Supersize Me
Directed and Produced
by Morgan Spurlock
Samuel Goldwyn Films,
Roadside Attractions
Although this film came out in 2004 the information in it is still relevant today. The basic premise of this documentary film is what would happen if you only ate at McDonald's for one month.
Director Morgan Spurlock did exactly that. At the beginning of the film his personal trainer shows that he is in above average shape as compared to the majority of the American public. Some of the rules for Spurlock's McDiet were that he must eat three full meals a day from McDonald's, he could only eat food that came from McDonald's, and that he could only supersize his meal if that option was offered to him (if it was not offered he was not allowed to make that choice on his own).
In nutrition circles there is a abbreviation for the standard American diet, SAD. And SAD it is. Often overloaded with sugar, fat and/or salt, nutritionally deficient, mostly beige, it's not a health-sustaining, nourishing diet.
It's not a good thing that many of our fast food choices, McDonalds, KFC, Pizza Hut, Coca Cola, Pepsi and more have all gone abroad, encouraging obesity and poor nutritional choices.
Now the SAD exports have gone one step further. Apparently British shoppers have begun to develop a taste for "American" foods; something they call squeezy cheese as well as jell-o, Hershey's, tootsie rolls and more. Bringing these products into the grocery stores will create easier access and increase the potential for further destruction of health and nutrition.
Although some of the products may be manufactured slightly differently as I've mentioned in articles before, it can still be an overwhelming deluge of non-healthy food items. I can only hope that the novelty of having foods from another country will wear off and the British will choose to avoid the over-processed, highly chemical versions of not-food coming to a grocery shelf near them. I'm sad to think that junk food is one of our big exports, it's not something to be proud of.
It's never the same two weeks in a row. This is a collection of what I find interesting in food, nutrition, and holistic health. It's what's on my mind.
Re-homing chickens - Most people are not aware of the fact that chickens do not lay eggs their entire life. Just for a few years; and yet they can live to be as much as 15 years old. So what happens to them when they are no longer "productive?" In the case of a commercial egg operation they're usually slaughtered. But now an organization is finding new homes for chickens who are no longer laying eggs. A very cool concept and definitely part of the ethical cycle of respect for the animal.
The undervalued superfood - I love the concept of superfoods, and there are many, which do not need to come from other continents. There are so many wonderful, health-supporting foods all around us. In this case the newest "super" food to get attention? Beans. High in fiber and protein, stabilizing for blood sugar, fabulous for intestinal health, these are just a few of the wonderful reasons to eat beans.
Consumers are bad at math - This is a link to a video that explains the reasons why we are bad a shopping math and how marketers use this to their advantage. While it's harder to do this kind of math 'on the fly' when you're shopping and in a hurry to get home with your purchases, I've realized it's something I need to focus on more in order to make sure I am getting the best deals I can for my family. My important addendum? Make sure you are not hungry when you are shopping, that's just going to make things worse.
Ten Year Old Convinces Corporation To Give Up Styrofoam - This is one of those stories that I love. We are surrounded more and more by kid-advocates who are taking the lead in changing the world around them and changing it for the better. Birke Baehr, a future farmer, spreading the word about sustainable agriculture, and Julia Bluhm, who convinced a major magazine to start using un-photoshopped pictures in their pages are among just a few of the young heros making a difference. I think they are wonderful and amazing.
For today's video we have a great one from my friend Julie Matthews - Making Veggie Latkes, a wonderful way to get more veggies into a picky eater. This recipe also deals with issues for those whose bodies don't handle starches well.
Julie also has a great cooking program available on her website. If you're looking to make changes to your diet, either because of Autism or because of a need to follows GAPS, SCD, Feingold, Body Ecology or other dietary protocols, this is the program for you.
What I'm Reading:
Drop Dead Healthy: One Mans Humble Quest for Bodily Perfection by A.J. Jacobs. One man's mission to learn how his body works, to lose weight, lower his cholesterol, and attempt to turn himself into the ultimately healthy person. Mr. Jacobs took two years to learn everything he could about his body. The book is a rather self-depreciating, humorous, fact-filled look at all the things we don't know which impact our health. Breaking the quest into 27 smaller tasks he focuses one-at-a-time on various parts of his body such as The Stomach, The Heart, The Ears, The Butt, etc.
Given his day job as the editor at large for Esquire magazine he had access to an astounding array of experts for support and information. Each chapter has one or more experts that he consulted to learn the latest information about the science and theories behind what it takes to find health for that body part.
He didn't limit himself to mainstream medicine and modern theory. He was on a mission to try it all and to learn everything he could. Along the way he submitted himself to various activities such as a Caveman Workout (running barefoot and bare chested through Central Park), a pole dancing class, neurofeedback, and joining a laughter club. He also shared his thoughts and reflections on how he feels physically and/or emotionally after trying many of these, being mindfully aware of how his focus is affecting him.
Scattered throughout the book are checkups where he lists his weight, and a few other variable facts (such as how many pushups he can do). The appendices at the end of the book is filled with tips, the highlights of what he learned during the year-long experiment. It's a quick and easy read, yet filled with fascinating facts and some good ideas about how to become healthier.
