customer. But once there are no more new customers to be found in the United States, the only way to increase sales is to get those customers to eat more.
“In spite of largely saturated markets in all types of processed foods and beverages in recent years, the food industry as a whole continues to grow both in sales and product volumes,” Tillotson wrote in the Annual Review of Nutrition. “This economic paradox of continued growth in spite of apparent market saturation results in the caloric source of much of America’s pandemic obesity.”
Not surprisingly, Economic Research Service data suggest that the average daily calorie intake is 2,700 calories. That is an increase of 530 calories, or 24.5 percent, between 1970 and 2000.
At heart, it is good old-fashioned capitalism, Tillotson acknowledges. “Our stock market demands it,” he said. “They honor the company that has growth and promise.”
• Poor Nutrition and a Sedentary Lifestyle: “The 21st Century Plague”
• High Costs Of Poor Eating Patterns In the United States, By Elizabeth Frazão
• Fat In America By, R. Coleman. The North Texan
• CSPI's Guide to Food Additives, Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI)
Traditional thinking says it’s our own fault, but University of North Texas [UNT’s] Priscilla Connors says this may not be entirely true. “We certainly have a level of personal responsibility, but it can also be said that we live in a somewhat toxic environment,” says Connors, a nutritionist and assistant professor of hospitality management.
• Prescription for Aging Beautifully, By Dr. Nicholas Perricone. Harpo Productions
• All that rich food is leading to poor health, By Wang Shanshan. China Daily. May 16, 2006
With more money in their pockets, they are now eating food that is higher in quantity and lower in quality, according to some of the country's best nutritionists. "Urban residents are taking in too much fat and too few minerals," said Chen Chunming, nutritionist and former president of the Chinese Academy of Preventive Medicine in Beijing.
• A Simple Guide To Complex Carbohydrates, By Dale Blumenthal. Hopkins Technology. 2006
• Protein: Moving Closer to Center Stage, Harvard School of Public Health. 2006
• Dietary fats: Know which types to choose, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. 2006
• Healthy Grains, Big Carrot Natural Food Market
• Eating Guidelines to Lower Triglycerides, University of Wisconsin Hospitals. 2004
Simple Sugars
• Sugar, It’s Effects On the Body and Mind The Macrobiotic Guide
Refined sugar contains no fiber, no minerals, no proteins, no fats, no enzymes, and only empty calories. What happens when you eat a refined carbohydrate like sugar? Your body must borrow vital nutrients from healthy cells to metabolize the incomplete food. Calcium, sodium, potassium, and magnesium are taken from various parts of the body to make use of the sugar. Many times, so much calcium is used to neutralize the effects of sugar that the bones become osteoporotic due to the withdrawn calcium.
• Nancy Appleton, PhD, Author of “Lick The Sugar Habit” offers 146 Reasons Why Sugar Is Ruining Your Health. I submit a few of these for your review.
1) Sugar can suppress the immune system.
2) Sugar upsets the mineral relationships in the body.
3) Sugar can cause hyperactivity, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, and crankiness in children.
4) Sugar can produce a significant rise in triglycerides.
5) Sugar contributes to the reduction in defense against bacterial infection (infectious diseases).
6) Sugar causes a loss of tissue elasticity and function, the more sugar you eat the more elasticity and function you loose.
7) Sugar reduces high-density lipoproteins.
8) Sugar leads to chromium deficiency.
9) Sugar leads to cancer of the ovaries.
10) Sugar causes copper deficiency.
11) Sugar interferes with absorption of calcium and magnesium.
12) Sugar raises the level of a neurotransmitters: dopamine, serotonin, and nor epinephrine.
13) Sugar malabsorption is frequent in patients with functional bowel disease.
14) Sugar contributes to obesity.
15) High intake of sugar increases the risk of Crohn’s disease, and ulcerative colitis.
Why Sugar is Toxic To the Body Nexus
Dr Martin classified refined sugar as a poison because it has been depleted of its life forces, vitamins, and minerals. "What is left consists of pure, refined carbohydrates. The body cannot utilize this refined starch and carbohydrate unless the depleted proteins, vitamins, and minerals are present. Nature supplies these elements in each plant in quantities sufficient to metabolize the carbohydrate in that particular plant.
Transfats
• Trans Fatty Acids and Coronary Heart Disease ©, By Alberto Ascherio, Meir J. Stampfer, and Walter C. Willett. President and Fellows of Harvard College. 1999
Departments of Nutrition and Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health
Five years ago, evidence was strong that trans fat had deleterious impacts on blood lipids; ensuing studies have confirmed these metabolic findings and strengthened epidemiologic support for an important adverse effect on risk of coronary heart disease.
• “For the sake of health, the food industry must admit oils ain't oils,” The Sydney Morning Herald. May 16, 2006
Trans fat is associated with a long list of serious problems. It increases "bad" LDL cholesterol, just like saturated fats. But it also decreases "good" protective HDL cholesterol (saturated fats increase this one), raises triglyceride levels, and increases blood levels of another harmful fat called Lp(a). Studies show that a 2 per cent increase in kilojoules from trans fats increases the incidence of heart disease by almost 25 per cent.
Trans fat also increases inflammatory reactions within the body - including those associated with diabetes and sudden death from cardiac causes. And many of the adverse effects are greater in those who are overweight, a problem for the majority of Australian adults.
Grains
• Whole Grains By Jane Higdon, Ph.D.
Linus Pauling Institute. Oregon State University. December 16, 2005
A Possible Frame. Personally, I believe the choice is yours. Study your body.
• Food Guide Pyramid. What Should You Really Eat? Harvard School of Public Health Nutrition. 2006
Posted by Betsy L. Angert on May 18, 2006 at 06:50 PM in Calories. Cells., Childhood Obesity, Competitive Production, Diabetes, Diet, Eating Disorders or Habits, Emotional Decisions, Farming Business, Food Folly, Ford, Soda, Soft Drinks, Sugar, TransFatty Acids, Weight | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
