EATING HABITS CONTRIBUTE TO BEING OBESE,  OR DIABETES

I MET DR. RENA WING, HEAD OF OBESITY AND DIABETES, AT BROWN UNIVERSITY, MEDICAL SCHOOL, WHEN I WAS WELL ON MY WAY TO CURING MYSELF OF ADULT DIABETES.  WE MET IN A TELEVISION STUDIO, INTERVIEWING FOR A SHOW.        

DR.WING MADE A SIMPLE STATEMENT IN HER INTERVIEW.  SHE SAID “WHEN WE TAKE IN MORE FUEL THAN OUR PHYSICAL NEEDS, WE WILL GET FAT”.  OUR BODIES PROCESS THE FOOD WE EAT INTO GLUCOSE, WHICH CONVERTS INTO THE FUEL WE USE TO GENERATE THE PHYSICAL NEEDS OF OUR BODIES.

SHE MADE IT SO SIMPLE.  WHEN WE EAT MORE THAN WE PHYSICALLY NEED, THE DIGESTED FOOD IS NOT USED.  IT TURNS OUT TO BE STORED FUEL – AROUND OUR BELLIES.  YES, THE CREATOR DESIGNED OUR BODIES TO TAKE AN ABUNDANCE OF FOOD AND STORE IT FOR THE TIMES WHEN WE CONSUME LITTLE,  OR NO, FOOD. I CALL THIS THE “FAMINE PROTECTION” PART OF US. 

THERE ARE SEVERAL WAYS WE CREATE AN ABUNDANCE BY THE OUR EATING HABITS.  LET’S FIRST LOOK AT EATING LARGER PORTIONS. I BELIEVE THAT MOST OF US ARE GUILTY OF OVER-SIZING, AND DO NOT KNOW WHAT THAT DOES TO US. 

WE ARE BEING ENTICED BY SEVERAL TYPES OF ADVERTISING.  MOST KNOW THE LURE OF “BIG” AND THE “WHOPPER”, AND THE ITEMS THAT GO ALONG WITH THEM.  WE ARE BEING TAKEN IN BY THE THOUGHT OF SOME FOOD IS NOW BIGGER THAN BEFORE. IT COULD BE TWICE AS BIG, BUT WE ARE ONLY PAYING HALF AS MUCH MORE.  WHAT A BARGAIN, AND WE GO MUNCHING AWAY.  IT IS A BARGAIN MONEY-WISE, BUT HEALTH-WISE, USUALLY NOT SO.

THE DANGER OF FAT/OBESE TO YOU IS THAT YOU ACTUALLY FEEL COMPELLED TO EAT ALL OF IT.  WHETHER THIS IS THAT YOU JUST PAID FOR IT, OR THAT EVERYONE ELSE AROUND YOU IS DOING THE SAME THING, GENERATING A FEEL GOOD ATMOSPHERE,   YOU DON’T THINK ABOUT IT, YOU JUST EAT IT.

WHAT IS GOING ON IN OUR BODIES WHILE WE HAVE BEEN GORGING OURSELVES?  OUR DIGESTION SYSTEM CAN’T STOP THE FLOW OF FOOD DROPPING IN ON IT.  YOUR DIGESTION SYSTEM IS LIKE A CLOTHES WASHER.  YOU CAN ONLY STUFF SO MANY CLOTHES INTO IT, AT A GIVEN TIME. THE REST OF THE CLOTHES, SITS AND WAITS.

WHEN YOU OVERLOAD YOUR FOOD PROCESSOR, IT SAYS OK, YOU KEEP STUFFING YOURSELF, OR GIVING US THE STUFF TOO FAST, WE CAN ONLY PROCESS SO MUCH.  WE WILL LET IT PILE UP, AND GET TO IT, IN ITS TURN. 

WHAT HAPPENS TO THE EXTRA FOOD?  IT NEEDS TO BE PUT AWAY.  ALL HOUSEWIVES LIKE TO KEEP A TIDY PLACE, AND SOME BACHELORS.  THE LIVER WILL TAKE FOOD AND PUT IT IN OUR FAT CELLS, AROUND OUR WAISTS.  

IN ADDITION TO MEAL ITEMS GETTING BIGGER, SNACKS ARE ALSO GETTING BIGGER.  MANY SNACKS ARE NOW TWICE, OR LARGER THAN THEY WERE 10 YEARS AGO.

