Mark’s Daily Apple

The Poor Body10

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Take a look at photos of your average poor American from the 1930s and now. What’s different?

The size of people. Throughout time, obesity has not been the problem it is today. And no clearer example of that can be seen than when looking at what it has historically meant to be poor. Until the advent of corn syrup and fast food and vending machines, being poor and being too skinny were synonymous. No longer.

For the first time in human history, poor people are fat. No Rubenesque beauties grace the cover of Vogue. Our supermodels and actresses are startlingly thin (The stunning Marilyn Monroe would be “full figured� by today’s standards). Thin is in. Gym memberships, chic yoga mats with designer totes, personal trainers, and expensive gourmet diets rich in brie and red wine are all glossy symbols of prestige and wealth. A voluptuous wife is no longer a status symbol for a well-to-do man; indeed, extra heft immediately implies poverty and lower class standing. Thin is rich. (It’s almost humorous, except the health implications quickly dampen that comedic irony.)

Thin is generally healthier than obese, but not necessarily. A person who is “skinny fat� – looking slender but suffering internally from inflammation, heart disease, or too much body fat – is worse off than a person who follows a healthy diet and gets regular exercise but happens to naturally be built a bit thicker. Still, authorities are concerned about the burgeoning rates of obese poor Americans. There are a few theories, some politically incorrect and some rather distasteful, in my opinion (guess which):

- The poor people are stupid argument: poor people are busy working or doing poor people things and don’t have access to the internet, health care, or other means of education regarding health and nutrition.

- The poor people are being kept in their place by The Man argument: junk food companies and lobbyists and the government are happy to fatten those poor people up to keep them in their place. Addicted, unhealthy, overweight people are easier to control.

- The poor people are fat because it takes lots of empty calories to get adequate nutrients argument. By far the most reasonable, in my opinion. Poor neighborhoods are notorious for being replete with junk food convenience stores and fast food joints instead of grocery stores selling fresh produce or farmer’s markets proffering affordable fresh fare. Hunger is complicated, as this article discusses. It’s a fascinating survey, so please be sure to read it. In short, it’s not just about getting enough calories to feel “full�. It’s also about getting enough nutrients. A jumbo candy bar with a huge soda and a bag of chips may be “filling�, but you’ll need to eat ramen noodles or a burger afterwards to get a decent amount of protein, vitamins, and minerals.

Cheap food is what poor people can afford, but unfortunately it takes a lot more cheap food to meet minimum bodily requirements. Of course, one can eat cheaply and healthily – for example, fresh veggies and beans are quite inexpensive – which brings us back to the distasteful Poor People Are Ignorant argument.

Why are the poor so fat? And what is the solution?

Further Reading:

88 Deadly Fast Foods

Fried Oreos, anyone?

How did Americans not come up with this first?

The New Face of Poverty is Fat

Technorati Tags: fat, skinny, poor, cheap food

Posted: Carbs, Diet, Health, Nutrition, Sisson Said What?

Medical Myths Even Experts Fall For4

Oh, those experts – always falling for one thing after another! We’re partly kidding, of course, but there are a variety of myths that even health pros still believe. Have you been fooled? The British Medical Journal pares the meat from the mealy:

1. We only use 10% of our brains. Wrong!

This “fact� is often cited as one of Einstein’s pearls, but that’s a common misconception. There are no dormant parts of our gray matter – it all gets used.

2. You need 8 glasses of water a day. Wrong!

This is absolutely false and unscientific. The Nutrition Council determined in 1945 that people need 8 ounces of fluid daily, but this can come from coffee, tea, juices, fruits, vegetables and greens. Somehow the word “water� replaced all sources of fluid in recent years, but experts say there is no proof. Just drink water when you are thirsty – that’s what the thirst mechanism is for. Salt, chemicals, and sugar can interfere with your natural sense of thirst, so if you feel hungry, drink a glass of water first to make sure your body isn’t misreading signals.

3. Fingernails and hair grow after death. Wrong!

Soft tissue – like fingertips and the scalp – retracts. But the nails and hair follicles do not continue growing.

