Sep 23, 2023Liked by Brent Hartinger, Michael Jensen
I visited the US for the first time a few years ago and was shocked at how hard it is to buy food that doesn't have added sugar. Even at the Wholefoods supermarket in LA (supposed hub of the health and wellness industry) everything from yoghurt to soy milk to bread came with a ton of added sugar. This is a huge health issue, not just for weight gain but for inflammation, gut health, mental health and so much more. It was a relief to come home to New Zealand supermarkets and health food stores...
Sep 23, 2023Liked by Brent Hartinger, Michael Jensen
Yes! I tried to go off added sugar once for two weeks and found it to be nearly impossible unless I had the time and ability to make literally *everything* from scratch when even boxes and cans of CHICKEN BROTH have sugar added to them. WHY ARE THEY ADDING SUGAR TO CHICKEN BROTH FFS?!?!?!
If sugar is not expressly prohibited, large food cartels will use it to work their bottom lines. First of all: they know people like it. Next: it's a commodity, it can be bought and sold in massive quantities and in future contracts. Quite often, the food they're producing costs more to produce per gram than the sugar costs. Adding sugar actually lowers their cost per gram. On the scale they're working on, that's a huge advantage for their profit margin. It' also the reason for additions of water and other fillers.
Sep 22, 2023Liked by Brent Hartinger, Michael Jensen
I would not change a sentence, which is rare for a piece on a subject as sensitive. Thank you. I live in a rural US community 17 miles from the nearest full-service grocery, and I make the round trip by bicycle at least weekly, including a couple of miles on a busy two-lane road with no shoulders, as well as through several suburbs. Since 2015, I’ve traveled everywhere else by bike, too, including a ride through all of the lower-48 states and most major US cities. Yes, this country is poorly planned for travel sans automobile, but you can. I did not come to this realization honestly — vision loss forced my transition — but having experienced bike travel, I regret that I ever drove. Walking or biking far is not as challenging as I would have thought before 2015. As lagniappe, the exercise keeps me fit, at least for a fellow 70, and forces that I eat for nutrition as well as fuel. So, win-win. My rule now is, if it’s 6 miles or less, I walk, if more I pedal. And once I got over the sore bum, which I admit took a couple of weeks, I’ve experienced less discomfort than I did when I was an aging fellow who drove. Mine is not one, but with e-bikes gaining popularity, that 34-mile grocery run would not be a challenge for most adults, even here in the US. Hope this helps. Thanks again.
Thanks so much for the kind words, Gary. With such a sensitive topic, I did try to be careful.
And thanks for sharing your experience, which is remarkable. And I say that as someone who loves to bike! Now just keep being very careful on those dangerous shoulders!
I will, Michael. The bike and I have traveled something more than 50,000 miles so far with just a few near misses. 99.9999% of motorists are courteous and compassionate, but yeah, I do look out for that one-in-a-million who ... well, why try to figure him out? Thanks again.
Sep 22, 2023Liked by Brent Hartinger, Michael Jensen
To be fair, Costco carries a lot of things that aren't potato chips. It's where I get lemons (we go through a lot), canned salmon, smoked salmon, seaweed snacks (one of my kids loves those), frozen organic blueberries, sunscreen, and, yes, toilet paper. 🍋🧻 For families who can afford a membership, it can in fact make healthy eating more affordable.
Regarding walking and walkability, not to be all self-promotional but I wrote a book on exactly this subject, walking and the loss of walkability in America. There's a whole chapter on the human health consequences of car-centric culture and another on the physical and social destruction car-centric infrastructure has caused in communities, including lack of access to green spaces. It's a good book, I promise!
Promote away! Get people thinking about walking more and how amazing it is!
Yes, you are right about Costco having plenty of affordable and healthy options, a point that deserves acknowledgment. And yet as Costco has conquered America, I fear most shoppers there are not making the healthy choices. There's a reason the candy aisle is right up by the checkout stands.
