I used to believe that eating too much on the path to obesity was primarily a lack of self-control. I used to judge people accordingly. I now know why that self-control is difficult.
Like most people in the health industry, I have been frustrated by patients who put on weight, can’t lose it when recommended and come up with the same excuses of ‘I can’t exercise like I used to’, despite the fact that their bodies are failing under the progressive problems associated with obesity.
I used to judge people harder than I do now. It took me a long time to work out why I had poor control over eating and yet stubborn willpower over most other things.
I realise now that food and particularly Fructose has a profound effect on me chemically. Add upon that the environmental factors and it is nearly impossible to NOT succumb to the ‘convenience’ food industry that bombards us every hour of every day. We are rushing along exposed to passive and active advertising and surrounded by the ‘short term’ benefits of processed food and lifestyle. It takes a lot of work and time to prepare and eat properly.
I have had another month of seeing patients and operating on them with their diabetic and weight related issues. More failing organs, infections and pain for people whose systems are deteriorating as a result of their diets.
I heard 2 quotes recently by Peter Attia:-
‘Scientific truth is not final but constantly evolving’ and
‘I cannot afford the luxury of certainty.’
They struck a chord with me as there continues to be commentary in the literature and media which blurs the debate about processed food and sugars being responsible for our obesity issues as a society. There is a call by some to await further research before blaming our food intake for our situation. It reminds me of the ‘smoke screen’ put up by the tobacco industry for decades.
My interpretation of the biochemistry and association literature is that our current western diet is to blame. Fructose and polyunsaturated oils combine to give us inflammation in every vessel and organ in the body. The refined and processed flours just add to this with spiking insulin effects. I am ‘certain’ of this. Is this completely proven without doubt in the scientific literature? No. But there is enough information there for me to advise the NoFructose concept – Low Carb and Healthy Fat living.
I know that the science is yet to prove beyond a doubt which part of our food intake is responsible for our health issues. It will be a combination of factors and the sugar industry will blame someone else and the seed oil industry will push it away from them. The convenience food industry will say it is a lack of exercise and our governments remain exposed to all of these vested interests.
To me there is no cost and no side effects to going back to eating real food. This involves cutting back dramatically on our sugar and particularly Fructose consumption as well as avoiding the polyunsaturated oils and processed foods which inundate the food aisles.
The individual has a choice. I have a choice. The choice for me was to make a change. The benefits I am seeing around me from others taking a major interest in a LCHF diet propels this concept on.
I am sorry it has taken so long for me to change my way of thinking. I am sorry that the medical profession is taking its time to confront the food industry. I can see that they are waiting for ‘certainty’ but it may be a long time coming. I am not waiting.
