SUPERSIZE ME!!

[willy]

Hi guys.......
        I just finished watching the documentary; Supersize Me!   It was interesting and fun.  I would recommend that you rent it sometime.  The premise of the film is very simple.  A guy in his thirties decides to become a guinnea pig to see what would happen if he were to eat "3 squares" at McDonalds for one month.)ne of his "rules" was that he had to accept the "supersize" meal every time that they asked him if he would like his meal supersized.  The results were very interesting.....even scary.

To before he started his special diet, he got checked out by three doctors and 2 health club workers; a dietician andf a physical trainer.  His health was very good prior, but in the course of a month...... he actually started seeing some life threatening symptoms.

His weight went from 185 to 210 lbs (a 24.5 lb gain).  One of the most noteable things that scared/ amazed  me was that his liver panel scores AST and ALT increased nearly 10 fold in under 3 weeks  (20 to 130, and 20 to 219).  This was in a healthy man in his 30's without any health problems.  What can poor diet do for us over a period of years?

One of the other warning I got in the film was that many of our (approximately 10% of our obese children, if I scribbled this down correctly) children now are experiencing elevated LFT's, early steatosis and even early stages of fibrosis before they are even 20 years old.  

In the same vein, years ago I read that when they autopsied Viet Nam war American casualties (the average being in their very early 20's)...... most of them had arteries that were already half constricted with cholesterol.

I am including a link for the film.... (although frankly, the site was not that amazing) and in the interest of fairness and rebuttal, a page of opposing views from those who hated the movie or thought it was unfair or was based on "bad science".

My opinion....... the film is worth a watch, and your consideration.

Best,
Willy

http://www.supersizeme.com/

http://www.techcentralstation.com/supersizecon.html

[Dude]

I think it's unimaginable that our wonderful country allows any place to sell food that is so criminally damaging to the human body. It's unfathomable. But, hey, that's America.

The only good in this is that we have choices. Sadly, the element of "convenience" and the clever advertising makes it all too easy to fall for their product(s). Fried anything is bad for you. Boycott fried foods. Just say NO.

[willy]

It is the old sugar, salt, and fat triple whammy.  I think that that is one reason that people are able to often improve their LFT's once they start making some diet modifications.  It is possible that if we had a sense of what the rest of Americas LFT's looked like....... we might be less afraid.  There exists the possibility that we can make enough changes that we could become healthier that some other people without HEP C.

All too often we become overwhelmed with all that we can't seem to do, what information we can't find, questions that are not answered, treatments (like protease inhibitor) that aren't coming fast enough.  There are things that we can do (particularly concerning diet) that are known and accessible to us.

best,
Willy

[OZ]

Even the dinner plates are bigger than they used to be. . . I know mine are way too big to hold a healthy meal, unless it is filled with salad or veggies.  
There's those trans fats to watch out for, very common in commercial baked goods, cakes, cookies, crackers etc that are also very unhealthy.  And with the low carb craze, more fat is very often added to keep the flavor of the food.  
I know I feel better when I eat better, that should be motivating enough.  But often get caught up in the hectic day to day of living.  Get easy to grab the quick and easy.  
Donna

[Cheryl healey]

WOW!!!!!
I am renting that movie asap!!!
One thing I learned here on Oahu is that the Asian diet is SO healthy and FULL of Veggies and I have adopted that way of eating.
I feel LOTS  TONS better and I think we should all take a page from thier diet.
Anyhoo, checking in!
Be good. Type at ya all laters
cheryl

[Patti]

LOL - I watched this movie 3 times. McDonalds should be on a list of toxic killers just below tobacco and alcohol. I do think this is a must see movie. I love the experement that they did on some of the food (on the special features) Fast foods - can't live with them and can't live without em. I had a man like that once but his name was not Ronald! Eat well
Patti

[Dude]

Obesity in America is at shocking levels now. The food industry is to blame for all the additives they throw in to foods to increase appetite so the consumer will desire to eat more, and the tastes have been altered so we desire the worse types of foods, with all kinds of unhealthy impurities added that just make us want to eat more and more, so we buy more of their products. That and presevatives, and hormones, and God knows what else... it's criminal what these industries do for capital gain. Food AND drug industries are solely interested in profit, and not the health of the American public.

It's all part of the scheme... to make the share holders happy... mo' money, mo' money, mo' money. It ties into why the drug industry is trying to outlaw us buying cheaper drugs from Canada, and trying to outlaw vitamins and alternative cures. We're living under the rule of total capitalism at it's most outrageous stages. Bush just feeds the system, and is working to make the rich richer and the poor poorer, eliminating the middle class altogether. Oops! There I go getting political again!

