Why are We Still Living

[Michael G.]

Why is every food group (listed below) so bad in our senior years when we've been eating them all our lives? :icon_hungry:

Don't preach to me why you think they're bad now, preach to me why they haven't killed most of us yet. :mad: :22yikes:

Lunch meat,
Pizza,
White bread,
White rice,
Soda,
Microwave popcorn,
Can soup,
Breakfast Cereal,
Fruit in a Can,
Coffee creamer. :confused:

[Topspinmo]

My guess? didn’t over indulge or gorge. Too much anything not good And you forgot fried foods.

[ThirdOfFive]

Why is every food group (listed below) so bad in our senior years when we've been eating them all our lives? :icon_hungry:

Don't preach to me why you think they're bad now, preach to me why they haven't killed most of us yet. :mad: :22yikes:

Lunch meat,
Pizza,
White bread,
White rice,
Soda,
Microwave popcorn,
Can soup,
Breakfast Cereal,
Fruit in a Can,
Coffee creamer. :confused:
You forgot SPAM!!!!!

[retiredguy123]

In my opinion, genetics has a lot more to do with it than what you choose to eat. Weight is very important but a lot of people will gain weight regardless of how disciplined they try to be with their diet. Also, certain diseases are determined by your genetic chemistry. You can try to force yourself to develop healthy habits, but it usually doesn't work.

[Michael G.]

In my opinion, genetics has a lot more to do with it than what you choose to eat. Weight is very important but a lot of people will gain weight regardless of how disciplined they try to be with their diet. Also, certain diseases are determined by your genetic chemistry. You can try to force yourself to develop healthy habits, but it usually doesn't work.

One thing I notice there is more younger people watching and paying
attention to what they eat.

Also, any older villages people remember eating lard sandwiches?
Or raw beef and onions?
How about can beef or pigs knuckles.

[manaboutown]

In my opinion, genetics has a lot more to do with it than what you choose to eat. Weight is very important but a lot of people will gain weight regardless of how disciplined they try to be with their diet. Also, certain diseases are determined by your genetic chemistry. You can try to force yourself to develop healthy habits, but it usually doesn't work.

A few years ago during my annual physicals my doctor started to ask me how long my parents had lived. Apparently genetics is the greatest longevity factor assuming one does not die in an accident, get murdered, smoke cigarettes, become an alcoholic, meth addict or otherwise lead an unusually dangerous or unhealthy lifestyle.

I eat what I want for the most part and do not worry about it. I no longer consume much fried food or large quantities of red meat but I no longer crave them. I have never been drawn to salty or very sweet foods (I never liked cakes).

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Why is every food group (listed below) so bad in our senior years when we've been eating them all our lives? :icon_hungry:

Don't preach to me why you think they're bad now, preach to me why they haven't killed most of us yet. :mad: :22yikes:

Lunch meat,
Pizza,
White bread,
White rice,
Soda,
Microwave popcorn,
Can soup,
Breakfast Cereal,
Fruit in a Can,
Coffee creamer. :confused:

They haven't killed anyone who's still living yet. But a diet consisting primarily of the above list certainly has contributed to the deaths of many people who are dead. And it's not the fact that the popcorn comes from the microwave. It's the artificial flavoring, partially hydrogenated vegetable oil and salt that makes it unhealthy. Canned fruit *in heavy syrup* is a culprit. Canned soup *with high sodium levels* is less than healthy. *Sugar-coated* breakfast cereal is a trigger. Coffee creamer is more partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, with artificial flavoring and chemical emulsifiers. Lunch meat = sodium, nitrates, nitrites, and other potentially dangerous chemical additives. There's nothing wrong with pizza in moderation.

I'd say there's really nothing wrong with ANY of the above, as long as it's not your primary source of food. Ask everyone who died from the *combination* of obesity, diabetes, and heart failure, whether these foods are what killed them. Oh wait - you can't. Because they're dead.

[melpetezrinski]

Why is every food group (listed below) so bad in our senior years when we've been eating them all our lives? :icon_hungry:

Don't preach to me why you think they're bad now, preach to me why they haven't killed most of us yet. :mad: :22yikes:

Lunch meat,
Pizza,
White bread,
White rice,
Soda,
Microwave popcorn,
Can soup,
Breakfast Cereal,
Fruit in a Can,
Coffee creamer. :confused:


Poor diets don't necessarily kill you all of a sudden. It could take on a long, painful, agonizing last decade of life. Can you still fit in the clothes from 10 years ago? Have you had any cavities? How is your blood pressure? Do you have any pain? Any depression? Can you go up and down a flight of stairs without being winded? Then there is also the advancement in medicine. As long as we have our beta blockers, statins and insulin, we will keep eating all these foods you mentioned.

