Monday, February 25, 2013

You Are What You Eat


Two news stories in the past two days caught my eye, reinforcing my belief that you are what you eat. The benefits of the Mediterranean diet have been widely touted but now there is good statistical evidence that a diet rich in olive oil, fruits, vegetables, beans and nuts will reduce the risk of heart disease and strokes. The merits are there even if one doesn’t lose weight and adds to the benefits of taking medications to lower blood pressure and cholesterol. The participants in the study avoided commercial cookies and pastries and limited their intake of red meat and dairy products. Wine could be enjoyed with meals.

Gluten intolerance, once rare, is now becoming almost commonplace. There is a growing body of evidence that manufactured food given to infants and small children may play a role. Breast-feeding beyond six months seems to convey life-long protection from celiac disease along with many, many other benefits. It appears that sticking with simple grains that are minimally processed is a good idea for people of all ages.

In my opinion, food comes out of the ground. What emerges from a factory wrapped in plastic is not food. Animals should be treated with respect. If you choose to eat meat/fish/chicken, those animals should be well-fed, be allowed exercise and slaughtered humanely.

Michael Pollan: "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants."

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