I'll stop now. It's amazing to me that the majority (supposedly) in America is so gullible to sit by and say nothing while we allow ourselves to be snowed by corporate America, and controlled to having to buy into their crappy health system and foods, and control us into keeping away from natural and proven alternatives that have been shown to work, without destroying our health further. We've become cattle in a path to slaughter, and all the while they ignore the reality of what is happening right before our eyes.

God save America, and damn the corporate systems heartless greed to hell.

[willy]

Fortunately, there are alternatives.  The thing is..... that even the doctors had no idea of the repercussions of such a diet.  They could recognise them thru the physical changes that occured over the period of a month, but it never dawned on them that this could happed.  Most of us ARE unaware of the effects that food can make in our lives.  Even doctors..... that SHOULD know, are really rather unschooled in nutrition.

My point in bringing it here...... that many of us are healthwise, kinda threshold.   We need to take even better care of ourselves than the general populace.  It could make a big difference in how long we live, the seriousness of our symptoms, and perhaps considerable financial consequences as well.

 Food for thought.

Willy

[willy]

http://aolsvc.news.aol.com/business/article.adp?id=20050211203609990010
           Updated: 08:03 AM EST
McDonald's to Pay $8.5 Million in Trans Fat Lawsuit

McDonald's says its new cooking oil for its french fries will do less damage to your diet.
                             

SAN RAFAEL, Calif. (Feb. 12) - McDonald's Corp. will pay $8.5 million to settle a lawsuit accusing the fast-food giant of failing to inform consumers of delays in a plan to reduce fat in the cooking oil used for its popular french fries and other foods.

BanTransFats.com, a nonprofit advocacy group, sued McDonald's in California state court in 2003, alleging the company did not effectively disclose to the public that it had not switched to a healthier cooking oil.

In September 2002, McDonald's announced it would lower trans fat in its cooking oils and said the switch would be completed in five months. In February 2003, McDonald's announced a delay. The lawsuit accused the Oak Brook, Ill.-based company of failing to adequately inform consumers of that delay.

The agreement announced Wednesday requires McDonald's to pay $7 million to the American Heart Association to use the proceeds to educate the public about trans fats in foods. Heart-clogging trans fat is made when manufacturers add hydrogen to vegetable oil - a process called hydrogenation.

Wednesday's settlement also requires McDonald's to spend $1.5 million publicizing that it has not followed through on its 2002 pledge.

Additionally, the company will pay $7,500 to BanTransFats.com and $7,500 to Katherine Fettke, who had filed a separate complaint against McDonald's and has also agreed to settle.

McDonald's has reduced the amount of trans fat in its Chicken McNuggets, Crispy Chicken and McChicken sandwiches, said spokesman Walt Riker.

He said the company is working to reduce trans fat in its other fried foods.

"We're continuing to test. We want to make sure we get it right for our customers,'' he said.

02-12-05 00:17 EST



And why all the fuss?...........
Check it out.  Here is a snippet from the site-  Willy



http://www.bantransfats.com/

Between 82 and 274 deaths
every single day from trans fats!!!
"By our most conservative estimate, replacement of partially hydrogenated fat in the U.S. diet with natural unhydrogenated vegetable oils would prevent approximately 30,000 premature coronary deaths per year, and epidemiologic evidence suggests this number is closer to 100,000 premature deaths annually."


Oh Wait....... there's more........Check out their links page.  They also claim that the consumption of partially hydrogenated oils can contribute to and worsen the effects of diabetes.- Willy

http://www.bantransfats.com/links.html

(these need to be accessed via the above link)

Here are some links with information about trans fats.
Please note that we do not necessarily agree with all of the views and information expressed in the linked articles.


The four different types of fat

Consumer Reports: Trans fat lurks in a multitude of foods. It’s not labeled. And it’s bad for your heart. Here’s how to avoid it.

Johns Hopkins Heart Disease Resource Center: And You Think Saturated Is Bad

Health Risks from Processed Foods and Trans Fats Part I: Interview With Dr. Mary Enig

Health Risks from Procesed Foods and Trans Fats Parts II and III: Interview with Dr. Mary Enig

The Oiling of America by Dr. Mary Enig and Sally Fallon

The Skinny on Fats by Dr. Mary Enig and Sally Fallon

Harvard School of Public Health report on trans fats

The FDA's main webpage about trans fats including a link to the new labeling rule

Washington Post article about trans fat

Letter responding to above Washington Post article

Washington Post: Getting the fat out

SF Chronicle: Trans fat in food: As bad as it gets

SF Chronicle: Hidden killer. It's trans fat. It's dangerous. And it's in food you eat every day

The Oreo is listed as the fourth most hazardous popular food in America

How much trans fat is in the foods we love?

Denmark Sets Limits For Trans Fatty Acids