Australia Must Be Amazing page

[Rasputina]

I have noticed, over the years, that a large proportion of primal folks hail from Australia. I would imagine that it would be a convenient place to be fit and eat healthy, is it easy for you Aussies to source pastured livestock? Is it expensive? Do you have a lot of fast-food chains? Why are most of you so beautiful?

[Ellement]

Once upon a time (and not so long ago) Australians prided themselves on being fit and healthy, these days our country is ranked as one of the fattest nations in the developed world. More than 17 million people are considered overweight or obese, with a population of only 25 million that is an alarming statistic. There are fast food restaurants everywhere though we don't have the range in chains that the US does. The big three here are McDonalds, KFC and Hungry Jacks (Burger King).

The over reliance on fast food is a crying shame because we do produce some great quality food in this country. Things are changing though. More and more I see imported vegetables and fruit in the supermarkets as the local producers are out-competed by overseas suppliers. The two big supermarkets in this country control 80% of the grocery market and have no loyalty to Australian brands, in fact the two of them have their own low-cost homebrands which again price smaller companies out of the market. Grain-finished meat is becoming more prevalent and I wonder how long it will be before we start seeing feedlot raised cattle becoming the norm.

Fortuntately there is still some local support for small farms/producers and farmers markets are popping up everywhere, so it's possible to eat very well if you choose. As for cost, I actually think I'm spending less on food since switching to primal eating. Lamb can be very expensive, strangely enough in a country which produces so much of it, but I've not noticed grass-fed beef, free-range pork etc to be more expensive than other more conventionally raised meat.

And not sure what to make of your comment about most Aussies being so beautiful...certainly not something I've ever noticed!

[BigJilm]

It's true, we are all hot.

[Forgotmylastusername]

As Ellement said, obesity and fast food restaurants are increasing dramatically. The biggest KFC in the southern hemisphere just opened up right across the street from where I live.lol
As well as feed lot cattle becoming more widespread. 100% grass-fed beef is generally seen as sub-optimal here, some butchers and restaurants actually proudly advertised that their meat is grain-finished. Ultimately it's still pasture raised and will probably continue that way because there's so much free grass land but it's becoming more popular to fatten cows in feedlots towards the end of their life.
As for dairy in the supermarkets it's kind of hard to know if it comes from pasture-raised cows or not, it isn't labeled it depends on the weather conditions as to what the cows diet consists of. Free range chicken and eggs are a little more expensive and like most places the laws on what constitutes free-range can be kind of iffy. I usually stick to Kangaroo meat or other game because it's guaranteed free-range, it's cheap and I love the taste. Sometimes I buy grass-fed beef and chicken from the weekly markets though.

We have also been bombarded with ad's for the last 20 years telling us to avoid the sun at all costs. Now today I just read they're holding a conference to decide whether or not they should start fortifying foods with Vitamin D because 30% of the population is deficient.
Call to make vitamin D a food additive

As far as us being attractive. lol.
I assumed the perception of the average Australian looked something like this.

[Ellement]

Haha yep there are your typical Aussie blokes, and what fine specimens they are too!

I read that article about vitamin D today too. I actually got my bloodwork back today and sure enough my vitamin D level is about half what it should be. At least I know now, and can do something about it...like get more sun! The thing that concerns me about fortifying food with vitamin D is that it will just become another marketing ploy by processed food companies to sell their products...I bet the cereal companies in particular will be all over the idea. Just another con, when really all you need to do is get more sunshine, not like we don't have plenty of that down here!

[nixxy]

I'm not an Aussie (don't throw rocks at me ya aussies), but I am a new Zealander and we all know most of the world thinks NZ is just an island off australia anyway.

NZ is equally as fat as Aussie, possibly worse. Our two countries face a lot of the same issues around that, very similar cultures. BBQ, beer, alcohol, smoking, fast food.

It is pretty lovely round here. And easier to do exercise outside like you're supposed to as well. I grew up on a farm and use to do sprints up and down the paddocks, dodging cows and the like. As for good meat - definitely. There's no grain-fed vs grass-fed here because as far as I know, everything is grass-fed, at least as long as it't not imported. It's very easy to live self-sustainably here. Get a vege patch, know your neighbours and buy their meat/wine/veges/oils (1 of my neighbours makes oils, the other is a vineyard, the other a farmer) so the networks are easy to build and there's lots of farmers markets. BUT it's also pretty typical developed world. We don't know our neighbours as much as we should and we're lazy and supermarket shop lots anyway. Also rarely take advantage of our amazing landscapes. I have never lived further than 45 mins from a beach, and probably never more than 5 mins from some water source. I do have good memories of water and outdoor activity from my childhood though.

I suppose, there's potential, but as we're all fatties and trying to be as "developed" as possible we don't really make the most of it, in summary.

[L8F]

I found Bill Bryson's book about Australia to be great reading about Australia (I am from the US, so who knows). He is so funny, and lots of cool history etc. Called "In a Sunburned Country." I have been dying to go there since I was a kid, NZ too. Someday maybe, need a full two weeks off to get there and spend time with the long flight.

I too have a view of Aus much like the first poster. Seems like paradise.

[fiercehunter]

I get intrigued from time to time with Australia.

[katemary]

Wow. Sydneysider here. It is beautiful, but so are many places. I guess the grass is always greener. Beautiful landscapes may as well be in photos if you dont go there. A great harbour too, if you never leave your office in the city. I appreciate we may seem laid back, but who knows. I doubt we are any more attractive. Just please, don't believe the movies. The outback stereo types make me cringe. But it is worth a visit...I think!

[Forgotmylastusername]

I'm not an Aussie (don't throw rocks at me ya aussies), but I am a new Zealander and we all know most of the world thinks NZ is just an island off australia anyway.

NZ is equally as fat as Aussie, possibly worse. Our two countries face a lot of the same issues around that, very similar cultures. BBQ, beer, alcohol, smoking, fast food.

It is pretty lovely round here. And easier to do exercise outside like you're supposed to as well. I grew up on a farm and use to do sprints up and down the paddocks, dodging cows and the like. As for good meat - definitely. There's no grain-fed vs grass-fed here because as far as I know, everything is grass-fed, at least as long as it't not imported. It's very easy to live self-sustainably here. Get a vege patch, know your neighbours and buy their meat/wine/veges/oils (1 of my neighbours makes oils, the other is a vineyard, the other a farmer) so the networks are easy to build and there's lots of farmers markets. BUT it's also pretty typical developed world. We don't know our neighbours as much as we should and we're lazy and supermarket shop lots anyway. Also rarely take advantage of our amazing landscapes. I have never lived further than 45 mins from a beach, and probably never more than 5 mins from some water source. I do have good memories of water and outdoor activity from my childhood though.

I suppose, there's potential, but as we're all fatties and trying to be as "developed" as possible we don't really make the most of it, in summary.

NZ is amazing. I remember I had an apple from a farm when I was driving around NZ on a holidays as a child, it was the first proper tasting apple I have ever eaten and I have never tasted a piece of fruit that good since. For some reason that was the most distinct memory I have from that visit.