Sep 22, 2023Liked by Brent Hartinger, Michael Jensen
It's become a standing joke in my household: "I hear walking's good for you." 😂 One of my favorite things I plan on writing about is that when we went to Taylor Swift, it was my younger kid's suggestion to take the bus back to our hotel at midnight rather than wait in the cab line. "It will probably take the same amount of time," they said. My work there is done.
And yeah. I personally have to avoid those aisles because if I get close to those jelly bean buckets I will buy them and then I will eat them.
It should be noted that it's not just the stores. Agricultural subsidies that promote corn, soy, wheat, and high-fructose syrup products, along with many other things, have a huge role to play because they make the unhealthy options more affordable than, say, fresh vegetables. These are individual choices and societal structures but also policy decisions. (This is my semi-regular urging for American voters to pay attention to the Farm Bill when it comes up every 5 years.)
RE: Agricultural subsidies -- 100%! That's absolutely one of the way our own government sets us up to fail. That corporations are treated as people and are able to endlessly lobby Congress is insane and abusive. That kind of BS needs to end yesterday.
Sep 22, 2023Liked by Brent Hartinger, Michael Jensen
Tell me about it. I always get healthier when back in the UK because of all the walking, even though Brits are much fatter than in my childhood because of cars and junk food. It's still much better, which is a sad commentary.
Sep 23, 2023Liked by Brent Hartinger, Michael Jensen
I absolutely agree that the problem is with the society or the government, probably both. I say that because there's nothing to reign in the profit-making of the giant corporations who will advertise in any way they can to sell unhealthy food, to convince people that this will make them feel better about their shitty lives, largely shitty because they're unhealthy form all the crap being fed them (and I don't just mean food). And AFAIK there's no PSA's re diet and exercise (?) I'm reminded of PSA's in Oz years ago about broken glass on beaches. In the TV ad a lad was about to lose his most precious bits. Something equally powerful about diet and exercise would probably help but it would have to be widespread and ongoing I think. I've been small all my life but it didn't mean I wasn't worried about weight, and since getting older even more so. The messaging that tall and thin is better is relentless, and hurtful. OTOH obesity is a huge, and costly, health crisis.
Sep 22, 2023Liked by Brent Hartinger, Michael Jensen
Did you find more people walking in Vancouver than in Seattle? I find both cities quite walkable, but both have a strong car culture. I think Canada and America are pretty comparable in this aspect. I found this stat on CTV: Canadians take an average of 4,819 steps a day -- just a few more than Americans, who take an average of 4,774 steps. Which, as you point out, is much less than most of the world.
Stats also show that Canada has a definite growing obesity problem. I find Vancouverites and Seattleites tend to be both more active and less fat than their suburban counterparts. As for Vancouver's car culture, I know the parts without the SkyTrain have more cars, but everywhere we've been that has a SkyTrain station nearby has way less traffic than a similar place in Seattle, where traffic overall is a complete nightmare.
Sep 22, 2023Liked by Brent Hartinger, Michael Jensen
That's true! I lived in Vancouver for 9 years and never had a car. Bike and transit. Also, the ability to put my bike in the front of the bus without it getting stolen was truly “utopian.” But I still don't think Van should be used as an example for Utopia. East Hastings where you pay $100 for dinner while people outside are dying on the street, how mental illness gets handled, fentanyl crises, housing only for the ultra-rich, overseas money laundering, and November to March are some examples.
Interesting you say that as I just finished a newsletter about how amazing Vancouver is. I get that it has all of the problems you are describing. But all I can say is that compared to almost every American city -- where the homeless and fentanyl feel much worse -- Vancouver does seem great. (Utopia for any city will never happen, I suspect.) As for the housing crisis, well, when you're welcoming a needed half million immigrants every year, housing is gonna be a problem. And hasn't Vancouver started limiting Chinese investment in the city?