[Arctic Fox]

They haven't killed anyone who's still living yet. But a diet consisting primarily of the above list certainly has contributed to the deaths of many people who are dead.

You have to love survivorship bias :icon_twisted: It is the reason that most investment companies can show such good performance. All of their under-performing funds have been discontinued, so the remaining ones all show above average returns. If you included all of the funds that they have closed, their average performance would be considerably lower.

[EastCoastDawg]

"Living" is not always the same as "living well".

If we are overweight we may not be able to do everything that we could if we were lighter.

Also we may have to take numerous medications.

Eat what you enjoy, but in moderation or be prepared to accept the consequences.

[Pondboy]

It’s not that they’re bad for you in your senior years, they have always been bad for you. Food and nutrition was not really well understood, spoken of and taught. Now, it’s become more front and center.

Just because a food manufacturer makes something, don’t think it’s good for you. Buyer beware. Marketing is a powerful tool.

Modern medicine is helping your body offset your bad lifestyle choices (diet). That’s why everyone is on meds, overweight and stressed out. Your life span has decreased because of your diet.

[Keefelane66]

Stints, pacemakers, statins, blood thinners, CPAP

[manaboutown]

Modern medicine is helping your body offset your bad lifestyle choices (diet). That’s why everyone is on meds, overweight and stressed out. Your life span has decreased because of your diet.

While there is no question modern medicine is helpful not everyone is on meds, overweight and stressed out.

As for diet, Warren Buffett breakfasts at McDonald's, drinks several cokes a day, apparently never eats vegetables, is in his early nineties, drives himself to work every weekday, plays bridge in the evenings and retains adequate cognitive function to run BRK.

[GoPacers]

I'd say there's really nothing wrong with ANY of the above, as long as it's not your primary source of food. Ask everyone who died from the *combination* of obesity, diabetes, and heart failure, whether these foods are what killed them. Oh wait - you can't. Because they're dead.

Why don't you ask all the people who are healthy, looking forward to enjoying a long, healthy life who suffer(ed) from dementia or Alzheimer's...oh wait, you can't because they suffer from a horribly debilitating disease and they lack the ability to answer you.

We are all going to leave this world at some point. Having seen first hand what dementia and Alzheimer's does to people, I pray that is not for me, or you.

I eat healthy, I exercise and I do what I can for myself but I don't judge other people. I've never walked in their shoes and they haven't walked in mine.

[Pugchief]

They haven't killed anyone who's still living yet. But a diet consisting primarily of the above list certainly has contributed to the deaths of many people who are dead. And it's not the fact that the popcorn comes from the microwave. It's the artificial flavoring, partially hydrogenated vegetable oil and salt that makes it unhealthy. Canned fruit *in heavy syrup* is a culprit. Canned soup *with high sodium levels* is less than healthy. *Sugar-coated* breakfast cereal is a trigger. Coffee creamer is more partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, with artificial flavoring and chemical emulsifiers. Lunch meat = sodium, nitrates, nitrites, and other potentially dangerous chemical additives. There's nothing wrong with pizza in moderation.

I'd say there's really nothing wrong with ANY of the above, as long as it's not your primary source of food. Ask everyone who died from the *combination* of obesity, diabetes, and heart failure, whether these foods are what killed them. Oh wait - you can't. Because they're dead.

Partially hydrogenated oils (aka trans fats) were banned in the US several years ago and have been largely been replaced with Palm Oil, which is highly saturated and while better than trans fats is probably still not good for you. Commercial palm oil production is also bad for the environment.

That being said, I agree with your general assessment.

[coralway]

It’s very simple - several of the delicacies you list are part of your basic food groups. They are intended to keep us healthy and help us grow - specifically cold breakfast cereals, pizza, and soda. Personally, I would add White Castle cheeseburgers to that list of delicacies

[La lamy]

We are a very adaptable species. I'm grateful to have been brought up in a healthy environment, but I agree genetics has a lot to do with wellness. Like everything else, nature/nurture at work!

[PersonOfInterest]

Genetics and luck of the draw. We see many seemingly healthy individuals eating a good diet, exercising and doing all the right things and yet dying in their 50's or earlier from heart attack or disease. While at the same time seeing overweight, out of shape, eating junk foods and not taking care of themselves living into their 80's. Bigger factors are at play other than diet.

[acavaliere]

Better medicine is the answer. I know that in my parent's day that the medical problems I have lived through would have killed them at an early age. In fact, it did. I'll bet most of us with bad diets have survived a medical problem that would have been deadly 25 or 30 years ago.

[Transplant]

I think the chemical makeup of our food has change. Screwing around with nature and putting additives in food is bound to cause problems.

