Why Killer Whales Don't Eat Twinkies

[RubinHighlander]

I listened to some of this Radio West podcast this morning, need to hear the whole thing, but it's some pretty interesting data about humans and food cravings:

https://radiowest.kuer.org/show/radiowe ... of-craving

It seems like the food, diet, medical, etc. industries fear and guilt tactics used consumers has created a plethora of unhealthy relationships with eating. Just like religion and so many other corporations, especially in America, they are very self-serving at the cost of public health best practices.

It reminds me of why porn is so popular in Utah, because the dominant religion can't stop talking about it! For the next 60 seconds, try not to think about a pink elephant. Average person will have it enter their mind several times. All the constant talk about diet, food, sugars, weight, we are barraged with it. I really hate going to the grocery store, it's like information advertising overload and confusion. On top of that we get bombarded with it daily in our lives from all the media sources. Like so many other things, the data is very broad and deep, often muddied by the corporations.

[Red Ryder]

I’m interested in the inflammation reduction primary to alleviate low back pain from a herniated disc that flares up occasionally.

I've been working on reducing my sugar intake. I love Coke and DP, but I've cut way back on those to just a couple times per month. As a regular dancer partner with Mary Jane, that was not easy!

Inflammation: I've had arthritis starting to lock up the ends of my fingers and toes starting about five years ago. To reduce inflammation, increase cognition and boost the immune system, I started taking a daily supplement of funguses. It's a powder supplement I add to my protein shake each morning; it includes Lions Mane, Reishi, Cordyceps, Chaga, Turkey Tail & Maitake. I also add a dash (about .1g) of psilocybe cubensis, this one is cognition but has also helped with pain reduction and increases "spirituality" (Yup, that's right, I'm taking that word back from the corporate cult and I own it for me now, a full card carrying member of the Divine Assembly). I think it's the Lions Mane and Turkey Tail that are providing the primary benefits for the inflammation; I've rarely notice any pain and aches this past year, compared to before. I think Fresh Caps is the brand if you are interested.

I recall you telling us about some of your regime on our camping trip. Thanks for the reminder.

[Red Ryder]

Dirty Bird, what about cholesterol levels? I run high and my doc is telling me to avoid all hooved animals. Red meat, pork, etc.

[Dirty Bird]

Dirty Bird, what about cholesterol levels? I run high and my doc is telling me to avoid all hooved animals. Red meat, pork, etc.

I can only give you the information and links; it's up to you to decide if going against what your doctor says is worth it. I don't listen to my doctor when it comes to overall cholesterol because that's what they are told in medical school: cholesterol is the most important thing to look for when thinking about what a patient should eat. If I believe the way they measure it, my cholesterol has been high for more than twenty years. But I don't. Diet is something that most doctors know nothing about. They only use what they learned in medical school, and once they start seeing patients, most of them don't study food again.

If your doctor told you to stay away from hoofed animals, what did he say about soda, fruits, leafy veggies, and breads?

[Mayan_Elephant]

Dirty Bird, what about cholesterol levels? I run high and my doc is telling me to avoid all hooved animals. Red meat, pork, etc.

I can only give you the information and links; it's up to you to decide if going against what your doctor says is worth it. I don't listen to my doctor when it comes to overall cholesterol because that's what they are told in medical school: cholesterol is the most important thing to look for when thinking about what a patient should eat. If I believe the way they measure it, my cholesterol has been high for more than twenty years. But I don't. Diet is something that most doctors know nothing about. They only use what they learned in medical school, and once they start seeing patients, most of them don't study food again.

If your doctor told you to stay away from hoofed animals, what did he say about soda, fruits, leafy veggies, and breads?

Hmmmmmm. I dont know about this. I have had some damn good docs and nutritionists. Though, my nutritionist was this chinese lady in the historic chinese hospital in Chinatown, and she wasnt exactly by the book. I went to her because she was on my insurance plan.

My point is that some docs are rote and some aint. You agree with that, Dirty?

