Companies That Profit from Unhealthy Food Say Keep Eating Junk, Just Exercise More

By Jill Richardson
New rule (as Bill Maher would say): If you make billions of dollars a year selling unhealthy food, you don't get to tell us to work out.

It was one thing when Cookie Monster began telling kids to eat vegetables. Cookie Monster doesn't earn a living by selling cookies, and vegetables are a fantastic alternative to cookies.

But it was a totally different story when  Ronald McDonald went all Richard Simmons on us, visiting schools to tell kids to work out.

Exercise is a great idea, but it's not diet advice. Yet this is a frequent tactic of many of the corporations that rake in profits by selling us junk.

Take Coca-Cola's shameless  new fitness campaign. "Are you sitting on a solution?" asks a photo on the company's website, depicting two people cuddled up, sitting on a beach. The thing is, they're drinking the problem: Coca-Cola.

Let me translate Coke's new campaign into plain English: "Don't blame us for America's public health crisis." The company is also asking you to not notice that while the  American Heart Association recommends no more than six teaspoons of sugar per day for women (nine for men),  a single can of Coca-Cola has nearly 10 teaspoons of the sweet stuff.

Or maybe this is what the ad campaign is really saying: "Please ignore the fact that, over the years, we've sold our flagship product in larger and larger containers. Just exercise a bit more - here, we'll even help with some tips - and then you won't notice that our product is terrible for you. Keep drinking Coke, and don't regulate us."      

Increase in male eating disorders

Ben says he had 'anxieties about body image' The number of men suffering from eating disorders is rising, says the Royal College of General Practitioners.

It says it wants doctors to be more aware of the problem because it is usually seen as a female issue.

"If doctors see a young man who is thin they are more likely to think that he is depressed," a spokesperson said.

The NHS says there's been a 66% increase in hospital admissions in England for male eating disorders over the last 10 years.

Diagnosis The charity beat estimates that 1.6 million people in the UK have an eating disorder and it is thought that one in five sufferers is male.

The Department of Health does not keep records which show exactly how many sufferers there are in England.

Drastically Decrease Your Exposure to BPA by Eating Less Packaged Food

By Ethan A. Huff
Natural News, May 2, 2011
Straight to the Source

For related articles and more information, please visit OCA's Health Issues page and our Food Safety page.

One of the best ways to avoid exposure to the toxic plastics chemical bisphenol-A (BPA) might simply be to cut packaged foods from your diet, says a new study published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives. Plastic bags, containers, cups, wraps, and other types of food packaging often contain not only BPA, but other harmful plastics chemicals. But by eating only fresh, non-packaged foods, you can reduce your blood levels of these chemicals by up to 90 percent in just three days.

Scientists from both the Breast Cancer Fund and the Silent Spring Institute conducted their study on five families. The families were instructed to remove all packaged foods from their diets for three days, and instead eat only organic foods stored in glass or stainless steel containers. Measured before, during, and after the study, urinary BPA levels dropped an average of 60 percent after just three days. Those with the highest initial levels of BPA saw a 75 percent drop after just three days of non-exposure.

The team also evaluated levels of DEHP; a type of phthalate used in food packaging, and found that after three days of non-exposure, participants' levels dropped an average of 50 percent. Those with the highest initial levels of DEHP saw an astounding 90 percent drop, which indicates that simply removing packaged foods from one's diet, even for just a few days, can virtually eliminate some of these dangerous toxins from the body.

Eating casualties

The Lees' daughter Helen died following anorexia The first national Service of Dedication for lives lost to eating disorders has taken place in London's Southwark Cathedral.

The charity Beat estimates that eating disorders affect 1.6 million people in the UK. A fifth will die from associated health problems.

About 300 guests were at the service, including those with disorders and families of those who have died.

100 candles were lit in memory of lives lost.

Beat is hoping that the event will raise awareness of mortality rates.

People with eating disorders are more likely to die than people with any other mental illness.

Continue reading the main story“Start QuoteParents who are even slightly suspicious need to seek help, because things can go downhill very fast”

End QuoteGillian LeeMother Parents of anorexia girl speak out The brother of Sareh Perry who died in 2004 of anorexia gave this tribute to his sister.

"A european diving champion, artist, teacher, alcoholic, anorexic. Sareh we will always miss you and we will never truly understand an illness that took you from us.