Yes, they have. I'm glad you enjoyed Vancouver. If I were rich or a government worker, I’d likely go back or spend more time there because it's where my brother and best friends are. However, there is a lack of cultural events in comparison to the West Coast cities in the States. It is a brilliant city, but you it might interest you to look into the money laundering problems and mental health treatment in Van. It's a beautiful city with a lot to offer, but if you dig deep and get to know where the money comes from, it's rather ugly.
Perhaps I'll have to do a a part two. Or if someone who has a real expertise wrote about it, perhaps I could share that piece of content. If only I knew someone like that... :-)
I'd have to dig up some old research and talk to some people to get my facts straight. I'd love to collaborate if you have the time. Some of the nitty gritty I got was from conversations with a financial advisor and a Hell’s Angel who I'm no longer in touch with. But I can do my best to cross-check what they told me.
To add to the Canada conversation, aside from Vancouver, most Canadian cities don't have year-round weather conducive to walking. I'm in Calgary and nobody is walking to the grocery store when is -25 😁 It's just not feasible nor safe, and winter here is much longer than summer.
Sep 23, 2023Liked by Brent Hartinger, Michael Jensen
As someone who very recently overcame lifelong body dysmorphia and yo-yo dieting, I appreciate all this. My weight is ‘unhealthy’ and I could certainly lose 10-20 lbs, but I also climbed a few mountains this summer and do multiple outdoor sports. Fitness and body type do play a role, but the general food desert and car centric culture we cultivate in many cities can make it super hard to break old habits.
Sep 22, 2023Liked by Brent Hartinger, Michael Jensen
I agree that the car culture in the US is one of the issues. I have lost two pant sizes since I became a nomad, about a size a year. This is due to less processed food, eating smaller portions (which is a struggle in and of itself) and walking. I really work on getting out and walking. Since I hate exercize, I use going to the store, a museum, exploring a city as my way to get off my ass and walk. I no longer weigh myself, but I know this is working due to my clothes getting baggy, being able to walk further and longer, and my A1C dropping. Every time I have been in the US, I have to work up to walking my “normal” amount again when I’m on the road again.
Sep 22, 2023Liked by Brent Hartinger, Michael Jensen
Well said, Michael, the process of remaining healthy is a lifestyle choice, which you capture thoroughly in your piece. Might I add that a predominately plant based diet is also helpful in warding off diseases and excess weight. Your observations coincide with my thoughts completely, thanks for sharing your journey and advice.
Thanks for your comments and for taking the time to read the piece. And you are absolutely right about a plant-based diet being best. In fact, we just had an Ethiopian veggie platter for lunch!
Sep 22, 2023Liked by Brent Hartinger, Michael Jensen
I totally agree with you. As a Weight Watchers lifetime member for 15 years, portions here are totally out of control. I understand the importance of body positivity, but it also gives cover and empowers people who should not be eating more to do that, and as a result, are becoming ticking time bombs of poor health. As someone who is here in the States a majority of time and eats out a lot, I just grit my teeth and look for the healthiest options I can and hit the health club!
Yeah, I have to work out even more here because, well, I like to eat. As for the health issue, just this week I read about a study saying rates of cardiac death among obese people has gone up 30%.
Sep 22, 2023Liked by Brent Hartinger, Michael Jensen
I find it coincidentally interesting that I opened and read this article while eating a healthy meal at an outdoor restaurant in Pogradec, Albania. Most of the food here is inexpensive and of good quality. Fresh, filling, and delicious. This meal was followed a long slow walk on the city promenade.
As I read about the food experience in America, I remembered, somewhat fondly, of all that preservative loaded
Sep 22, 2023Liked by Brent Hartinger, Michael Jensen
My husband and I were in Germany for three weeks in June. We walked everywhere, averaging about 20,000 steps a day (which is kinda excessive, but still - there was so much to see and do!). It was alarming to return and see so much obesity - riding scooters to grocery store! - made even more obvious because we’d been surrounded by healthy folks (even overweight Germans are active as hell, though their concept of “overweight” is waaaay different than ours).