[Dirty Bird]

Dirty Bird, what about cholesterol levels? I run high and my doc is telling me to avoid all hooved animals. Red meat, pork, etc.

I can only give you the information and links; it's up to you to decide if going against what your doctor says is worth it. I don't listen to my doctor when it comes to overall cholesterol because that's what they are told in medical school: cholesterol is the most important thing to look for when thinking about what a patient should eat. If I believe the way they measure it, my cholesterol has been high for more than twenty years. But I don't. Diet is something that most doctors know nothing about. They only use what they learned in medical school, and once they start seeing patients, most of them don't study food again.

If your doctor told you to stay away from hoofed animals, what did he say about soda, fruits, leafy veggies, and breads?

Hmmmmmm. I dont know about this. I have had some damn good docs and nutritionists. Though, my nutritionist was this chinese lady in the historic chinese hospital in Chinatown, and she wasnt exactly by the book. I went to her because she was on my insurance plan.

My point is that some docs are rote and some aint. You agree with that, Dirty?

What I'm trying to convey is that a board-certified physician is just as uninformed about a natural human diet as a first-grader is when it comes to knowing what we humans ought to be eating in order to achieve optimal health.

What we know about our species is summarised below. Since before we were even human, we have been living as hunters and gatherers; this was approximately 12 million years ago. Chimpanzees continue to practise the hunter-gatherer lifestyle, and although the majority of their diet consists of fruits, they also consume roots, plants, insects, and meat. Apes consume a diet that is between 90 and 98 percent vegetarian. The microbiome of a Chimpanzee is at its healthiest when it consumes a diet that is consistent with the percentages that I described above, and because of this, Chimpanzees will naturally seek out this diet, unless they are unable to locate the foods that are necessary to maintain their natural diet. When we humans evolved over the course of millions of years and began to stand upright and then began to make tools to hunt larger animal species, our gut bugs (microbiome) also gradually evolved to the point where they were able to digest larger amounts of meat without becoming irritated as a result of being given an unnatural diet.
The essence of everything that I am attempting to express is as follows. If a physician were to perform a surgical procedure on a human being from 15,000 years ago, examine the internal organs, and investigate the means by which a hunter-gatherer survived in that era, they would not be able to differentiate between the inner workings of a hunter-gatherer's internal organs and microbiome and those of a human being from the year 2023. Even down to the tiniest guy bug, we are virtually the same on the inside. Within ourselves, we have not changed sufficiently over the previous 15,000 years to be able to differentiate amongst ourselves. This means that we are still physically a hunter-gatherers, and if we want to live a happy life free from the excruciating agony and frustration that our bodies are constantly informing us about, we need to learn how to feed in the same manner as the hunter-gatherers. You will have a difficult time finding a physician who is willing to express this quite straightforward idea to you. It's common fxxxxxx sense.

The microbiome of an individual is comprised of trillions of bacteria, fungus, viruses, and bacteriophages that live in a particular habitat, such as the interior of the digestive tract. In the event that you are interested in upsetting your microbiome, I would recommend that you purchase from the central aisles of your neighborhood grocery store. When you begin to fart and burp excessively, or when your stomach begins to turn up as a result of eating something that bothers it, you will know that they are unhappy. I tend to fart and burp very infrequently, and when I do, it is because I consumed something that was not derived from animal products.

To summarize, when it comes to a natural diet for humans, certainly, medical professionals are complete idiots. Over ninety-nine percent of them advise us to consume foods that we have no business consuming. Whenever the majority of us go grocery shopping, we are confronted with a multitude of options as we make our way through the aisles of the supermarket. The point I'm trying to make is that if someone wants to live a healthy lifestyle, they might maybe survive on nothing but the meat items that are available in the store. This is because our bodies have evolved to survive on fat. Although including produce is not required, doing so is entirely acceptable and will assist one in living a more comfortable life and feeling their best. When the majority of people read what I just stated, their initial reaction is to assume that there is no way in hell that they would attempt to restrict their diet to only consist of meat, vegetables, and fruit. I understand this impulse. They take far too much pleasure in their twinkies. If given the choice, the majority of people would rather suffer from severe joint pain, digestive problems, skin diseases, and poor energy levels than give up their moon pies. What our society has become is a collection of obese individuals who are waddling around with the mistaken belief that they are healthy because they take twelve different medications in an effort to treat all of the physical and mental issues that they are experiencing. These individuals are unaware that the food that they consume is causing their bodies to experience an excessive amount of stress.