"But we will do everything we can to make a positive stance on your memory."

His speech was given an applause and from a few, a standing ovation.

There was also music and hymns including Lord of all Hopefulness and Praise Him.

Andrew and Gillian Lee, from Harrow-on-the-Hill, Middlesex, also attended the service.

Their daughter, Helen, died in 2003 aged 18. She experienced multiple organ failure following a five-year battle with anorexia.

"Helen was a very very happy youngster," says Mr Lee, who is a senior master at a secondary school.

"She was talented, open and a good athlete. Unfortunately that was all destroyed by the illness.

"It's a terrible disease which sets up great battles within the minds of the sufferers and that's very destructive."

Food That Can Kill You: Meet the Folks Offering a Heart-Attack Alternative to Healthier Eating

By Ari LeVaux
Alternet,

The burgers are free-all day, every day-at the Heart Attack Grill in Chandler, AZ. The only catch is you have to weigh at least 350 lbs. The fake nurse who weighs you is young, hot, and female. All guests, regardless of weight, are called "patients," and are "admitted" by the "nurses," who dress them in bibs that look like hospital gowns. Strategically placed mirrors behind the counter provide patients with heart-stopping views of fake-nurse crotch.

The menu includes unfiltered cigarettes and milkshakes reputed to have the highest fat content in the world, but burgers are the main attraction. They range from the Single through the Quadruple Bypass, based on the number of patties they contain, with two pieces of cheese for each patty, between buns shiny with lard. If you finish an 8,000-calorie Quadruple Bypass Burger, a fake nurse will push you by wheelchair all the way to your car. On a recent visit, Zach Fowle of the Phoenix New Times reported watching one customer eat two Quadruples. "The guy has the meat sweats and looks like he might spew at any minute. It's a good thing he's getting wheeled out, because it looks like he can barely walk," Fowle observed. The burgers come with all-you-can-eat "Flatliner Fries," which are cooked in lard and smothered with cheese and/or gravy.

In every fiber of its being (perhaps fiber is the wrong word), the Heart Attack Grill is a one-fingered salute to the health food movement. That's the idea anyway, according to owner Jon Basso.

10 Diet Rules You Can Break

There are actually diet rules out there that are meant to be broken? Yes, recently many dated diet guidelines and myths are up for speculation. You’ve probably heard all these silly rules before, but experts weigh-in on the worthiness of these supposed truisms - most of which won't help you lose weight or make dieting any easier.

10 Food Rules You Can Ignore:

1. Eating at night will pile on the pounds. The total calories you consume over a 24-hour period or over a week is what causes you to gain weight, and when you eat these calories doesn't matter.

2. It's best to eat at the same times every day. Eat when you're hungry, not when the clock says it's time to eat.

3. Dieting with a buddy always makes weight loss easier. Common goals may pay off but weight loss is a personal journey.

4. Dietary fat keeps you feeling full longer, so you'll eat less. Fat does take longer to digest, but it will not help you control your appetite. Foods likely to fight off hunger the longest are protein foods, followed by carbohydrates, then fats.

5. When you blow your diet, you might as well wait until the next day to get back on track. Nothing could be farther from the truth- always try to get right back on track with your next meal.

6. Refusing food at a party or when visiting is rude. Turning down food that you know will blow your diet is socially acceptable.

7. Skipping a meal every now and then will help you lose. Skipping a meal means you will be so hungry at the next meal that you are likely to overeat. This can also help lead to a slowdown of your metabolism.

8. Bread is fattening, nuts are fattening, pasta is fattening. Whole-wheat bread/pasta is a great source of nutrients, and it won't make you gain weight more than any other food with the same number of calories.

9. All calories are equal. This is somewhat true, however; you'll get more nutrients from a 100-calorie apple than from a 100-calorie portion of white bread. Choose healthier items if you are losing weight, or controlling your hunger.

10. If you don't clean your plate, you're wasting food. If you just don't feel right leaving the table until you've cleaned your plate, underestimate your hunger and put less food on your plate to begin with, or you may overeat.

Don’t believe everything you hear! Much of it is just superstition. Now you can tell your friends the real truth. In the end, nutrition experts say, many of the food and dieting rules we hold dear are meant to be broken - without guilt!