[crash]

They haven't killed anyone who's still living yet. But a diet consisting primarily of the above list certainly has contributed to the deaths of many people who are dead. And it's not the fact that the popcorn comes from the microwave. It's the artificial flavoring, partially hydrogenated vegetable oil and salt that makes it unhealthy. Canned fruit *in heavy syrup* is a culprit. Canned soup *with high sodium levels* is less than healthy. *Sugar-coated* breakfast cereal is a trigger. Coffee creamer is more partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, with artificial flavoring and chemical emulsifiers. Lunch meat = sodium, nitrates, nitrites, and other potentially dangerous chemical additives. There's nothing wrong with pizza in moderation.

I'd say there's really nothing wrong with ANY of the above, as long as it's not your primary source of food. Ask everyone who died from the *combination* of obesity, diabetes, and heart failure, whether these foods are what killed them. Oh wait - you can't. Because they're dead.

For the last five years there has been no partially hydrogenated oils in coffee creamer or microwave popcorn or any food sold in the US. Trans fat has been banned in the U.S. and partially hydrogenated oils were a major source of that.

You will see palm oil, palm kernel oil, and hydrogenated oil (has no trans) on your food labels now.

[PhilG]

As a PhD biologist, I can speak with authority in noting your failure to place beer appropriately at the peak of the food pyramid. Pleaae don't feel bad - our USDA bureaucrats failed similarly on their adoption of this useless cartoon.

[Eclas]

I believe most people are predisposed to health problems more than others.
I'm 73 and have never eaten what the 'experts' say you should eat. I eat massive amounts of salt along with red meat (med rare) and all the other bad things. I usually only eat 1 meal a day now. I take zero medications.
Just saying that some people don't need to sweat their diet. I'm very fortunate and I wish everyone had my metabolism.

[mntlblok]

In my opinion, genetics has a lot more to do with it than what you choose to eat. Weight is very important but a lot of people will gain weight regardless of how disciplined they try to be with their diet. Also, certain diseases are determined by your genetic chemistry. You can try to force yourself to develop healthy habits, but it usually doesn't work.

Interesting about the "gain weight regardless of discipline". Have never been able to get to the bottom of that one. Could be so, I suppose. But for me, "fat shaming" (self imposed) is my only means of dealing with that "discipline" thing - and it *can* work, when my priorities (and mood) are so aligned.

What I find concerning when I read opinions about "nutrition" are how rarely the basic terms fats, proteins, and carbohydrates are mentioned. I believe all those "bad" foods contain those three items. The "bad" aspects of those would seem to me to be the sugars from the carbohydrate category. A case can definitely be made for too much sugar being problematic for most humans. Have seen no convincing evidence that one kind of sugar is any worse than another, despite how the word "fructose" gets pontificated about. :-)

As for vitamins and minerals, yeah you need enough vitamins for preventing beriberi, scurvy, etc., but I've never read where "additional" vitamins serve any proven purpose. Salt, in excess, is problematic for those with certain kinds of blood pressure issues, but I salt my country ham. :-) Seem to be (mostly) immune to BP problems. One should always acquire the right genes, right from the start.

Got curious enough about the expression "processed foods" recently to visit the google about them. Best I can tell, the "processes" are things that make stuff taste really good. Shame on them. :-) And, how can the government be allowing humans to make their own decisions about such matters?? Been kinda wondering what percentage of these treats are found in bags and can be eaten with the fingers. . . That "cookies and chips" aisle must definitely be avoided when I go on one of these "discipline" tears.

Anyway, them's *my* opinions. Now wondering what percentage of folks who lecture us about "nutrition" have even a rudimentary understanding of physiology and biochemistry. . .

[Bay Kid]

Why don't you ask all the people who are healthy, looking forward to enjoying a long, healthy life who suffer(ed) from dementia or Alzheimer's...oh wait, you can't because they suffer from a horribly debilitating disease and they lack the ability to answer you.

We are all going to leave this world at some point. Having seen first hand what dementia and Alzheimer's does to people, I pray that is not for me, or you.

I eat healthy, I exercise and I do what I can for myself but I don't judge other people. I've never walked in their shoes and they haven't walked in mine.

Mom survived for 16 years from this dreadful disease with the help of myself and Dad. Now I just have my 90 year old Dad. I feed him fairly healthy, but he loves his soft drinks, cookies and ice cream!

[ThirdOfFive]

Mom survived for 16 years from this dreadful disease with the help of myself and Dad. Now I just have my 90 year old Dad. I feed him fairly healthy, but he loves his soft drinks, cookies and ice cream!
Dreadful is right. Dementia is a thief, stealing what makes us, us, over time. Unfortunately the "miracle" of modern medicine has drawn out that time by years--often a decade--beyond the time when natural processes would have killed us.