THEY INCLUDE –

THERE ARE MANY OTHER MEAL AND SNACK EXAMPLES.

YOU MAY WANT TO RESIGN FROM THE CHILDHOOD “CLEAN YOUR PLATE CLUB”. IT DOES HELP. 

I AM TRYING TO PROVIDE YOU WITH THE KNOWLEDGE THAT WE HAVE UNTHINKINGLY,   INVITED “BIGGER” INTO OUR LIFESTYLE, AND OTHERS HAVE NOW SEEN US GET BIGGER, AND WONDERED WHY.  AND UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAVE BECOME  UNHEALTHY.
     
WHEN WE TRY TO RELATE THE AMOUNT OF FOOD WE SHOULD ONLY EAT TO MEET OUR PHYSICAL NEEDS, WE CAN VISUALIZE A COUCH POTATO THAT CAN DO NICELY WITH A FEW CRACKERS.
 
WE ARE CAPTURED BY ADVERTISED LARGER QUANTITIES OF FOOD, BUT APPARENTLY WE ARE ONLY PAYING A PORTION OF THE INCREASED COST.  IN REALITY, THE FOOD MERCHANT DOES NOT HAVE TO DOUBLE HIS EXPENSES, AND WILL STILL MAKE A GOOD PROFIT.  WE LOSE AS WE GAIN UNWANTED POUNDS. 

 IF YOU EAT IN FOOD  ESTABLISHMENTS, YOU WILL BE GIVEN A LARGE PLATE AND A VERY LARGE AMOUNT OF FOOD TO CONSUME.  YOU CAN’T ESCAPE IT, IT KEEPS  COMING THAT WAY. 

FOR DINNER, YOU CAN ASK FOR THE LUNCHEON MENU.

          YOU CAN CONTROL WHAT YOU ARE SERVED!

          SOME MORNINGS, AT THE REGION’S BEST MORNING RESTAURANT, I HAVE CREATED A MENU ITEM. I ORDER ONE WAFFLE AND THREE SOUP BOWLS. ONE FOR BLUEBERRIES, ONE FOR STRAWBERRIES, AND  ONE FOR BANANAS.  I DUMP THEM ONE AT A TIME ON THE WAFFLE. THIS FITS MY NEED FOR A HEALTHY MEAL, AND AT $7.50, A REASONABLE COST.   

          I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU A COMMON EATING HABIT THAT CAUSES A PROBLEM. 

          I AM A MEMBER OF A YMCA BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR SEVEN YMCA BRANCHES.  I WAS AT A YEARLY MEETING TO REVIEW PLANS AND PROGRESS.  AFTER THE DISCUSSIONS, WE WERE TO HAVE A NICE DINNER.

          THE  PRESIDENT OF A LOCAL BANK CAME UP TO ME, JUST WHEN WE HEADED TO THE DINING ROOM.    

“AS A BANK PRESIDENT, HE SAID, I HAVE TO MAINTAIN THE RIGHT IMAGE.” HE WAS WEARING A VERY EXPENSIVE BUSINESS SUIT, AND I WAS PUZZELED.  HE PATTED HIS STOMACH, AND SAID, “I DON’T EAT MUCH BUT I KEEP PUTTING ON THE POUNDS”.

WITHOUT HESITATING, I SAID “YOU EAT TOO FAST’.  “HOW DID YOU KNOW “ HE ASKED.  “I AM AN EXPERT ON DIGESTION SYSTEMS” I ANSWERED. “YOUR STOMACH CAN ONLY PROCESS THE INTAKE OF FOOD UP TO A FIXED RATE.  THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM SENDS THE OVER CAPACITY TO OUR FAT CELLS.”  HE THANKED ME AND SAID HE WAS GOING TO TAKE MORE TIME FOR HIS MEALS.         

          I THOUGHT ABOUT THE CONVERSATION AND DECIDED I SHOULD TALK TO SCHOOL TEACHERS AND NURSES, WHO PROBABLY HAVE LIMITED TIME FOR MEALS.

       WE WILL NOW LOOK AT A VERY DIFFERENT FOOD PROCESSING PROBLEM THAT CAN LEAD TO DIABETES.