Diet and Health.
LikeAnOcean
Posts: 7,718
Is it really worth it to eat crap food and be sick all of the time?
I know too many people who do this. I always hear about their health ailments, trips to the doctor, but then take notice of what the eat and can't help but think it's all related.
For instance, my buddy's girl friend. The girl never eats fruit or veggies. She practically lives off of mac and cheese, foods high in saturated fat. She eats potato salad and left over pizza for breakfast and lays on the couch all day, never exercises, yet wonders why she is sick all of the time. And when I say sick, it takes her a MONTH to shake a common cold, and she thinks drinking tons of orange juice alone when she is sick will solve her problem, but there's much more than vitamin C her body needs.
Same with my boss. They drink pop/soda/coke ALL day. Eat twinkies, snacks, RARELY healthy, and are calling in sick and going to the doctor all the time.
Do people just not realize how important the food we eat plays in our health, and its not just calories that we need???
Is it worth being sick and having tons of health problems because we don't take notice of what we are putting into our body?
I know too many people who do this. I always hear about their health ailments, trips to the doctor, but then take notice of what the eat and can't help but think it's all related.
For instance, my buddy's girl friend. The girl never eats fruit or veggies. She practically lives off of mac and cheese, foods high in saturated fat. She eats potato salad and left over pizza for breakfast and lays on the couch all day, never exercises, yet wonders why she is sick all of the time. And when I say sick, it takes her a MONTH to shake a common cold, and she thinks drinking tons of orange juice alone when she is sick will solve her problem, but there's much more than vitamin C her body needs.
Same with my boss. They drink pop/soda/coke ALL day. Eat twinkies, snacks, RARELY healthy, and are calling in sick and going to the doctor all the time.
Do people just not realize how important the food we eat plays in our health, and its not just calories that we need???
Is it worth being sick and having tons of health problems because we don't take notice of what we are putting into our body?
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Scranton, Pennsylvania
Journey Ends:
I don't want to turn this into a health care debate, but those people make up a HUGE part of the problem with the health care and insurance systems.
I really believe that there should be mandatory "Health and Nutrition" classes in our schools across the country. I'm not talking the typical bullshit "health class" taught by some gym teacher, but a real class taught by healthcare professionals or nutritionists.
The up-front cost would be pretty steep, but I believe it would eventually and drastically reduce healthcare costs across the board.
In the meantime...I'm going to continue my healthy lifestyle because a) I'm very healthy and fit and b) I feel amazing for doing so.
First thing I did was stopped the soda and fast food, and started lifting and running... within a week I felt so much better. Now I lift 4/5 times a week and run 2/3 times a week.
I'm kinda crazy with all this stuff, this was my food intake yesterday:
cereal, skim milk, banana
yogurt
protein shake after a 50 minute workout
3 hard boiled eggs, assorted veggies
chicken pita wrap with lettuce, peppers, cheese (1 slice), light mayo, skim milk to drink
lots of water...
I'm bald so I can't be fat, too.
that you're getting HOSED at the local food market....
Processed foods typically are (per ounce) much, much cheaper than fresh, non-processed foods (produce).
I see what you are saying though. It IS possible to go cheap and healthy, but the fact remains that per dollar you can get more food buying shitty processed foods than you can purchasing fresh produce.
An aside...
I also try to eat local and organic as much as I can...thank god I have a good job that pays really well!
I think it would be good to point out what lack of certain nutrients can cause over time. I don't think people realize the reason they get headaches, joint ahces, can't shake common viruses is because of months and months, maybe years of poor nutrition.
Here is a list of 50 healthy foods for less than $1 per pound:
Apples - One a day keeps the cheapskate away.
Asparagus - HUGE store special at 99 cents a pound during Easter week. I bought 10 pounds, blanched it, and then froze it.
Bananas - Potassium for pennies.
Barley - A tasty alternative to rice and potatoes.
Beans - Canned or dried. Kidney, pinto, navy, black, red, and many more.
Bok choy - Steam and serve with a little soy sauce.
Broccoli - Yes, a store special. Usually closer to $2 per pound.