Dad had dementia. Parkinson-related. From the time he was diagnosed to the day he died was eleven years. six of them in a nursing home. It was hard on Mom; she and my sister cared for dad at home for as long as possible but often the onset of dementia can include violence, which is what happened. Fortunately the nursing home where he spent his last years was in Las Vegas, state-of-the-art, and only a few miles away from the home of my sister so she and Mom could visit Dad frequently, monitoring his care and making sure things went as they should.

I remember my wife telling Mom how sorry she was about Dad. I'll always remember her reply. "The man I knew died years ago".

[cphague]

As has been pointed out, a lifetime of eating all these and more food will catch to "most" people, not "all" people. It will make your later years less healthy and productive and a series of daily pills like my mother took after a lifetime of poor health choices.

That said, for every recommendation or rule, there is always an exception that we all can think of. We all know the folks who have smoked for decades and never had a cold, let alone lung cancer.

And - I stopped drinking soda most of the time decades ago and lost ten pounds in two months. I stopped hydrogenated oils decades ago and I lost more weight and my skin cleared up and my cholesterol dropped.

I don't eat popcorn much anymore because at my age the stuff gets stuck in my gums!

Anyway, everything in moderation. Life is a journey, and the recommendations are trying to make it a better one. It is our choice to eat better or not.

Why is every food group (listed below) so bad in our senior years when we've been eating them all our lives? :icon_hungry:

Don't preach to me why you think they're bad now, preach to me why they haven't killed most of us yet. :mad: :22yikes:

Lunch meat,
Pizza,
White bread,
White rice,
Soda,
Microwave popcorn,
Can soup,
Breakfast Cereal,
Fruit in a Can,
Coffee creamer. :confused:

[Rainger99]

Why is every food group (listed below) so bad in our senior years when we've been eating them all our lives?

Lunch meat,
Pizza,
White bread,
White rice,
Soda,
Microwave popcorn,
Can soup,
Breakfast Cereal,
Fruit in a Can,
Coffee creamer. :confused:

Wait, are they bad??

[msilagy]

When you die you have no idea if the foods you have eaten in later life sped it up. So go ahead.......In years to come foods will be more connected to diseases than they are now. Diet plus meds important.

[holdenhealth]

When we were growing up, food did not have all the chemicals in it that it has now. We are eating mostly fake foods that lack the nutritional value to sustain a healthy body and mind. As a nation, we consume more pharmaceuticals than any other country, yet we are the sickest nation in the world. Everything you eat, drink, swallow and inhale has a direct effect on how we think and act and feel every minute of every day of our lives. Eating real food, mostly organic and local is best. The whiter the bread, the sooner your dead. Most of the wheat bread is just Carmel colored white bread.

[ithos]

Why is every food group (listed below) so bad in our senior years when we've been eating them all our lives? :icon_hungry:

Don't preach to me why you think they're bad now, preach to me why they haven't killed most of us yet. :mad: :22yikes:

Lunch meat,
Pizza,
White bread,
White rice,
Soda,
Microwave popcorn,
Can soup,
Breakfast Cereal,
Fruit in a Can,
Coffee creamer. :confused:


Have you not seen all the threads on TOV for people looking for specialists and best places for surgery? Do you think a healthy population would be asking so many questions about that? The healthcare resources available in TV is a major reason so many people retire here.
How many people over 70 do you know that don't take prescriptions. So chronological age is a very poor metric.

As humans, we are designed to have the same blood pressure at 75 than we do at 20. Cancer, heart disease, diabetes should be rare at almost any age. Odds will increase over time but not that much. In some societies people work out in the fields in their 90s.

And BTW, healthcare costs are 17% of our GDP. That is not a healthy country.

As Americans we eat like crap and rarely exercise to the point of raising our heart rate for an extended period of time. That is why we are the sickest and fattest large population in the history of mankind.

Most Obese Countries in the World | ProCon.org (https://obesity.procon.org/global-obesity-levels/)

If you really believe the nonsense you are espousing, find the research to back it up.
PubMed (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/)

[FredJacobs]

What doesn't kill you, mutates and tries again!

[KenLee100]

Why is every food group (listed below) so bad in our senior years when we've been eating them all our lives? :icon_hungry:

Don't preach to me why you think they're bad now, preach to me why they haven't killed most of us yet. :mad: :22yikes:

Lunch meat,
Pizza,
White bread,
White rice,
Soda,
Microwave popcorn,
Can soup,
Breakfast Cereal,
Fruit in a Can,
Coffee creamer. :confused:

My dentist always asks about the last time I flossed. I always reply, "Check your records, you were here doing it."
"I'm 71 with all my own teeth...don;t worry about it."