4. Shaved hair grows back darker and thicker. Wrong!

It only looks dark because the sun hasn’t bleached it. It looks thicker because it’s the blunt edge of the shaft that was shaved. But in study after study, research shows that once the hair grows out to the standard length, it’s the same as if it had been unshaven.

5. Reading in low light damages your eyes. Wrong!

There is no evidence to support this. Reading for a lengthy period of time, no matter what the light, will strain your eyes, but it won’t permanently damage them. You need to give them a break regardless of whether you’re reading in full light or muted light.

6. Turkey makes you tired. Wrong!

Turkey contains tryptophan, a compound your brain loves. Though it can make you a bit drowsy, chicken and beef contain identical levels of tryptophan. It’s more likely the massive onslaught of holiday calories that makes you tired.

7. Cell phone use in the hospital is dangerous. Wrong!

Oh boy – this myth is really silly!

Gaeten Lee, richarmasoner and ~Sage~ Flickr Photos (CC)

Further Reading:

Glyconutrients: A Sweet Scam

Top 10 Health Scams

Why Homepathy is Bad Science

Technorati Tags: medical myths, 8 glass of water, tryptophan

Posted: Humor, Hype

Smart Fuel: Wine6

Now this is some smart fuel we can live with! Step aside kale, move over broccoli: the best way to ward off a wintry cold is to drink red wine.

You’re not reading that wrong. Not one, but two major studies have just reported evidence that those who drink wine moderately - no more than two glasses a day – have better immunity and resistance to infectious cold viruses than those who do not drink. This benefit is cancelled out if you’re a smoker, however.

Of course, red wine is also healthy because it is rich in resveratrol, a vital antioxidant. To learn Mark’s great and creative ways to enjoy wine more often, read How to Drink More Wine and Eat More Chocolate Every Day.

polifemus Flickr Photo (CC)

Technorati Tags: red wine, white wine, immunity, antioxidants

Posted: Aging, Diet, Health, Men's Health, Nutrition, Prevention, Smart Fuel, Women's Health

Medieval Serfs Ate Better Than We Eat7

You mean Mickey D’s hasn’t been around since the Dark Ages?

Here we are, the wealthiest nation on earth, from any time ever, with the greatest abundance of calories, variety, and nutrition, and wouldn’t you know: medieval peasants were healthier than we are.

The average peasant loaded up on root vegetables (referred to as “pot herbs�), greens, several pints of antioxidant-loaded, nutrient-rich, full-bodied beer, and small portions of grass-fed meat or fresh fish totaling about 8 ounces by days’ end. Daily bulk was provided in the form of millet, oats, and other sturdy, fibrous whole grains. Of course, peasants spent a minimum of 12 hours in hard labor every day, so their bodies quickly burned off the beer and barley.

It’s often repeated that our ancestors lived half as long as we do. That is true, but it’s not as if 35-year-old men of Medieval times were graying and decrepit. They looked much like a 35-year-old would today, only a bit shorter and smaller. People died young, on average, due to pestilence and plague, starvation and war, not genetics. Researchers believe that if you removed such devastating factors, the average peasant would have been healthier and longer-lived than the average Westerner today. While indentured servitude doesn’t sound like a model we want to return to – although I think we could argue we’ve traded it for servitude of another sort – The Man at it again, the successful bastard – long bouts of low-grade exercise focused on moving, pushing, and pulling, coupled with utterly unprocessed, local, organic, fresh foods comprised of plants and protein and fiber, seems like a pretty good recipe for health and longevity to me.

hans s and jurvetson Flickr Photos (CC)

Further Reading:

Would Grok Chow the Cheese Plate?

Which Fork is for the Grubs?

Technorati Tags: medieval diet, peasant food

Posted: Aging, Diet, Health, Nutrition, Primal Health

Happy Holidays!2

I hope you are all having a happy and healthy holiday season this year!

If you are looking for some motivation or tips on how to stay healthy through this wonderful (yet stressful) time of year check out some of these past posts:

7 Tips to Beat Stress Right Now

10 Last Minute Holiday Health Tips

Not every vice is a bad vice

5 Tips to Avoid Temptation

Eat more chocolate, drink more wine!

Holiday Survival Guide Part 1 and Part 2

Boost your serotonin levels

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

zizzybaloobah Flickr Photo (CC)

Posted: Health