Bulgar wheat - Try it in pilaf or a tabouleh salad.
Cabbage - Green and red. I like mine fried.
Cantaloupe - No, sorry, I can't; I'm already married.
Carrots - Raw or steamed. Rich in carotenes, a healthy antioxidant.
Celery - Stir-fry it for a change.
Chicken - Whole or various parts, on sale.
Chickpeas - AKA garbanzo beans -- mash 'em up as a healthy sandwich spread.
Cornmeal - "Polenta" is all the rage these days, but I loved it 40 years ago when Mom called it "cornmeal mush."
Cucumbers - Try peeling, seeding, and steaming with a little butter and salt.
Daikon radish - My new favorite raw veggie.
Eggs - Don't overdo them, but eggs provide high quality protein and still cost about $1 per pound. (Plus, there are many eggscellent things you can do with the shells.)
Green beans - Frozen, but fresh are sometimes on sale for under $1 a pound in-season.
Greens - Kale, mustard, turnip, and collard greens are rich in vitamins and a good source of fiber. Here's how I cook 'em.
Grapes - Store special at 99 cents a pound.
Grapefruit - Bake with a little brown sugar on top for a healthy dessert.
Lentils - Perhaps the perfect food -- healthy, cheap, and versatile. Think soups, salads, sandwich spreads -- and those are only some of the "s" possibilities.
Liver - Chicken livers usually cost under $1 a pound, and sometimes beef and pork liver can be found in the DMZ ("Dollar Maximum Zone").
Mangoes - High in fiber and vitamins A, B6, and C.
Milk - Yep, on a per-pound basis, milk still costs well under $1 a pound.
Napa cabbage - Delicious steamed or raw in a salad.
Oatmeal - The good old-fashioned "slow cooking" kind ... that takes all of five minutes.
Onions - Try baking them whole in a cream sauce.
Oranges - Frequent sale price when in-season.
Pasta - Store special at 89 cents a pound -- I nearly bought them out!
Peanut butter - Special sale price, but stock up because it usually has a long shelf life.
Pork - Inexpensive cuts of pork frequently go on sale for 99 cents per pound or less; sometimes even ham during the holidays.
Potatoes - White and red, Baked, mashed, boiled, broiled, steamed.
Pumpkin - Yes, you can eat the same ones you buy as holiday decorations, and they usually cost under 50 cents a pound.
Rice - White for under $1 a pound; brown, a little more expensive but better for you.
Rutabagas - Hated them as a kid; can't get enough of them now.
Sour cream - 99 cents on sale, but long shelf life, so stock up. My cucumber awaits.
Spinach - Frozen (but Popeye doesn't care).
Split peas - Add a hambone and make the ultimate comfort soup. Try it in the crock-pot!
Squash - Try baking acorn squash with a little brown sugar.
Sweet corn - Canned or fresh on the cob, in-season. (Try this recipe for summer corn fritters.)
Tomatoes - Canned are often better than fresh to use in cooking, and occasionally you can find fresh on sale for under a buck, in-season.
Turkey - A popular bargain-priced, loss-leader around the holidays -- buy an extra bird and freeze it for later.
Turnips - Make me think of my grandparents, who always grew them.
Watermelon - Whole, in-season melons can sometime cost less than 20 cents a pound if they're on sale and you find a big one.
Wine - Well, at least the stuff I drink -- a 5-liter box (approximately 11 pounds) for about 10 bucks, on sale. (BTW, the beer I drink is even less expensive per pound.)
Yams/sweet potatoes - One of the healthiest foods you can eat, and usually available year-round for under $1 a pound.
Yogurt - 8-ounce containers on sale, two for $1.
Zucchini - OK, they're a type of squash (above). But I love them so much they deserve their own place on the list. Plus they look great in pantyhose.
http://shine.yahoo.com/event/green/50-h ... d-1677000/
I always say - food can also be your worst enemy....
i am working on getting better.
exercise and eating smaller healthier portions is the goal.
it is difficult to do much exercise when every bone in my body aches.
it is hard to get out of bed in the morning.
i think i need a nurse, a personal trainer, 5 or 6 doctors, and a kick to the balls.