[SusanStCatherine]

A 106-year-old was asked by Oprah what her secret to longevity was. She said to not go by her because she smoked and didn't eat any fruit or vegetables. Her brothers were also still alive at 104 and 102.

[ithos]

A 106-year-old was asked by Oprah what her secret to longevity was. She said to not go by her because she smoked and didn't eat any fruit or vegetables. Her brothers were also still alive at 104 and 102.

Now that's what I call real science!:jester:

[ithos]

While there is no question modern medicine is helpful not everyone is on meds, overweight and stressed out.

As for diet, Warren Buffett breakfasts at McDonald's, drinks several cokes a day, apparently never eats vegetables, is in his early nineties, drives himself to work every weekday, plays bridge in the evenings and retains adequate cognitive function to run BRK.

There is anecdotal and then their is established scientific protocols. We all can cherry pick examples to try and prove our point.

We know that fast food diets is terrible for the average person. For him to brag about eating McDonalds is deplorable. Most people don't have billions of dollars and can afford the the latest and greatest that modern healthcare has to offer to offset our terrible habits. And again, it is called anecdotal. There will always be other factors like genetics.

If he wants to influence people he should release his medical records and tell us the last time he ran a few miles.

[richdell]

Why is every food group (listed below) so bad in our senior years when we've been eating them all our lives? :icon_hungry:

Don't preach to me why you think they're bad now, preach to me why they haven't killed most of us yet. :mad: :22yikes:

Lunch meat,
Pizza,
White bread,
White rice,
Soda,
Microwave popcorn,
Can soup,
Breakfast Cereal,
Fruit in a Can,
Coffee creamer. :confused:

Whatever doesn't kill you, makes you stronger.

[ithos]

Now this is how you use science.

Ornish Lifestyle Medicine (https://www.ornish.com/)

Ornish Lifestyle Medicine is the only scientifically-proven program to reverse heart disease without medication or surgery. The 9-week online program is reimbursed by Medicare, BlueShield of California, and Aetna.

Someone, Anyone, provide an example of a program that allows eating the standard American diet(SAD) that can make these claims and back it up with research based on established protocols.

[toeser]

Why is every food group (listed below) so bad in our senior years when we've been eating them all our lives? :icon_hungry:

Don't preach to me why you think they're bad now, preach to me why they haven't killed most of us yet. :mad: :22yikes:

Lunch meat,
Pizza,
White bread,
White rice,
Soda,
Microwave popcorn,
Can soup,
Breakfast Cereal,
Fruit in a Can,
Coffee creamer. :confused:

I play the odds. People who do everything right sometimes die too young. People who do everything wrong sometimes outlive us.

I had an uncle who smoked a pack a day his whole life and lived into his 90's. I had an aunt who was obese her entire life and lived into her 90's. But I would be stupid to follow their example.

I eat healthy most of the time. I exercise daily most of the time. I maintain a healthy weight all of the time. Will it work? Who knows, but I'm going with the odds.

[manaboutown]

There is anecdotal and then their is established scientific protocols. We all can cherry pick examples to try and prove our point.

We know that fast food diets is terrible for the average person. For him to brag about eating McDonalds is deplorable. Most people don't have billions of dollars and can afford the the latest and greatest that modern healthcare has to offer to offset our terrible habits. And again, it is called anecdotal. There will always be other factors like genetics.

If he wants to influence people he should release his medical records and tell us the last time he ran a few miles.

Oh, I left out that Dairy Queen products are part of Warren's diet.

Charlie Munger is now 99, close to 100. I have no idea about what constitutes his diet.

I am not advocating anyone eat junk food, fast food or otherwise unhealthy food. Nor am I advocating an extreme vegetarian or any other trendy so called healthy diet. Humans are omnivorous. We can get by on all sorts of diets. Look at the traditional diets of indigenous hunter gatherer people such as Eskimos and Bushmen.

Inuit cuisine - Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inuit_cuisine)

San people - Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_people)

[JMintzer]

I try to abide by Buddy the Elf's diet regime...

"We elves try to stick to the four main food groups: candy, candy canes, candy corns and syrup."

[ThirdOfFive]

Whatever doesn't kill you, makes you stronger.
So said Nietzsche. But HE died at 55--after going completely off his rocker.

It is a good point though; one that I essentially agree with. We live in a society today that seems obsessed with cocooning ourselves against every possible threat, real or (all too often) only imagined, to the point where I think that such an obsession is actually more dangerous in the long run than that which we are obsessing about.