My friend has a conspiracy theory that I actually don’t find all that crazy. Because our medical system is capitalist by nature and shareholders can make money only if the population is unhealthy, it would make sense for them to be in cahoots with the junk food industrial complex. More chips and donuts and soda means more health problems means more doctors visits; and these habits are hard to break or escape. So the model lives on and we all get worse.
I think the “fat-positive” movement is great (though I think some of their “science” is sus), because it promotes feeling good about yourself. On the other hand, I think many folks would feel better about themselves if they weren’t trapped in the never ending cycle perpetuated by our societal failures to care for each other and topple our capitalist overlords
I don't think this is an unreasonable conspiracy theory to have. When I still lived in the U.S., I had a silent stroke after a car accident and the stress from everything that unfolded in the year after that event drove my normally low-ish blood pressure dangerously high, pushed my okay-ish cholesterol into the not okay zone, and suddenly I was pre-diabetic when I had never been so before. The doctor wanted to refer me to a nutritionist, but the insurance company denied paying for it. They'd rather wait until you are in need of a cardiologist than to pay for preventive care because all the profit to be made is in specialists like cardiologists. It was shocking and one of the many reasons I gave a middle finger to the U.S. and it's enforced sickness and moved to Portugal.
Sep 22, 2023Liked by Brent Hartinger, Michael Jensen
Well written as always. I’ve lived overweight my whole life and it pisses me off. There’s no reason for it for me but I can’t seem to make it a focus. Your piece reminded me that it’s the consistency of walking, eating well, forgiving yourself and striving to do better that matters. Thanks for that.
My pleasure and it's a HUGE relief that this made you feel more positive and not worse. Because making anyone feel worse is not what I want to do. It's forty years later and I still hear my mother's voice in my head. Making people feel worse does nothing but make them feel worse.
Sep 22, 2023Liked by Brent Hartinger, Michael Jensen
This is so on point. Yes, we need to take individual accountability. Also, when the societal infrastructure is completely broken, that becomes nearly impossible.
Here in Chicago, the difference between lifestyles in the city versus in the suburbs is extreme. Not surprisingly, so are the fitness levels and health outcomes.
Finally, there must be something in the air. Today's Field Research touches on a related problem.
Sep 26, 2023Liked by Brent Hartinger, Michael Jensen
I grew up in the Czech Republic where the only way you could get Kellogg's Honey Smacks cereal was on the black market. I kid you not. This was during the communist times. Jeans and Honey Smacks, black market goods. Forbidden cereal never tasted so good...
Fast forward a decade or two and my grandmother, visiting us here in America from the homeland, steps into a regular old grocery store, sees the mountains of fruit and fresh produce, and weeps tears of shocked joy.
Somewhere between these two extremes is culinary joy and contentment.
Sep 26, 2023Liked by Brent Hartinger, Michael Jensen
I was overweight one time. About 45 pounds too heavy. I lost it all. It is hard to stay ahead of it. American cities are not meant for physical exercise, like you say. American diets and food are not meant for trim waistlines, as you mention. The worst part is that it becomes YOUR fault. I hate that. We all only have so much willpower, are under so much stress, and the environment you surround yourself in makes a difference! Heck, most of us are barely conscious most of our waking hours, instead our default neural network making decision for us even though we have the semblance of awareness and agency. We just aren't capable of being entirely mentally present in the day, and this isn't an individual's failing, this is just how humans are made.
I visited the US for the first time a few years ago and was shocked at how hard it is to buy food that doesn't have added sugar. Even at the Wholefoods supermarket in LA (supposed hub of the health and wellness industry) everything from yoghurt to soy milk to bread came with a ton of added sugar. This is a huge health issue, not just for weight gain but for inflammation, gut health, mental health and so much more. It was a relief to come home to New Zealand supermarkets and health food stores...
