biology's revenge

Isn't it ironic that when you try for generations to survive on meager rations and then suddenly you find food aplenty, that your biology turns against you? Because that is exactly what happens in the real world. Take a look at the Pima Indians and type II diabetes. It is an extreme case, but the same process is going on all around us. Right now it is affecting nearly every one of us. Ever heard of obesity? It is now the norm.

A recent large scale study shows that eating red meat everyday shortens your life-expectancy considerably. Not to mention all the environmental destruction that is caused by all these people insisting on eating red meat every day. If the arteriosclerosis and cancer won't get you, the climate change will quickly put an end to this meat-lovers party.

If you think it is not true, go to the great city of Coalinga, CA. There, close to interstate 5, you can experience first hand the wonders of cattle raising. Stand by the Harris ranch and enjoy the methane and other fumes for a few moments. Then, when this is deeply carved into your brain, go take a look at the Harris meat packages at Safeway.

And just in case you thought of switching to fish for that extra dose of omega-3, be aware that fishing as we know it is coming to an end. Nearly all known fisheries are at, or over capacity. The end of fishing is coming within our life-time. No amount of fish farming will be able to stop that now.

Why worry about declining fish stocks, when you can just buy omega-3 supplements at Costco?

How about one very simple reason? No supplement has ever been shown to be beneficial. Whenever a supplement, vitamin, or mineral, found to be "associated" with improved "this or that," was tested in a real prospective study, the results were crystal clear: no cigar!

The reality is actually a bit worse. In most of those studies the supplement, mineral, vitamin, what have you, was found to be detrimental. I.e. the people taking it did WORSE than the controls. And this happened not just once. Just about every time, something was tested, be it vitamin C, vitamin E, lycopene, blah-blah, the people taking it did WORSE than the control group.

Save yourself some money. Stop buying vitamins and supplements. Let's do away with a superfluous, polluting, and unnecessary industry. And while you're at it, cut out the red meat. Eat more vegetables and fruits. Which ones you may ask? Should you eat apples for quercitin, tomatoes for lycopene, blueberries or pomegranates for anti-oxidants, or any other "magic" food?

NO, no, and no. You should eat local fruit and veggies. The best ones are the ones in your garden. Next comes those grown locally, preferably from a farmer's market. If you really have to, get some at the supermarket. But avoid those out of season, shipped in from other continents fruits, no matter how "healthy" they are supposed to be.

Health is a local thing. You adapt to your environment. It is a long term process and it has been going on for generations. What is good for someone else, living somewhere else, may not be good for you here and now. Remember the Pima Indians, they were fine before there was sugar a'plenty.