If you adequately care for your gut bugs, they will, in turn, take care of you! ,



If you still think I'm crazy, watch this.
https://youtu.be/0ka9WBEijhk?si=5eXfM69vYP61JNeX

[Cnsl1]

While I've argued with you, DB, and accused you of MLM propoganda, I completely agree that eating a diet of meat, vegetables, and fruit is a good idea and will make most people feel better and healthier.

I've been genetically fortunate and I understand that, and I've also been very fortunate in that I do not LIKE a lot of the foods that will kill me slowly. I don't like the vast majority of candy. I might eat a small bit now and then if I'm really hungry and it's in my path, but I don't really like it. Same with any sweet desserty foods including sodas. I think the mass consumption of soda and readily available processed food is one of the biggest problems affecting our biopsycho health.

I also think that eating a meat heavy diet is not the paragon of health for two reasons. One, there is ample scientific evidence that a human can be very physically and emotionally healthy and strong on a plant diet. It's not easy and I'm not really interested in it because I enjoy eating meat, but it's possible to live healthy long and strong without consuming meat. Secondly, the meat we have available IS NOT like the meat our caveman forefathers consumed. Much of it isn't a helluva lot healthier than the fast food processed crap that we're trying to avoid because we're feeding these animals with some of that same crap.

If you haven't yet, do an experiment. Eat some grass fed cow from a reputable source and compare it to what you get from a chain grocery. See how much better it tastes and how much better you feel after eating it. I have tried to get eggs from local chicken farmers as well, but honestly with eggs I've not yet noticed a huge difference btwn the mass produced ones and the local free range ones other than how they look and the thickness of the shells. I'm hoping the local ones are healthier and I want to support local kids raising chickens so I'll still buy them when I can. I didn't grow up around the sea, but friends who did also claim there is a huge difference btwn fresh caught seafood and something you might buy at a store in Nebraska and that makes sense. Bottom line.. all meat is not all great.

I'm not a nutritional expert, but I seem to be healthier than the avg man my age. And my doctor seems to be pretty healthy too. He tells me to keep doing what I'm doing. I'll knock on wood and keep it up.

In my opinion, most Americans would eat healthier if it were easier and less expensive. They eat crap that kills them because that's what's readily available. It's become an economic issue as much as anything. Recent research, if i remember correctly, shows that wealthier people tend to be healthier on average, and that obesity correlates positively with poverty. Wealthier people can spend more on food. Of course there are people in the world who are starving because they don't have enough of any food but in the US we have this weird conundrum where the folks with less money are the most obese. It's no longer the fat cat kings but the poor. That tells us something about the food that's cheap and readily available. It fills our bellies but kills us slowly.

Maybe we'll wake up and start a class action suit against the food industry in a couple of decades.

[Mayan_Elephant]

In my opinion, most Americans would eat healthier if it were easier and less expensive. They eat crap that kills them because that's what's readily available. It's become an economic issue as much as anything. Recent research, if i remember correctly, shows that wealthier people tend to be healthier on average, and that obesity correlates positively with poverty. Wealthier people can spend more on food. Of course there are people in the world who are starving because they don't have enough of any food but in the US we have this weird conundrum where the folks with less money are the most obese. It's no longer the fat cat kings but the poor. That tells us something about the food that's cheap and readily available. It fills our bellies but kills us slowly.

Oh boy. Now this ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^, that really really really piques my interest.