Health care, for me, has been more about keeping me active than keeping me alive. Knee replaced, cataracts removed, etc. In fairness I did have a couple of clots roto-rootered out of my heart and a couple of stents put in but that was back in 2008 and everything has been ticking along fine since then.I figure the more active I am, the healthier I'll be, and nothing has happened yet to dissuade me from that.

[ithos]

Oh, I left out that Dairy Queen products are part of Warren's diet.

Charlie Munger is now 99, close to 100. I have no idea about what constitutes his diet.

I am not advocating anyone eat junk food, fast food or otherwise unhealthy food. Nor am I advocating an extreme vegetarian or any other trendy so called healthy diet. Humans are omnivorous. We can get by on all sorts of diets. Look at the traditional diets of indigenous hunter gatherer people such as Eskimos and Bushmen.

Inuit cuisine - Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inuit_cuisine)

San people - Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_people)

Wikipedia?

Who writes the entries?
Anyone can - it's open to all and can be modified and edited by anyone. However, Wikipedia's administrators protect some pages from direct editing if they believe they are regularly subjected to "vandalism" - the addition of abusive language or falsehoods.
Wikipedia editing rules in a nutshell - BBC News (https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-32412121)

Is there a reason you don't want to use the gold standard of medical research? Yes there are some credible contributions but the threshold for medical research is comparatively very low. Compare that to pubmed:
How to Include a Journal in PMC - PMC (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/pub/addjournal/)

I will reply only to the Inuits.

There is archeologic evidence that Eskimos have a long history of heart disease.
We have also seen that ancient Eskimos, far removed from the stresses of modern technological society, suffered from coronary artery disease, a process that has also been well documented as far back as dynastic Egypt, by both historical and anatomic evidence. This anatomic evidence in Alaska not only confirms the antiquity of arteriosclerotic heart disease but also its occurrence in a preliterate society
that lacks the historical evidence seen in Egypt.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC325106/pdf/thij00043-0014.pdf

The notion that the incidence of ischemic heart disease (IHD) is low among the Inuit subsisting on a traditional marine diet has attained axiomatic status. The scientific evidence for this is weak and rests on early clinical evidence and uncertain mortality statistics. Methods: We reviewed the literature and performed new analyses of the mortality statistics from Greenland, Canada, and Alaska. Findings: The evidence for a low mortality from IHD among the Inuit is fragile and rests on unreliable mortality statistics. Mortality from stroke, however, is higher among the Inuit than among other western populations.
https://www.atherosclerosis-journal.com/article/S0021-9150(02)00364-7/fulltext

[manaboutown]

Wikipedia?

Who writes the entries?
Anyone can - it's open to all and can be modified and edited by anyone. However, Wikipedia's administrators protect some pages from direct editing if they believe they are regularly subjected to "vandalism" - the addition of abusive language or falsehoods.
Wikipedia editing rules in a nutshell - BBC News (https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-32412121)

Is there a reason you don't want to use the gold standard of medical research? Yes there are some credible contributions but the threshold for medical research is comparatively very low. Compare that to pubmed:
How to Include a Journal in PMC - PMC (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/pub/addjournal/)

I will reply only to the Inuits.

There is archeologic evidence that Eskimos have a long history of heart disease.
We have also seen that ancient Eskimos, far removed from the stresses of modern technological society, suffered from coronary artery disease, a process that has also been well documented as far back as dynastic Egypt, by both historical and anatomic evidence. This anatomic evidence in Alaska not only confirms the antiquity of arteriosclerotic heart disease but also its occurrence in a preliterate society
that lacks the historical evidence seen in Egypt.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC325106/pdf/thij00043-0014.pdf

The notion that the incidence of ischemic heart disease (IHD) is low among the Inuit subsisting on a traditional marine diet has attained axiomatic status. The scientific evidence for this is weak and rests on early clinical evidence and uncertain mortality statistics. Methods: We reviewed the literature and performed new analyses of the mortality statistics from Greenland, Canada, and Alaska. Findings: The evidence for a low mortality from IHD among the Inuit is fragile and rests on unreliable mortality statistics. Mortality from stroke, however, is higher among the Inuit than among other western populations.
Just a moment... (https://www.atherosclerosis-journal.com/article/S0021-9150(02)00364-7/fulltext)

I am not claiming the Eskimo diet is healthy, whale blubber? yuk!
All I am saying is humans can survive at least long enough to reproduce on a wide variety of foods. Obviously some foods are healthier than others.

Stress is a huge negative factor weighing on most of us in today's world. Stress kills IMHO.

[ithos]

I am not claiming the Eskimo diet is healthy, whale blubber? yuk!
All I am saying is humans can survive at least long enough to reproduce on a wide variety of foods. Obviously some foods are healthier than others.