It's shocking, isn't it?
Yes! I tried to go off added sugar once for two weeks and found it to be nearly impossible unless I had the time and ability to make literally *everything* from scratch when even boxes and cans of CHICKEN BROTH have sugar added to them. WHY ARE THEY ADDING SUGAR TO CHICKEN BROTH FFS?!?!?!
Someone else from another country commented how shocked they were about all of the sugar in our food...
Whenever we've gone back to the U.S. after spending time in Europe, we are always disgusted by how sweet things taste in the U.S.
If sugar is not expressly prohibited, large food cartels will use it to work their bottom lines. First of all: they know people like it. Next: it's a commodity, it can be bought and sold in massive quantities and in future contracts. Quite often, the food they're producing costs more to produce per gram than the sugar costs. Adding sugar actually lowers their cost per gram. On the scale they're working on, that's a huge advantage for their profit margin. It' also the reason for additions of water and other fillers.
Extra depressing...
Completely agree. I once contemplated going on a sugar free diet but everything pre made (even the supposedly healthy stuff) had sugar added to it.
That’s why I cook almost everything myself.
Too many Americans feel too busy to ever do that, sadly...
Same! It takes time, so much time, but it's worth it. So worth it.
I would not change a sentence, which is rare for a piece on a subject as sensitive. Thank you. I live in a rural US community 17 miles from the nearest full-service grocery, and I make the round trip by bicycle at least weekly, including a couple of miles on a busy two-lane road with no shoulders, as well as through several suburbs. Since 2015, I’ve traveled everywhere else by bike, too, including a ride through all of the lower-48 states and most major US cities. Yes, this country is poorly planned for travel sans automobile, but you can. I did not come to this realization honestly — vision loss forced my transition — but having experienced bike travel, I regret that I ever drove. Walking or biking far is not as challenging as I would have thought before 2015. As lagniappe, the exercise keeps me fit, at least for a fellow 70, and forces that I eat for nutrition as well as fuel. So, win-win. My rule now is, if it’s 6 miles or less, I walk, if more I pedal. And once I got over the sore bum, which I admit took a couple of weeks, I’ve experienced less discomfort than I did when I was an aging fellow who drove. Mine is not one, but with e-bikes gaining popularity, that 34-mile grocery run would not be a challenge for most adults, even here in the US. Hope this helps. Thanks again.
Thanks so much for the kind words, Gary. With such a sensitive topic, I did try to be careful.
And thanks for sharing your experience, which is remarkable. And I say that as someone who loves to bike! Now just keep being very careful on those dangerous shoulders!
I will, Michael. The bike and I have traveled something more than 50,000 miles so far with just a few near misses. 99.9999% of motorists are courteous and compassionate, but yeah, I do look out for that one-in-a-million who ... well, why try to figure him out? Thanks again.
To be fair, Costco carries a lot of things that aren't potato chips. It's where I get lemons (we go through a lot), canned salmon, smoked salmon, seaweed snacks (one of my kids loves those), frozen organic blueberries, sunscreen, and, yes, toilet paper. 🍋🧻 For families who can afford a membership, it can in fact make healthy eating more affordable.
Regarding walking and walkability, not to be all self-promotional but I wrote a book on exactly this subject, walking and the loss of walkability in America. There's a whole chapter on the human health consequences of car-centric culture and another on the physical and social destruction car-centric infrastructure has caused in communities, including lack of access to green spaces. It's a good book, I promise!
https://bookshop.org/p/books/a-walking-life-reclaiming-our-health-and-our-freedom-one-step-at-a-time-antonia-malchik/6464959?ean=9780738234885
Promote away! Get people thinking about walking more and how amazing it is!