Hey DB - take this part of the conversation on. I dare ya. I graduated from Tulane University and spent a ton of time in the 'nolia projects while I was in the Branch Presidency there. I loved the food. I loved the people. I had an absolute blast there. But..... but..... holy sheeeeeiiiiiiit. There is a massive diet problem in those neighborhoods. It was cheaper and easier to get that Popeye's, Church's, and BK stuff than it was to get a salad. That is for damn certain. When people cooked - it was unmatched but the neighborhood did not have the resources to compete with Rally's. No chance.

I think we can discuss the propaganda around food without it being a shame and blame game. You agree Cn? DB?

[Dirty Bird]

In my opinion, most Americans would eat healthier if it were easier and less expensive. They eat crap that kills them because that's what's readily available. It's become an economic issue as much as anything. Recent research, if i remember correctly, shows that wealthier people tend to be healthier on average, and that obesity correlates positively with poverty. Wealthier people can spend more on food. Of course there are people in the world who are starving because they don't have enough of any food but in the US we have this weird conundrum where the folks with less money are the most obese. It's no longer the fat cat kings but the poor. That tells us something about the food that's cheap and readily available. It fills our bellies but kills us slowly.

I agree with most of what you said here. But I believe most poor people who are fat, are fat because of the simple fact they are less motivated and less educated on diet than rich people. Rich families tend to pass down healthy eating habits, poor families tend to pass down poor eating habits. Now, understand I'm talking about America. There are plenty of poor people around the world who can't change why they are poor or change what food is available.

But Americans that are poor have no excuse anymore about not understanding what you eat to live a healthy lifestyle. Most Americans that are poor have a computer in their pocket 24/7. They have the ability to research diet just as well as a rich person. Most poor people in America have at least one car which means they can go to the store to buy healthy food and not choose a drive-thru instead.

It's not expensive to eat healthy! If I was poor, I could feed my family for relatively cheap by just going to a couple of stores. A fifty pound bag of rice is $24. Eight costco chickens (month supply) is $40. 25 pound bag of beans, $18. Six #10 cans of tomato sauce $19. I'm sure you get the point. It's not expensive to eat healthy. In my opinion when it comes to most poor people saying it's to expensive to eat healthy while being poor is all about the lack of research on their part and the motivation to get off the couch and do something about being fat. Now I know that sounds harsh, but I've been in enough section 8 housing to understand what they eat. The refrigerator is full of junk foods including gallons of fake orange juice and Kool aid. Also, loaves and loaves of bread on top of the counter. That combination of fake orange juice and bread is what makes all Americans fat regardless of income bracket.

By the way. Are we sure that poor people are statistically fatter than rich people?

[hmb]

It's not expensive to eat healthy! If I was poor, I could feed my family for relatively cheap by just going to a couple of stores. A fifty pound bag of rice is $24. Eight costco chickens (month supply) is $40. 25 pound bag of beans, $18. Six #10 cans of tomato sauce $19. I'm sure you get the point. It's not expensive to eat healthy. In my opinion when it comes to most poor people saying it's to expensive to eat healthy while being poor is all about the lack of research on their part and the motivation to get off the couch and do something about being fat. Now I know that sounds harsh, but I've been in enough section 8 housing to understand what they eat. The refrigerator is full of junk foods including gallons of fake orange juice and Kool aid. Also, loaves and loaves of bread on top of the counter. That combination of fake orange juice and bread is what makes all Americans fat regardless of income bracket.

By the way. Are we sure that poor people are statistically fatter than rich people?

