A Troubling Trend in Life Expectancy

[Slammr (imported)]

Around the first of the month I bought a Vitamix (https://www.vitamix.com/Home/) blender at Costco. This thing will liquify anything, even seeds.

For breakfast, I have a fruit smoothie made with whole fruit, no fruit juice added. I usually add a little kale or cabbage to it. The drink is delicious and is whole fruit, seeds and all. For my other meals, I use it to make a soup, chock full of vegetables. Often, I add cashew nuts to it at a low speed, so bits of them are in the soup giving it some crunchies. Or rare occasions, I'll add a little chicken to the soup.

The only meat I eat is the chicken I add once in a while and a little broiled salmon two or three times a week. I use spices in the soup, especially turmeric, which is good for the brain, and cayenne pepper, which is also supposed to be good for the body. The soup I just made had a carrot, grapes, kale, spinach, onion, an avocado, a banana, turmeric, cayenne pepper, a spice mix, and a little "Better than Bouillon" organic chicken base. It was delicious, and it feels good in the stomach.

During the last month, I've lost about five pounds, and my body fat index has gone down by about 2%. Another five pounds and I'll be at my lowest weight in forty years.

These blenders are expensive, but they are not anything like the blender you have at home. They will even liquify flax seeds. I watched them being demonstrated at Costco for years before finally buying one. I love it. I wish I'd bought one years ago. I'm recommending it not spamming it. I have no stake in the company, and will not benefit from anyone buying it.

[Paolo]

I like my soup on the chunky side. Sounds nice, though.

[Sweetpickle (imported)]

I hope you cook the chicken first !

[Paolo]

Me or slammr? I always cook my meats (other than beef) thoroughly.

[Arab Nights (imported)]

Th

Let's play a game here. Let's say you have $100 to feed you through the month. That's it, just $100. Chances are, you're not gonna be able to find yourself a proper, balanced diet on $3 a day.

It wouldn't be a bad idea for the honchos of ALL organizations (business, union, government) to have to periodically live like and work next to their underlings. Here is an article from Phoenix:

http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/story/19618 ... for-a-week

PHOENIX -

Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton stepped into the shoes of someone on a food stamp budget.

The mayor took part in a challenge where he had just $29 to spend on food for the entire week.

"So for the past week, I've lived on food stamps or at least the amount of money you get on food stamps," Mayor Stanton said.

With just $29 in his pocket, Mayor Stanton went grocery shopping for a weeks worth of meals.

"I lost a few pounds this week, I'm probably down about four pounds," Mayor Stanton said. "Occasionally I'd have a cup of coffee and skip a meal in order to make it through."

As part of Hunger Awareness Month, the Arizona Community Action Association asked the mayor and others to take the challenge.

"This is a terrible economy, a lot of people are living on food stamps that before were solidly middle class," Mayor Stanton said. "There are a lot who have a job but are significantly underemployed than what they're used to."

Facebook photos showed the mayor shopping. He bought chicken, pasta and Ramen noodles.

With a final bill of $28.30, he said he was barely able to meet his minimal nutritional needs.

"Really, what I had to give up and what I'm used to is the stuff that I love. Sorbet, ice cream, potato chips--none of that," Mayor Stanton said.

The goal of the challenge was to make elected leaders more understanding when making decisions that affect people living in difficult circumstances.

"I think it worked in that regard, I think it will make me a better policy maker," Mayor Stanton said.

[Elizabeth (imported)]

This is just another half-assed response from someone who clearly doesn't understand the root issues. Just someone with a severely low income, who's been there and might have a valid reason or two for why this is happening.

It may seem counterintuitive, but quite honestly I feel one of the major reasons for the obesity epidemic is actually poverty. To be specific, something that seems to have been titled 'food insecurity'. Let's play a game here. Let's say you have $100 to feed you through the month. That's it, just $100. Chances are, you're not gonna be able to find yourself a proper, balanced diet on $3 a day. So, you have to make compromises. First among those is, proper eating, or feeling full (http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/12/0 ... lthy-food/)? If it comes down to it, would you rather be hungry for most of the month but eat right, or eat crap but actually feel full? $3 a day buys a lot of ramen and other carbohydrates. I've been there. Hell, I AM there. And if you've met me in person, I'm sure you can guess which route I've chosen.

To make things worse, when those suffering from food security issues do tend to get money, they have trained their bodies to seek out calorie-heavy, nutrition-light foods so as to provide more of a buffer in case they run out of food. In essence, because their food supply is not secure, they continue to overeat crap whenever they get a chance, so as to ensure they don't risk going without.

You have no idea how much I'd love to eliminate most of the carbs from my diet, eat mostly meat, fresh fruit, and veggies. The sad fact is though, that would at least triple my food budget, and that's something I cannot afford. It's just cheaper to live on a high-carb diet consisting primarily of things like rice, ramen, and potatoes. $10 buys a hell of a lot of all three, enough to make you feel full for days on end. Of course, diets like that will also radically decrease your life expectancy, and increase your waistline. Though at least you won't feel hungry all the time...

Simply put, obesity isn't just a sign of having too much. It's also a sign of having too little, as strange as that sounds.

There are many studies that support the fact that eating healthy is significantly more expensive eating high calorie cheap food. I understand why poor people would be dying younger, I don't understand why it's effecting white people more than others.

Elizabeth

[Slammr (imported)]

I hope you cook the chicken first !

If you're talking about me, I either add canned chicken or chicken I've bought already cooked and ready to eat.

[moi621 (imported)]

The problem with juiced foods is the change in the dynamics or velocity of digestion.

But, hey - whatever works.

I would tell patients, "nothing mashed, pounded, ground or juiced except meat".

You can juice meat into puree and it will not change its' slow digestion.

Moi

[Slammr (imported)]

The problem with juiced foods is the change in the dynamics or velocity of digestion.

But, hey - whatever works.

I would tell patients, "nothing mashed, pounded, ground or juiced except meat".

You can juice meat into puree and it will not change its' slow digestion.

Moi

That it would change how food is digested was - is - a concern of mine. On the plus side, it unlocks nutrients that would otherwise pass through undigested.

I am having a previously scheduled fasting blood work done tomorrow, which I can compare to one done earlier this year. Although it's been less than a month that I've had this blender and changed how I'm eating, it will be interesting to see if there is a change.

[moi621 (imported)]

That it would change how food is digested was - is - a concern of mine. On the plus side, it unlocks nutrients that would otherwise pass through undigested.

I am having a previously scheduled fasting blood work done tomorrow, which I can compare to one done earlier this year. Although it's been less than a month that I've had this blender and changed how I'm eating, it will be interesting to see if there is a change.

Blood Work, 2-3 hours after a meal is best.

Won't effect glycohemoglobin - Hemoglobin A1c and you don't live your life fasting.

You are designed to absorb certain nutrients over hours, not minutes.

That's what I mean about the velocity of absorption.

Again, I do not argue with, what works.

G'Luck