Sep 28, 2019

“Sickness is the vengeance of nature for the violation of her laws.” -Charles Simmons

On my website I say, “Society has given us a wealth of knowledge on health, weight & fitness while obscuring the answers we are looking for.” Here is a sample of the misconceptions that make me craziest.

MythBuster

Lie # 1 If you are trying to lose weight you should not eat (pick one or more) bananas, avocadoes, carrots (yes, carrots!), too many almonds, egg yolks . . .

These are all fabulous foods whether you are trying to lose weight or not. Let’s be logical. No one got fat eating those things. People get fat by eating ice cream, cup cakes, donuts and bagels so why take it out on the poor banana? Doesn’t it make more sense to quit eating the things that made us fat?

Lie #2 Fat makes you fat.

It sounds logical but fats are an essential part of your diet. Fat-soluble vitamins, such as Vitamin A, could not be absorbed without some fat in the diet. Fat also supplies the body with energy. It contains more energy than any other nutrient (9 calories per gram). It also cushions organs, builds cell membranes and may actually lower the risk for some diseases, including some cancers and heart disease. Best of all it makes you feel satiated so you eat less. BUT not all fats are equal. There is saturated, poly unsaturated, trans fats and on and on. It is a lot to remember so keep it simple with these little rules. 1. Never, ever, eat a hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated fat. That means margarine and shortening and it maybe in your peanut butter, bread, crackers and chips. You will have to actually read the ingredients to be sure because labeling rules are tricky. 2. Keep animal fats at a minimum. 3. Plant based fats are fine as long as they are not hydrogenated.

Lie # 3 Soy milk is a health food.

Haven’t you wondered how they milk a soy bean? Whole beans are okay and occasionally tofu but soy contains isoflavones, which your body converts to phytoestrogens, a chemical that is similar in composition to estrogen. It is complicated by the fact that soy is in a lot of processed foods (like meal replacement bars) and it is usually concentrated. It is also one of the big three genetically modified crops (GMO) if that concerns you. Men should absolutely not drink soy milk and I wish women wouldn’t.

Lie # 4 Organic means healthy.

No! No! No! Simple sugar can be organic and it is definitely bad for you. Organic is a good thing but doesn’t make an unhealthy food healthy.

Lie # 5 Artificial sweeteners are better than sugar.

Where does aspartame come from? Splenda? Only your chemist knows. Losing weight is not just about calories. Let me repeat that. Losing weight is not just about calories. Artificial sweeteners can cause metabolic syndrome (a lower metabolism) and keeps your body craving simple carbs. If you drink diet soda your chances of being obese goes up 40%.

That will do it for now . . . until I remember something else that makes me crazy.