THOUGHTS ON THE FOOD POLICE, INFORMATION TRANSPARENCY, & RELATIVE GLUTTONY
Right now, our gifted men and women in the House of Representatives are tucking into the MEAL Act, and the Senate may consider a similar measure soon. The MEAL Act (Menu Education And Labeling) is the latest clever acronym brought to you by the food police. And I have to ask myself – and you – if one more piece of litigation or legislation will do a lick of good.
The MEAL Act would require restaurants with more than 20 locations to post basic nutritional information on their menus (special and seasonal food items excluded).
Let’s step into the world of the MEAL Act. You mosey into McDonald’s, taking a gander at the bright, colorful panel of meal choices. Caloric information is duly noted. Choice #1: 970 calories. Choice #2: 890 calories. Choice #3: 650 calories. Let’s say you choose option 3 – hey, it’s healthier, right? Enter relative gluttony. Would caloric information really matter in the Cheesecake Factory, where a single slice of carrot cake weighs a pound and the best alternative to that slice (the original cheesecake) still comes packed with over 600 calories? You probably know that a salad with a little vinegar and generous helping of veggies delivers, at most, 300 calories, but you don’t eat at McDonald’s, either. The unfortunate consequence of a little sprinkling of caloric information could be relative gluttony; the easing of the conscience because 650 calories is better than 970 calories. At most, I predict a temporary blip in increased chicken sandwich orders before everyone reverts right back to whatever bacon-cheese-beef monstrosity is normally favored.
I am strongly in favor of information transparency – open doors are always in the best interests of the consumer. It almost goes without saying that the food, drug and chemical industries would get away with a lot less if there weren’t doors to close in the first place. More information, more education, more legislation – these are rational, logical, well-intentioned goals.
In a rational culture, such measures would work. But we already have information. We have media specials and documentaries. We have lawsuits. We have weight-loss centers and therapy and steps. We spend billions on diets and diet books and diet foods and diet pills – and billions more on pharmaceuticals and surgeries.
And yet, we have the top 5 causes of death being entirely preventable through better diet choices. We have a majority of the population suffering from the effects of this national food problem. That includes children. More education? More legislation? Those are rational solutions to problems stemming from things like simple misunderstanding or glitches the free market hasn’t had time to correct. Guess what? We’re not dealing with anything rational.
Our problem is far more troubling: it is emotional. Our problem as a nation is food addiction. The fact that bacon-cheese-beef monstrosities even exist is evidence enough of that. Like alcoholism, Americans are in an emotionally addictive grip that I fear no amount of intervention or good intentions can resolve. Alcoholics cannot function normally. They cannot stop their behavior even when death is a very real possibility. Consider how many Americans cannot even do a simple push-up or a jog around the park. How many require larger seats on airplanes and in restaurants? How many can keep up with their children? How many have balanced blood sugar levels so that they do not feel anxious, stressed or depressed by daily life? How many millions of Americans are affected by food addiction? Certainly more than those affected by alcoholism. This is addiction on a massive scale, with entire industries – diet books, diet foods, diet pills, health care, surgery, exercise gimmicks, pharmaceuticals – created in service to the addiction.
The rational has gone out the window – please pull forward to the second window.
How do we cure the addiction? Do we numb it with drugs? Attempt to sate the cravings with diet foods like an alcoholic might with a non-alcoholic beer? Find a crutch to prop us up, like government or schools or support groups? Is that freedom or slavery by another name?
How do we cure it? Tell me.
Technorati Tags: addiction, gluttony, MEAL act, food police, restaurant nutrition information, top causes of preventable death, weight loss industry, pharmaceutical industry, Cheesecake Factory, public health, information transparency, government regulation, obesity
Posted By: Mark Sisson
Jests With a Twist of Apple
Technorati Tags: whole grain cereal, Lucky Charms, General Mills, breakfast
Posted By: Worker Bee
EVERYTHING YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT:
Vanadium
WHAT IT DOES: Vanadium, a trace mineral, was only recently discovered to be essential to human growth. Vanadium plays a role in fat and carbohydrate metabolism, and well as cholesterol and lipids. Vanadium is often useful for diabetics wishing to help regulate their blood sugar. Vanadium is derived from seafood, grains, beans and mushrooms, though it is present in other foods in very small amounts.