Stress is a huge negative factor weighing on most of us in today's world. Stress kills IMHO.

To be fair, there are PUBMED articles favorable to keto diets but IMO they are very limited in scope. They usually are based on mice studies or cherry picked biomarkers and of short duration.

But I try and keep an open mind. If there is strong, fact based objective evidence contrary to what I believe based on established scientific protocols, then I will respect it.

[ithos]

In my opinion, genetics has a lot more to do with it than what you choose to eat. Weight is very important but a lot of people will gain weight regardless of how disciplined they try to be with their diet. Also, certain diseases are determined by your genetic chemistry. You can try to force yourself to develop healthy habits, but it usually doesn't work.

Fortunately that is not the case with most people. There is a term called gene expression Gene expression is the process by which the information encoded in a gene is turned into a function.

The Western diet, characterized by high intake of saturated fat, sugar, and salt, is associated with elevated inflammation and chronic disease risk. Few studies have investigated molecular mechanisms linking diet and inflammation; however, a small number of randomized controlled trials suggest that consuming an anti-inflammatory diet (i.e., a primarily plant-based diet rich in monounsaturated fat and lean protein) decreases proinflammatory gene expression.

A proinflammatory diet is associated with inflammatory gene expression among healthy, non-obese adults: Can social ties protect against the risks? - PMC (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6800628/)


​

[asianthree]

Why is every food group (listed below) so bad in our senior years when we've been eating them all our lives? :icon_hungry:

Don't preach to me why you think they're bad now, preach to me why they haven't killed most of us yet. :mad: :22yikes:

Lunch meat,
Pizza,
White bread,
White rice,
Soda,
Microwave popcorn,
Can soup,
Breakfast Cereal,
Fruit in a Can,
Coffee creamer. :confused:

As one who doesn’t eat processed food, since we raised bees, poultry, beef, pork, grew, or bartered fresh, I really can’t comment.Honey only no sugar. We can or freeze fruit, make jam, white rice is like tofu, no flavor unless you add something.

I was in my late 20s before I had milk from a store.. it was awful. Most of my family has lived to be alert and active until late 90s, grands lived to 100s. Happy with whatever age as long as I can continue to not be a burden on anyone.

[Byte1]

My father was a meat and potatoes guy, diabetic and drank a glass of Wild Turkey every night before bed and lived into his 90's before he gave up. MY mother is close to 100 and still running around assisted living.
Personally, I don't know how I have made it through life without using seatbelts in all our motor vehicles growing up. Didn't even have them in transport vehicles in "Nam. And Airbags! How did we ever manage without airbags?
I love butter burgers, pizza with pepperoni and sausage, steak, and ice cream. The only green I want to see is in my wallet. Although, on occasion I am forced to eat broccoli or green beans. I take NO prescription meds, and I see a doctor once a year to have him tell me that my lab work is excellent. Not bragging, just stating that some folks can eat whatever they wish and live a long life. Folks that insist on a "healthy" diet think that just because they believe they will live longer if they eat healthy, that everyone else should. I asked my father once that if he knew then when they are saying now about a health diet, would he change his eating habit. He replied that why in the world would someone suffer not eating delicious foods that they love, just to gain ten more years of life....if that. I agree, but then I probably have another 20 years to go. If not, oh well. Never expected to live past 50 anyway.
All those things on the list have been on my list as great eating, all my life.
Life is great, and food makes it more delightful.

[coffeebean]

I believe most people are predisposed to health problems more than others.
I'm 73 and have never eaten what the 'experts' say you should eat. I eat massive amounts of salt along with red meat (med rare) and all the other bad things. I usually only eat 1 meal a day now. I take zero medications.
Just saying that some people don't need to sweat their diet. I'm very fortunate and I wish everyone had my metabolism.

Metabolism? My works in reverse. How do I fix that?

[PanamaKim]

Why is every food group (listed below) so bad in our senior years when we've been eating them all our lives? :icon_hungry:

Don't preach to me why you think they're bad now, preach to me why they haven't killed most of us yet. :mad: :22yikes:

Lunch meat,
Pizza,
White bread,
White rice,
Soda,
Microwave popcorn,
Can soup,
Breakfast Cereal,
Fruit in a Can,
Coffee creamer. :confused:
I didn’t grow up drinking soda (born 1961) - it was a rare treat, usually after we had been “good” while Mom grocery shopped, she would buy us a Coca Cola or Orange drink in the bottles from the Coke machine.

I did grow up on white rice, white bread, lunch meat (bologna - probably the cheapest), breakfast cereal (sometimes), and can soup.