It IS far more expensive to eat healthy. It partly depends on what someone considers healthy. Last week, in Walmart, I was looking at bread. A loaf of whole grain bread was $5.89. A loaf of processed bread was $2.50. When I bake bread, it is a lot more money, and work, to make healthier, whole grain bread than white bread. Check out the price of fake OJ compared to fresh OJ. If you buy and squeeze your own oranges, that costs more yet. You want farm fresh eggs vs. Walmarts eggs? (I don't have a problem with store eggs, but some consider it less healthy.) Now go price produce compared to "bargain" junk snacks. You want healthy yogurt? Try buying yogurt that actually has living cultures for that health benefit. I buy the cheap yogurt. It is a nice end of meal treat. It's really just glorified pudding. There is a huge difference in cost for healthy products. It's not just cost though. It's about convenience too. It takes effort to cook that cheaper bag of rice and legumes, than to visit the convenient, prepared frozen food section. I do eat more processed food than I should. Little frozen pizzas are often less than $1.50. I add bran to the melted cheese and sauce so I'll be sure to not get constipated (cheese is more binding than friendship). Use of poop aids have risen with the onslaught of convenience eating. I also question poor people being fatter than rich people. I see a lot more overweight youth and children than years ago. It doesn't seem to matter if they come from wealth or poverty. When families sit around and play on phones and computers, while ordering door dash, it's no wonder fat cells are exploding.

[Cnsl1]

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source= ... XBwAWXiz2q

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl ... ion%20bias.

[Cnsl1]

Yes, there is a positive correlation btwn poverty and obesity.

And poor folks don't typically have costco cards. They also aren't typically as educatedand and don't have as much access to quality healthcare; it's not just about being lazy.

Plus, if we can believe Morgan Spurlock, eating very unhealthy actually can becoming somewhat addictive. He said he started craving that crap. Our bodies respond positively, albeit temporarily, to those simple carbs. We don't tend to crave spinach. Well, I do but I'm weird.

But I do believe laziness is a factor for many. I don't wanna cook breakfast, so here kids, have some pop tarts.

[Dirty Bird]

It's not expensive to eat healthy! If I was poor, I could feed my family for relatively cheap by just going to a couple of stores. A fifty pound bag of rice is $24. Eight costco chickens (month supply) is $40. 25 pound bag of beans, $18. Six #10 cans of tomato sauce $19. I'm sure you get the point. It's not expensive to eat healthy. In my opinion when it comes to most poor people saying it's to expensive to eat healthy while being poor is all about the lack of research on their part and the motivation to get off the couch and do something about being fat. Now I know that sounds harsh, but I've been in enough section 8 housing to understand what they eat. The refrigerator is full of junk foods including gallons of fake orange juice and Kool aid. Also, loaves and loaves of bread on top of the counter. That combination of fake orange juice and bread is what makes all Americans fat regardless of income bracket.

By the way. Are we sure that poor people are statistically fatter than rich people?

It IS far more expensive to eat healthy. It partly depends on what someone considers healthy. Last week, in Walmart, I was looking at bread. A loaf of whole grain bread was $5.89. A loaf of processed bread was $2.50. When I bake bread, it is a lot more money, and work, to make healthier, whole grain bread than white bread. Check out the price of fake OJ compared to fresh OJ. If you buy and squeeze your own oranges, that costs more yet. You want farm fresh eggs vs. Walmarts eggs? (I don't have a problem with store eggs, but some consider it less healthy.) Now go price produce compared to "bargain" junk snacks. You want healthy yogurt? Try buying yogurt that actually has living cultures for that health benefit. I buy the cheap yogurt. It is a nice end of meal treat. It's really just glorified pudding. There is a huge difference in cost for healthy products. It's not just cost though. It's about convenience too. It takes effort to cook that cheaper bag of rice and legumes, than to visit the convenient, prepared frozen food section. I do eat more processed food than I should. Little frozen pizzas are often less than $1.50. I add bran to the melted cheese and sauce so I'll be sure to not get constipated (cheese is more binding than friendship). Use of poop aids have risen with the onslaught of convenience eating. I also question poor people being fatter than rich people. I see a lot more overweight youth and children than years ago. It doesn't seem to matter if they come from wealth or poverty. When families sit around and play on phones and computers, while ordering door dash, it's no wonder fat cells are exploding.

Although I agree with a lot of what you have mentioned here, I do not agree with the statement that it is more expensive to eat healthily in the United States.