"Hear me, my chiefs!
I am tired; my heart is
sick and sad. From where
the sun stands I will fight
no more forever."
Chief Joseph - Nez Perce
Fat is a perfectly healthy source of fuel which the body can use very effectively - what do people think their body is fueling itself on when they lose weight?! That's right, their own saturated body fat! It's only harful when combined with massive quantities of carbs, i.e the western diet.
Thank you for sharing the list. When I saw the family on Food, Inc. make excuses for their diet, I was disgusted. They are doing themselves and most importantly their children a huge disservice. There are many affordable, nutritious foods available. Your list demonstrates that perfectly.
I think we're all just too lazy. Whenever I'm not eating as healthy as I should be, it's because I haven't done any meal planning and I reach for the fastest easiest thing. Most times it's crap food. I know better, but I still have to remind myself that when I get hungry at the grocery store that the best solution isn't going across the parking lot for some french fries. There's some great fast food available in the produce department and bulk bins.
I'm currently working on becoming healthier. It's a work in progress.
I listen to an all news station. recently they quoted a doctor who said there is no scientific evidence about a new shoe women have been wearing to tone their legs (I think victoria secret sells them). he said they cause injury like fractures and some people are walking incorrectly. he said "try eating 1 less bagel and walk 30 minutes daily instead to tone up." however i know a chiropractor who said his patients got positive results from the shoes (thongs?)
i have a family member who has been very sedentary for the past 30 yrs and she knows how to cook healthy but was raised where you flavor your food with bacon grease! so her clogged arteries may have started when she was young. she has nearly every ailment but cancer. She is 90 pounds overweight. when she is lonely, she calls for a carry out pizza and is not allowed to have spices due to digestion problems. listening to her problems drains me, it's a sad situation, with soooo many doctors' visits and prescriptions.
8/08 - Ed solo in DC, 6/09 Ed in B'more,
10/10 - Brad in B'more
so do you think she will change after the surgery?
8/08 - Ed solo in DC, 6/09 Ed in B'more,
10/10 - Brad in B'more
Not sure probably not. I think most people think it is a majic bullet or something. The truely lose weight it takes an entire lifestyle change.
(I don't know why this cracked me up, but it did.)
Not only is it my experience that this is true, but I could have sworn it's actually been proven somewhere. Add to that the fact that many people don't have produce nearly as available to them as processed food and that some people have to work such long hours that they have much less time to plan meals and cook and we have three things right there that can be addressed to help us get in better shape on a population level.
I think this is true. People just don't put 2 & 2 together, or when they do it's more of an abstract than concrete concept, if that make sense. And then when they really do start to consciously understand, they have often already formed bad habits that are hard to break. Re-learning cooking and eating habits from scratch can be like learning to walk all over again.
/truth
I looked at the article as well. Barely any of that stuff is under $1 per lb. Even on sale. I can't remember the lat time I saw apples for under $1 even on sale! And that's just the beginning of the list! What crap!
But, even if you eat that and avoid fast food, it costs the same. You don't spend on the eating out, you just move it to spending at the grocery store but you definitely feel it in your waistline and health.
"New music, new friends. Pearl Jam."
I like our socks. I hear we make a fine sock. I always say, You might not love our records, but I think you'll like our socks. - Stone
"This record is us speaking out in class." -EV on PJ
Sorry for the two posts...just read this one too.
I actually have a pair of the tone up shoes. They're sketchers. I bought them for work, since I walk a bit. They're super super comfy. I didn't think I felt a difference but I do when i haven't worn them for a while. No, they're no sub for exercise but when I had to stand all day at the hospital, my feet didn't hurt. THAT was a BIG plus!!
Also, I did that too, scrapped the junk, all sugars(even fruit) for two weeks, and my health improved. I added fruits back in after the first week(south beach diet) and I feel great. I don't even crave the junk anymore. That's all mental whereas before it was definitely a combo of mental and physical. I would feel like i was going to vomit when i was hungry. Since doing this diet and altering the way I eat, no vomit feeling. EVER. What a difference!