There was no microwave popcorn when I was a kid because there was no microwave. My mother cooked popcorn on the stovetop for us and it’s still my favorite way to eat it. I don’t care for the bags of microwave popcorn. And no coffee creamer for me because I didn’t drink coffee until my 30s.

Why hasn’t it killed us? Drugs, I suppose, better medicine. And activity. We were outside all day every day as kids. Even in high school, there was sports and marching band. And, we didn’t snack “back then” like we/they do today. There was no snack time in school. You ate before school and then lunch, and a snack when you got home. If you had practice after school, you might not get home until dinnertime. That’s a long time without food by today’s standards.

But, I don’t eat many of the things on your list. Why? Am I afraid it will kill me. Goodness no, but it’s certainly not going to add quality to my life.

[manaboutown]

This woman was born in 1909 and is celebrating her 114th birthday - The Jerusalem Post (https://www.jpost.com/omg/article-754690#:~:text=Francis%20generously%20divulges%20t he%20habits,cooked%20meals%2C%20eschewing%20fast%2 0food).

[Blackbird45]

I'm a junk food junkie.
But as I've gotten older and have slowed down, I've also gained weight.
I'm not worried about dying, we're all going to die sooner or later.
I just can't stand what I'm seeing in the mirror.

[cjrjck]

There are factors that are difficult to control, like genetics, so it is best to focus on those things which we can control: anything we put in our bodies and exercise. As for things we put in our bodies, there is a lot of debate over what is healthy and what is not, but generally speaking it is clear that sugar, excessive alcohol, and smoking should be avoided to the extent possible. Exercise is important to complement a healthier diet to avoid obesity which is linked to a number of debilitating diseases.

[ithos]

I'm a junk food junkie.
But as I've gotten older and have slowed down, I've also gained weight.
I'm not worried about dying, we're all going to die sooner or later.
I just can't stand what I'm seeing in the mirror.

The biggest concern is how you die. Do you spend the final months or years immobile, with chronic pain, a burden on family, and or institutionalized.

My grandfather had carotid artery surgery to remove plaque and a part of it broke off and paralyzed him from the neck down. He spent his last few months like that bedridden. Up until then he was thin and active for his age. My mother, grandmothers and uncle also were very debilitated when they passed.

That is no way to go. But it has motivated me to strive to change my lifestyle to the healthiest possible and undo the damage I've done already. And I have found out all those cravings I had have been replaced by a much stronger sense of well being. There is no guarantee but if motivated you can substantially improve your health and significantly increase your odds of a peaceful passage from this earth.

[Michael G.]

Everyone talks about old age and how wonderful it is to live into our 90's and beyond.

The chances of any of us living in our 90's + comes with pain and suffering inside and out.

How is that so wonderful?

[ithos]

Everyone talks about old age and how wonderful it is to live into our 90's and beyond.

The chances of any of us living in our 90's + comes with pain and suffering inside and out.

How is that so wonderful?

Well you are not alone in that thinking.

States Where Medical Aid in Dying is Authorized (https://www.compassionandchoices.org/resource/states-or-territories-where-medical-aid-in-dying-is-authorized)

[ithos]

Everyone talks about old age and how wonderful it is to live into our 90's and beyond.

The chances of any of us living in our 90's + comes with pain and suffering inside and out.

How is that so wonderful?

I guess someone needs to tell Warren Buffet that he is not really happy. He just thinks he is.

[manaboutown]

Everyone talks about old age and how wonderful it is to live into our 90's and beyond.

The chances of any of us living in our 90's + comes with pain and suffering inside and out.

How is that so wonderful?

Charlie Munger will be 100 years old on January 1, 2024. he seems happy and active.

[mntlblok]

As one who doesn’t eat processed food, since we raised bees, poultry, beef, pork, grew, or bartered fresh, I really can’t comment.Honey only no sugar.

You can rot yer teeth out just fine with honey or raisins or orange juice. Sugars are sugars as far as Streptococcus mutans is concerned - all provide the necessary energy.

[NavyVet]

My father smoked non-filtered Lucky Strikes, 2 packs a day, for more than 65 years. He was a fussy eater, meat and potatoes, real butter, real heavy cream, buttermilk, and either a ton of salt or sugar on everything. Never tasted the food first, covered his steaks in salt until they were white and added Maggi or soy sauce to soups. 4-6 teaspoons of sugar in every cup or coffee/tea. Added sugar to foods he didn't think were sweet enough; cantaloupe, strawberries, blueberries, tomatoes, to name a few. Such a weird eater - butter and sugar sandwiches on white bread. He never had high blood pressure or diabetes or ever gained weight. Of course, COPD/emphysema finally did him in, but that was at age 96!
Guess he had good genes.