But first, allow me to explain the reasons behind my feelings. When compared to other commodities, such as rice, bread is a poor investment when viewed by weight. This is especially true when compared to rice. A loaf of bread typically weighs one pound and costs approximately five dollars. I am able to get a bag of rice that weighs fifty pounds for approximately thirty-five dollars, which implies that the price of rice per pound is approximately seventy-five cents.

I could save money by purchasing broccoli sprout seeds for the price of twenty-two dollars, and the bag would be sufficient for my wife and me to consume for a period of four months. Broccoli would be 6 times that.

I ferment cabbage, which costs $1.40 a head, into a product that is essentially equivalent to yogurt in terms of the amount of prebiotics it contains.

Fortunately, in the United States of America, Sam's Club and Costco both sell rotisserie chickens weighing 3.5 pounds for the price of $5. In addition, when one takes into account the nutrients that are obtained from eating eggs, they are not overly expensive.

As far as eating is concerned, the most significant issue that we are facing in the United States right now is not that we are undernourished; rather, we are most certainly overnurished. Far too much food is consumed by us. A method of dealing with stress that has grown commonplace is stuffing our faces. In addition, we have become accustomed to having thousands of options to choose from when it comes to the food that we want to consume. People who are completely clueless about what they should purchase find it extremely stressful to walk into a grocery shop.

It is possible to maintain a healthy lifestyle by consuming only a small number of foods. Meats, eggs, cabbage, sprouts, cheese, raw yogurt, raw milk, and blueberries are the most important foods for me to consume. It's safe to say that meat makes up approximately 90 percent of my diet. On the other hand, if I were in a dire financial situation, I would not think twice about returning to rice and beans, along with chicken from Costco, as my source of protein.

[Mayan_Elephant]

Yes, there is a positive correlation btwn poverty and obesity.

And poor folks don't typically have costco cards. They also aren't typically as educated and and don't have as much access to quality healthcare; it's not just about being lazy.

Plus, if we can believe Morgan Spurlock, eating very unhealthy actually can becoming somewhat addictive. He said he started craving that crap. Our bodies respond positively, albeit temporarily, to those simple carbs. We don't tend to crave spinach. Well, I do but I'm weird.

But I do believe laziness is a factor for many. I don't wanna cook breakfast, so here kids, have some pop tarts.

One of your links said the statistical correlation went away when adjusted for publication bias? What? That is what I have every time I post, a publication bias. I need to know more about this.

I understand energy and predictive modeling in energy (this overlaps with the other thread going on). I have had a career in that stuff. I see garbage go in the models and I see garbage come out. I never look at energy models and think that anything about them could affect me today. Nothing is ever urgent. If Exxon folded today and converted every lease to a conservation trust for adult circus fish and mammals, it would not change a damn thing for me. But uh.... food propaganda and so-called science that can be adjusted for publication bias.... uh, that could be a personal problem much faster.

[Cnsl1]

I missed that, sorry. That's also not the article I was looking for. I will look again when time and also look closer at this publication bias.

I know only a little about nutritional science and less about environmental science, but a lot about social science and statistics.

And 30% of all statistics are made up right there on the spot.
69% of the people believe them whether they're accurate statistics or not.
I don't know what you believe but I think there's no doubt I need another double shot of something 90 proof, I got too much to think about.

They say that 50% of what you learned in school is just shit you're never gonna need. And 80% of everything you got you bought to satisfy your greed. But 92% of the world's population links possessions to success even though 84% of the wealthiest 1% of the population drinks to an alarming excess.

More money more stress I guess.


Thank you, Todd Snider

[Mayan_Elephant]

I missed that, sorry. That's also not the article I was looking for. I will look again when time and also look closer at this publication bias.

I know only a little about nutritional science and less about environmental science, but a lot about social science and statistics.

And 30% of all statistics are made up right there on the spot.
69% of the people believe them whether they're accurate statistics or not.
I don't know what you believe but I think there's no doubt I need another double shot of something 90 proof, I got too much to think about.