"New music, new friends. Pearl Jam."
I like our socks. I hear we make a fine sock. I always say, You might not love our records, but I think you'll like our socks. - Stone
"This record is us speaking out in class." -EV on PJ
I don't know if I go a couple days not eating right or getting enough exercise, I feel really gross. I couldn't eat a poor diet if I wanted to. In fact a lot of people think I'm on a diet or something because I turn down sweets and whatnot, but really it's just because I know sugar makes me feel like shit. Occasionally I like a bit of sweets or something fatty if I'm having a craving, and then it feels good to eat it. But generally speaking, junk food makes me feel really crappy.
my main problem was and still is eating at night. perfect example is tonight. i dont get home till 11 or so on mondays. so i will go home and veg out for a little while watching tv. instead of eating chips or something i gotta force myself to make a protein smoothie or just eat some cottage cheese or something.
hey that is great about the "sketchers" shoes. Not the same shoe, but I got some New Balance sneakers specifically for ankles that "pronate" (as recommended by my podiatrist) and since my ankles don't hurt from wearing them, I can walk like a normal person again. Ankle pain is the pits!
I'm keeping a food log again. I've still been eating cookies and candy bars :(
8/08 - Ed solo in DC, 6/09 Ed in B'more,
10/10 - Brad in B'more
I got some of those Sketchers just a few days before I read about them here. I had never heard of them before and wouldn't wear them as a source of exercise, but I went to the shoe store looking for shoes to help my plantar fasciitis and they recommended these. I've worn them every day since and the horrible pain is practically completely gone.
But what's this about them causing fractures?? :?
When I was gaining weight a bit all my pants were so short! I had to wear flats for a while and I started getting really bad foot pain that my Dr. said was plantar faciitis. I can't wear flats or I get pain. Plain and simple. I started wearing the sketchers and all my pain went away too. Though, to be honest, simply wearing heels helps too. I guess my foot needs the height!
I think the fractures is people that are using them incorrectly? Maybe trying to run or something? The shoes are a little unstable, forcing your feet and legs to keep them in balance when you walk....as far as I've seen it is not recommended at all to run in them. You could fall and seriously hurt yourself. At least that's my assumption about the breakages.
Funny thing is, right after posting in this thread about changing the way I eat and getting healthier, I got sick. My boyfriend was sick though and after a week I got it. I don't think being healthy could have helped that one!
"New music, new friends. Pearl Jam."
I like our socks. I hear we make a fine sock. I always say, You might not love our records, but I think you'll like our socks. - Stone
"This record is us speaking out in class." -EV on PJ
The second thing I did was do some research on food. I hate to say it, but I doesn't look appear that the FDA and companies like Kraft really care about healthy eating. I have yet to turn into a health-nazi, mainly due to my aversion to vegetables, but I'm making a conscious effort to limit snacks, avoid fast food and take my lunch to work. And next year I plan on planting my first vegetable garden. Maybe if I put the work into growing them, I will feel compelled to eat them.
I know everyone says you'll eat your veggies eventually but until I was 32, I never believed it. I started doing the SB diet and was sorta forced too. But, with creative cooking, some of them do taste good. If you cook asparagus and broccoli or cauliflower with thin steak and spices, it's good. If you grill it with some lemon and parm cheese it's delicious. I would have never touched a green veggie before. Green beans? One of the most disgusting veggies on the planet! Put them and tomatoes in chili, the kind of chili that simmers for a couple hours, you don't even taste the nasty part, they taste like the chili and they're good. Cucumbers....put lemon and that chili powder that has lemon and has lemon and salt in it, delicious! Seriously, I still wouldn't touch a single one of those veggies plain. But creative cooking and spicing goes a long way to making them edible, or unbelievably, tasty!
"New music, new friends. Pearl Jam."
I like our socks. I hear we make a fine sock. I always say, You might not love our records, but I think you'll like our socks. - Stone
"This record is us speaking out in class." -EV on PJ
Did you have to remind me of this first thing Monday morning?
Also, it takes a spot away from someone who is handicapped NOT because of poor choices they have made.