Yes, you are right about Costco having plenty of affordable and healthy options, a point that deserves acknowledgment. And yet as Costco has conquered America, I fear most shoppers there are not making the healthy choices. There's a reason the candy aisle is right up by the checkout stands.
It's become a standing joke in my household: "I hear walking's good for you." 😂 One of my favorite things I plan on writing about is that when we went to Taylor Swift, it was my younger kid's suggestion to take the bus back to our hotel at midnight rather than wait in the cab line. "It will probably take the same amount of time," they said. My work there is done.
And yeah. I personally have to avoid those aisles because if I get close to those jelly bean buckets I will buy them and then I will eat them.
It should be noted that it's not just the stores. Agricultural subsidies that promote corn, soy, wheat, and high-fructose syrup products, along with many other things, have a huge role to play because they make the unhealthy options more affordable than, say, fresh vegetables. These are individual choices and societal structures but also policy decisions. (This is my semi-regular urging for American voters to pay attention to the Farm Bill when it comes up every 5 years.)
RE: Agricultural subsidies -- 100%! That's absolutely one of the way our own government sets us up to fail. That corporations are treated as people and are able to endlessly lobby Congress is insane and abusive. That kind of BS needs to end yesterday.
Tell me about it. I always get healthier when back in the UK because of all the walking, even though Brits are much fatter than in my childhood because of cars and junk food. It's still much better, which is a sad commentary.
Yeah, the UK, Canada, and Australia are better than the US but the trajectory isn't great for any of them.
I absolutely agree that the problem is with the society or the government, probably both. I say that because there's nothing to reign in the profit-making of the giant corporations who will advertise in any way they can to sell unhealthy food, to convince people that this will make them feel better about their shitty lives, largely shitty because they're unhealthy form all the crap being fed them (and I don't just mean food). And AFAIK there's no PSA's re diet and exercise (?) I'm reminded of PSA's in Oz years ago about broken glass on beaches. In the TV ad a lad was about to lose his most precious bits. Something equally powerful about diet and exercise would probably help but it would have to be widespread and ongoing I think. I've been small all my life but it didn't mean I wasn't worried about weight, and since getting older even more so. The messaging that tall and thin is better is relentless, and hurtful. OTOH obesity is a huge, and costly, health crisis.
Did you find more people walking in Vancouver than in Seattle? I find both cities quite walkable, but both have a strong car culture. I think Canada and America are pretty comparable in this aspect. I found this stat on CTV: Canadians take an average of 4,819 steps a day -- just a few more than Americans, who take an average of 4,774 steps. Which, as you point out, is much less than most of the world.
Stats also show that Canada has a definite growing obesity problem. I find Vancouverites and Seattleites tend to be both more active and less fat than their suburban counterparts. As for Vancouver's car culture, I know the parts without the SkyTrain have more cars, but everywhere we've been that has a SkyTrain station nearby has way less traffic than a similar place in Seattle, where traffic overall is a complete nightmare.
That's true! I lived in Vancouver for 9 years and never had a car. Bike and transit. Also, the ability to put my bike in the front of the bus without it getting stolen was truly “utopian.” But I still don't think Van should be used as an example for Utopia. East Hastings where you pay $100 for dinner while people outside are dying on the street, how mental illness gets handled, fentanyl crises, housing only for the ultra-rich, overseas money laundering, and November to March are some examples.
Interesting you say that as I just finished a newsletter about how amazing Vancouver is. I get that it has all of the problems you are describing. But all I can say is that compared to almost every American city -- where the homeless and fentanyl feel much worse -- Vancouver does seem great. (Utopia for any city will never happen, I suspect.) As for the housing crisis, well, when you're welcoming a needed half million immigrants every year, housing is gonna be a problem. And hasn't Vancouver started limiting Chinese investment in the city?