They say that 50% of what you learned in school is just shit you're never gonna need. And 80% of everything you got you bought to satisfy your greed. But 92% of the world's population links possessions to success even though 84% of the wealthiest 1% of the population drinks to an alarming excess.

More money more stress I guess.


Thank you, Todd Snider

That is exactly statistically correct. Here is what your link said.

In total, 21 studies were eligible for meta-analysis. All included studies originated from either the USA (n=16), the UK (n=3) or Canada (n=2). From these, 14 studies on causation and 7 studies on reverse causality were found. Meta-analyses revealed that lower income is associated with subsequent obesity (OR 1.27, 95% CI 1.10 to 1.47; risk ratio 1.52, 95% CI 1.08 to 2.13), though the statistical significance vanished once adjusted for publication bias.

[Cnsl1]

Study showing correlation btwn obesity and SES but not race:

https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/chi.2015.0029

Also "publication bias" in meta-analysis, as you surely already know, just means that there is some error that must be allowed because of the possibility that studies not meeting their hypotheses may have a lesser chance of being published. It does not invalidate the data, but is one problem in meta analysis. There are debated methods to quantify pub bias; I was going to but decided not to look at how that meta study quantified their publication bias. It's nearly impossible to quantify imo, esp when there are not a lot of studies on the topic. Plus, you're looking at different studies that are trying to look at the same thing, but not exactly the same thing. Better, imo, is to replicate the studies, but those are harder to publish when your study finds the same thing, which is an argument often not considered when talking about publication bias. So, bottom line, this isn't a smoking gun for THIS type of study. You already know this, though, if you understand statistics.

Based on my relatively quick search, it seems there is enough data that supports a negative correlation btwn income and obesity such that it should be part of the conversation.

[hmb]

Yes, there is a positive correlation btwn poverty and obesity.

And poor folks don't typically have costco cards. They also aren't typically as educatedand and don't have as much access to quality healthcare; it's not just about being lazy.

Plus, if we can believe Morgan Spurlock, eating very unhealthy actually can becoming somewhat addictive. He said he started craving that crap. Our bodies respond positively, albeit temporarily, to those simple carbs. We don't tend to crave spinach. Well, I do but I'm weird.

But I do believe laziness is a factor for many. I don't wanna cook breakfast, so here kids, have some pop tarts.

My lazy statement was more about the population as a whole, not people of poverty. Convenience and good tasting, processed foods almost beg for an increase in obesity. I have means to eat healthy, and I do some of the time. I also have a freezer filled with convenience, processed stuff. I admit I like it. The addiction thing is correct, at least for me. I probably eat 50-50 convenient/healthier. I also drink way to much diet soda. I'm not obese, but I'm probably not as healthy as I could be.

[hmb]

It's not expensive to eat healthy! If I was poor, I could feed my family for relatively cheap by just going to a couple of stores. A fifty pound bag of rice is $24. Eight costco chickens (month supply) is $40. 25 pound bag of beans, $18. Six #10 cans of tomato sauce $19. I'm sure you get the point. It's not expensive to eat healthy. In my opinion when it comes to most poor people saying it's to expensive to eat healthy while being poor is all about the lack of research on their part and the motivation to get off the couch and do something about being fat. Now I know that sounds harsh, but I've been in enough section 8 housing to understand what they eat. The refrigerator is full of junk foods including gallons of fake orange juice and Kool aid. Also, loaves and loaves of bread on top of the counter. That combination of fake orange juice and bread is what makes all Americans fat regardless of income bracket.

By the way. Are we sure that poor people are statistically fatter than rich people?

