For my last blog post, I decided to discuss some main points from an interesting book that I just read called "In Defense of Food" by Michael Pollan. I think it is very relevant to health because he discusses how the ways that we eat and out "Western diet" are not very beneficial to our health at all and how since the age of "nutritionism" has began, Americans have gotten no healthier and the health of society has not improved much as a whole.First, Pollan points out how now that scientists are focusing more on the nutritional quality of foods and simplifying them down to their basic nutrients, they are failing to see the whole picture and try and figure out how the mixture of foods is beneficial to our bodies. Focusing on just one nutrient in one food item is not very good for us because then we deprive our bodies of other important nutrients contained in those foods by genetically enhancing or breeding them to produce more of the nutrient that we want.
Some examples that Pollan uses are the fact that scientists and food manufacturers have been trying to make foods more rich in Omega-6's, which while necessary for the body, are not necessary in the amounts that we receive. It more beneficial for out bodies to receive Omega-3's, which are found in things like fish and other food products. It was proven that children who received more Omega-3's than children who received more Omega-6's, scored better on test they were given to determine if the amount and types of Omegas affected brain development. They learned that children who receive more Omega-3's have better and more advanced brain development than the other group.
Another example that he used was about a study done on Aborigines in Australia. After altering their diet to a more western diet, the Aborigines have noticeably more health related problems such as diabetes, high blood pressure and cholesterol, and heart problems. This group was taken "into the bush" and told to eat and forage like they would in their culture for a few weeks. At the end of the study the Aborigines had lowered blood pressure and cholesterol, less severe diabetes, and some heart conditions completely went away. After dieting on wild things such as animals and plants, they became noticeably healthier overall.
Pollan's main point was that there are many diets in the world and our body is able to handle any of them, but the western diet is one that out bodies can neither handle or cope with as it is detrimental to our bodies and health.
Wow! This is actually one of my favorite book of all time. Your blog post is very interesting. It captures most of the main points from Michael Pollan's book. We must try to eat food, mainly fruits and vegetables and in moderation. Pollan views are from a wholistic perspective of health as against scientific views where they focus more on the nutritional quality. I really think that everyone should take the time to read this book I am positive that it will make a difference in your life. As for your blog post you did a great job!
ReplyDeleteI completely agree that all of the research being done has not made us have any healthier of a diet. Omega 3's can also be found in things like beef, but only if the animal is able to graze on grass which the majority don't do because of factory farming. We need to find a way to make sure that we get a healthier diet like the Aborigines do!
ReplyDeleteThis is an interesting topic. It is interesting how our diet has evolved in a way over time. It seams as if we went from not having a care in the world of what we ate in the early days and could eat anything in the wild. Now we are counting calories and have to look at all the chemiacals and ingredients that are in our foods. Great topic. Everyone should have a basic knowledge about nutrition, it is useful knowledge.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading this blog but also I cant sit here an say I agree with it totally because I do not eat health nor do I care about my diet but great job on the blog
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