STUDIES SHOW: Studies of vanadium supplementation have shown that vanadium offers the potential to regulate blood glucose (blood sugar) levels. A recent study found that vanadium supplementation was helpful for patients with diabetes mellitus (type-2 diabetes). With adult-onset, or type 2, diabetes rapidly spreading in this country, supplementing with vanadium may become increasingly important.
WHY WE LIKE IT: An essential mineral, vanadium offers potential blood sugar regulatory support. Vanadium appears to be an important part of fat and carbohydrate metabolism, and it is thought to be supportive to the metabolism, blood, muscles, and pancreas.
For these reasons, vanadium may be useful for those wishing to lower their cholesterol or maintain healthier insulin and blood sugar levels. Diabetics and those with hypoglycemia may derive additional benefit from vanadium. Athletes have used vanadium for years to improve glycogen metabolism, boost circulation, and support the muscles.
Technorati Tags: vanadium, cholesterol, insulin, blood sugar, diabetes, hypoglycemia, minerals
Posted By: Elliott
In light of the holiday season this week’s Aaron’s Additions brings you a cool health gadget that could be the perfect gift for the health-conscious loved one in your life. Sony’s new MP3 player, created with workout-wonders in mind, packs tons of features into a distinct shape.
Sony geared their new S2 Sports Walkman MP3 Player (NW-S200) toward exercise buffs by including a stopwatch, pedometer, and a calorie counter so that you can track your workout progress. It is also designed with a water-resistant build so that you never have to worry about handling it with your inevitably sweaty hands.
Apart from these functions Sony has added some innovative elements as well. The Shuffle Shake feature allows you to listen to your music in shuffle mode simply by shaking the player three times. When you are tired of listening in shuffle mode just shake it three more times to return to your normal playlist.
The next inventive design component is the Music Pacer feature. This adjusts the rhythm of your music to match your pace. When you speed up so will the music, and when it is cool-down time the music will revert to your slow playlist.
An additional feature that sets this music device apart is its Quick Battery Charge feature. With only a 3-minute charge you can be listening to your favorite tunes for up to 3 hours! And if you can wait for the full 45-minute charge, you can expect a generous 18 hours’ worth of playback time.
The player comes in a 1 GB model that holds about 675 songs, and a 2 GB model that holds about 1350 songs. The player also comes equipped with an FM tuner with programmable preset stations.
How Sony managed to pack all these features into a package that weighs less than an ounce is hard to fathom. And this mp3 player is light, not only in weight, but on your wallet, as well – coming in at $119.99 and $149.99, respectively. Check out Sony’s S2 Sports Walkman MP3 Player. It could be the ideal workout companion.
Technorati Tags: gadget, MP3 player, gym equipment, GB, music pacer, shuffle, Sony S2 Sports Walkman MP3 Player, best portable music player
Posted By: Aaron
Update!
Junior Apple Anna asks:
“I saw your post about U.S. sunblock not preventing the bad kind of rays (UVA) but I have heard about L’Oreal coming out with something similar to what is available in Europe. Is this true?”
Anna, yes. The FDA did recently approve OTC use of Anthelios SX (produced by L’Oreal). Similar to the overwhelmingly popular European Mexoryl SX, Anthelios contains ingredients that block all rays.
However, it’s worth remembering that even with the admission of a (finally) more effective sunblock, we may want to rethink the entire sunblock argument, regardless.
The body comes complete with a natural sun defense system: sunburn. Do we need to slather on (supposedly safe) chemicals on a daily basis, or simply be judicious in our sun exposure?
Moreover, even the safest sunblock is going to prevent our bodies from absorbing critical vitamin D. Sure, D is added to milk, but the better source is from the sun.
Technorati Tags: Anthelios SX, L’Oreal, sunscreen, OTC, Mexoryl, FDA, sunblock, vitamin D
Posted By: Mark Sisson
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