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Are smokers idiots? Are you an idiot if you eat processed food?

#nutritionforlife

#nutritionforlife

Are smokers idiots? Are they informed about the health risks? YES to both.

Are you an idiot if you eat processed food?

I used to get cranky about people smoking when I knew the health risks of the habit. Some years ago I actually looked at the known health costs in comparison to taxes paid and calculated that smokers were holding the Australian economy to ransom  to the tune of several billion dollars per annum. They still are. The health costs of cigarettes are still in excess of the tax revenue raised.

But as time has gone on, I have come to realise that smokers have been clearly told of the risks of continuing their habit.  It is common knowledge that over time cigarette smoking is associated with a wide spectrum of diseases. Watching someone die from these conditions is not pretty. But they knew about it along the way. They were definitely ‘informed idiots’ as are those that continue to smoke today.

What about most of the population eating processed food containing too much sugar, too much refined carbohydrate and polyunsaturated oils? Continue reading

It’s so ‘^%$^&’ obvious what we have to do

Has anyone noticed this week that politicians and economists are discussing how to raise taxes to pay for the increasing burden of health costs in Australia? Increasing the GST from 10% TO 15% has been discussed along with raising taxes but that will not even get halfway to covering the expected costs of health care. Numbers are being plucked out of the air from all commentaries.

I have not heard a single comment about how we can decrease the costs of health care in Australia. It’s all about spending more and more on treating the outcomes. It’s quite simple – we don’t have enough money to keep treating disease in a reactive fashion.

Prevention has to be the key was in turning around the health of our nation.

There is only one answer and that’s getting back to the cause. We need to eat real food that is fresh, local and seasonal and get away from the processed food that is high in sugar, refined carbs and polyunsaturated inflammatory oils. That happens to be LCHF – Lower Carbohydrate and Healthy Fat living.

I am caught between anger and bemusement when I keep hearing politicians prattle on about this. Goodness knows who is advising them because some hard decisions are not being discussed, let alone being made.

It’s so ‘^%$^&’ obvious what we have to do.

It’s so ‘^%$^&’ obvious what we have to do.

Gary Fettke No Fructose's photo.

Has anyone noticed this week that politicians and economists are discussing how to raise taxes to pay for the increasing burden of health costs in Australia? Increasing the GST from 10% TO 15% has been discussed along with raising taxes but that will not even get halfway to covering the expected costs of health care. Numbers are being plucked out of the air from all commentaries.

I have not heard a single comment about how we can decrease the costs of health care in Australia. It’s all about spending more and more on treating the outcomes. It’s quite simple – we don’t have enough money to keep treating disease in a reactive fashion.

Prevention has to be the key was in turning around the health of our nation.

There is only one answer and that’s getting back to the cause. We need to eat real food that is fresh, local and seasonal and get away from the processed food that is high in sugar, refined carbs and polyunsaturated inflammatory oils. That happens to be LCHF – Lower Carbohydrate and Healthy Fat living.

I am caught between anger and bemusement when I keep hearing politicians prattle on about this. Goodness knows who is advising them because some hard decisions are not being discussed, let alone being made.

It’s so ‘^%$^&’ obvious what we have to do.

Is there good evidence that saturated fat is the cause of cardiovascular disease? My take on it is no.

Gary Fettke No Fructose's photo.

Virtually all studies on this topic have been association studies, that is, not causation proof. It is really hard to look at a single macronutrient over time and blame it or celebrate it.

Some of the earlier ‘saturated fat is bad for you studies’ even grouped cake and biscuits in with saturated fat intake. Completely different nutrients and makes a mockery of those guidelines that developed accordingly.

Recent studies have not shown a major reduction in cardiovascular risk with reducing saturated fat intake.

The Sydney Heart Study raised concerns that replacing it with polyunsaturated fats might be the cause of an increased rate of disease.

I am still waiting for someone/anyone to explain how a saturated fat can chemically create an inflammatory condition at a blood vessel level. I have been throwing out that challenge for over 2 years! Nothing from anyone.

I can describe a pathway for a polyunsaturated oil to do the damage and that is the basis of the ‘Nutritional Model of Modern Disease’. The combination of Fructose, refined carbohydrates and Polyunsaturated oils makes a very simple model.

http://www.nofructose.com/…/nutritional-model-of-modern-di…/

2015 Cochrane review update http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/…/10.…/14651858.CD011737/full

2013 Sydney Heart Study http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23386268

https://www.facebook.com/393958287365295/photos/a.407869679307489.94446.393958287365295/863096763784776/?type=3

Is there good evidence that saturated fat is the cause of cardiovascular disease?

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Is there good evidence that saturated fat is the cause of cardiovascular disease? My take on it is no.

Virtually all studies on this topic have been association studies, that is, not causation proof. It is really hard to look at a single macronutrient over time and blame it or celebrate it.

Some of the earlier ‘saturated fat is bad for you studies’ even grouped cake and biscuits in with saturated fat intake. Completely different nutrients and makes a mockery of those guidelines that developed accordingly. Continue reading

JERF is the same as LCHF

90C8D343-895A-495D-9234-5AC0B83B2695I regularly get asked what LCHF is.

Low Carbohydrate Healthy Fat eating is the science behind JERF – Just Eating Real Food.

If you eat real food that is fresh, local and seasonal you end up eating less processed food.

It means Lower Carbohydrate intake that are less processed, less refined and with less sugar in them. Processed food generally has Polyunsaturated seed oils in them to keep the production cost down – not for their healthy aspect! Continue reading

“Diabetes is the killer… at present, not cancer…yet.”

“Diabetes is the killer… at present, not cancer…yet.”

Sometimes you meet some inspirational people on the same journey.

I met up with Richard Tatwin this last week in Port Vila, Vanuatu. He is the Health Director of the Presbyterian Church Vanuatu (PCV). The PCV is the largest NGO health provider in Vanuatu.

Richard is a Ni Van that did his Optometry training in Melbourne and returned to Vanuatu about 12 years ago.

Richard has been running eye clinics around the Vanuatu islands for most of that time. A bit over 2 years ago he was approached to take on the Health Director role for the PCV. This involves continuing the eye clinics, supervising dental outreach and increasing nutritional education to the wider community.

That nutritional advice is very much LCHF. Eating local and seasonal, cutting way back on sugar and refined carbohydrates and recommending the saturated fats and not the polyunsaturated fats. That brought a smile to my face when I heard that! Continue reading

The 1970’s: When sugar was sold as a Diet aid.

Gary Fettke No Fructose's photo.

Can you believe the advertising by the sugar industry? This is what shaped our modern perception of sugar and fat. Fat was demonised and sugar was the perfect substitute for your health and waistline!

These images are from Big Sugar’s campaign of the 1970’s. We are still paying big time for this.