It IS far more expensive to eat healthy. It partly depends on what someone considers healthy. Last week, in Walmart, I was looking at bread. A loaf of whole grain bread was $5.89. A loaf of processed bread was $2.50. When I bake bread, it is a lot more money, and work, to make healthier, whole grain bread than white bread. Check out the price of fake OJ compared to fresh OJ. If you buy and squeeze your own oranges, that costs more yet. You want farm fresh eggs vs. Walmarts eggs? (I don't have a problem with store eggs, but some consider it less healthy.) Now go price produce compared to "bargain" junk snacks. You want healthy yogurt? Try buying yogurt that actually has living cultures for that health benefit. I buy the cheap yogurt. It is a nice end of meal treat. It's really just glorified pudding. There is a huge difference in cost for healthy products. It's not just cost though. It's about convenience too. It takes effort to cook that cheaper bag of rice and legumes, than to visit the convenient, prepared frozen food section. I do eat more processed food than I should. Little frozen pizzas are often less than $1.50. I add bran to the melted cheese and sauce so I'll be sure to not get constipated (cheese is more binding than friendship). Use of poop aids have risen with the onslaught of convenience eating. I also question poor people being fatter than rich people. I see a lot more overweight youth and children than years ago. It doesn't seem to matter if they come from wealth or poverty. When families sit around and play on phones and computers, while ordering door dash, it's no wonder fat cells are exploding.

Although I agree with a lot of what you have mentioned here, I do not agree with the statement that it is more expensive to eat healthily in the United States.

But first, allow me to explain the reasons behind my feelings. When compared to other commodities, such as rice, bread is a poor investment when viewed by weight. This is especially true when compared to rice. A loaf of bread typically weighs one pound and costs approximately five dollars. I am able to get a bag of rice that weighs fifty pounds for approximately thirty-five dollars, which implies that the price of rice per pound is approximately seventy-five cents.

I could save money by purchasing broccoli sprout seeds for the price of twenty-two dollars, and the bag would be sufficient for my wife and me to consume for a period of four months. Broccoli would be 6 times that.

I ferment cabbage, which costs $1.40 a head, into a product that is essentially equivalent to yogurt in terms of the amount of prebiotics it contains.

Fortunately, in the United States of America, Sam's Club and Costco both sell rotisserie chickens weighing 3.5 pounds for the price of $5. In addition, when one takes into account the nutrients that are obtained from eating eggs, they are not overly expensive.

As far as eating is concerned, the most significant issue that we are facing in the United States right now is not that we are undernourished; rather, we are most certainly overnurished. Far too much food is consumed by us. A method of dealing with stress that has grown commonplace is stuffing our faces. In addition, we have become accustomed to having thousands of options to choose from when it comes to the food that we want to consume. People who are completely clueless about what they should purchase find it extremely stressful to walk into a grocery shop.

It is possible to maintain a healthy lifestyle by consuming only a small number of foods. Meats, eggs, cabbage, sprouts, cheese, raw yogurt, raw milk, and blueberries are the most important foods for me to consume. It's safe to say that meat makes up approximately 90 percent of my diet. On the other hand, if I were in a dire financial situation, I would not think twice about returning to rice and beans, along with chicken from Costco, as my source of protein.

I don't disagree with what you are saying, but the way you eat requires time, thinking, and preparation. I'm not going to ferment cabbage, sprout seeds, make my own raw yogurt (you can buy it for $$), pay the price of raw milk... Is your big bag of rice brown? Or are you buying a big bag of white rice which lacks some of the healthiest parts? I use brown, but it requires twice the cooking time. Not saying that's bad, but it's an additional "inconvenience" compared to stopping at Panda. If all you eat is rice and beans, that can be healthy, but add produce and dairy, and meat to the mix and it's more expensive. The cost and convenience make it difficult to eat healthy on the cheap. I suppose with a lot of thought and time it can be done, but then the easy/convenient is out the window. How dull to have to eat the same rice and beans over and over to be healthy.

[Cnsl1]

Let's not forget the social aspect of eating.

Food brings people together. We break bread. We lunch together. In my neck of the desert, making tamales is a social event.

But too many times, big family meals are punctuated by very unhealthy desserts.

Just say no to the cake and ice cream.

Well, maybe just one little slice. We blessed it to nourish and strengthen our bodies, afterall.