Yes, they have. I'm glad you enjoyed Vancouver. If I were rich or a government worker, I’d likely go back or spend more time there because it's where my brother and best friends are. However, there is a lack of cultural events in comparison to the West Coast cities in the States. It is a brilliant city, but you it might interest you to look into the money laundering problems and mental health treatment in Van. It's a beautiful city with a lot to offer, but if you dig deep and get to know where the money comes from, it's rather ugly.
Perhaps I'll have to do a a part two. Or if someone who has a real expertise wrote about it, perhaps I could share that piece of content. If only I knew someone like that... :-)
I'd have to dig up some old research and talk to some people to get my facts straight. I'd love to collaborate if you have the time. Some of the nitty gritty I got was from conversations with a financial advisor and a Hell’s Angel who I'm no longer in touch with. But I can do my best to cross-check what they told me.
To add to the Canada conversation, aside from Vancouver, most Canadian cities don't have year-round weather conducive to walking. I'm in Calgary and nobody is walking to the grocery store when is -25 😁 It's just not feasible nor safe, and winter here is much longer than summer.
As someone who very recently overcame lifelong body dysmorphia and yo-yo dieting, I appreciate all this. My weight is ‘unhealthy’ and I could certainly lose 10-20 lbs, but I also climbed a few mountains this summer and do multiple outdoor sports. Fitness and body type do play a role, but the general food desert and car centric culture we cultivate in many cities can make it super hard to break old habits.
That's awesome to hear. If you're climbing mountains ya gotta be pretty fit.
I agree that the car culture in the US is one of the issues. I have lost two pant sizes since I became a nomad, about a size a year. This is due to less processed food, eating smaller portions (which is a struggle in and of itself) and walking. I really work on getting out and walking. Since I hate exercize, I use going to the store, a museum, exploring a city as my way to get off my ass and walk. I no longer weigh myself, but I know this is working due to my clothes getting baggy, being able to walk further and longer, and my A1C dropping. Every time I have been in the US, I have to work up to walking my “normal” amount again when I’m on the road again.
It's so sad that just leaving America means probably getting healthier. Glad it's worked for you as well!
Well said, Michael, the process of remaining healthy is a lifestyle choice, which you capture thoroughly in your piece. Might I add that a predominately plant based diet is also helpful in warding off diseases and excess weight. Your observations coincide with my thoughts completely, thanks for sharing your journey and advice.
Thanks for your comments and for taking the time to read the piece. And you are absolutely right about a plant-based diet being best. In fact, we just had an Ethiopian veggie platter for lunch!
🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
I totally agree with you. As a Weight Watchers lifetime member for 15 years, portions here are totally out of control. I understand the importance of body positivity, but it also gives cover and empowers people who should not be eating more to do that, and as a result, are becoming ticking time bombs of poor health. As someone who is here in the States a majority of time and eats out a lot, I just grit my teeth and look for the healthiest options I can and hit the health club!
Yeah, I have to work out even more here because, well, I like to eat. As for the health issue, just this week I read about a study saying rates of cardiac death among obese people has gone up 30%.
Sad, but true. Safe travels, look forward to your posts and articles!
I find it coincidentally interesting that I opened and read this article while eating a healthy meal at an outdoor restaurant in Pogradec, Albania. Most of the food here is inexpensive and of good quality. Fresh, filling, and delicious. This meal was followed a long slow walk on the city promenade.
As I read about the food experience in America, I remembered, somewhat fondly, of all that preservative loaded
Love hearing that.
My husband and I were in Germany for three weeks in June. We walked everywhere, averaging about 20,000 steps a day (which is kinda excessive, but still - there was so much to see and do!). It was alarming to return and see so much obesity - riding scooters to grocery store! - made even more obvious because we’d been surrounded by healthy folks (even overweight Germans are active as hell, though their concept of “overweight” is waaaay different than ours).
My friend has a conspiracy theory that I actually don’t find all that crazy. Because our medical system is capitalist by nature and shareholders can make money only if the population is unhealthy, it would make sense for them to be in cahoots with the junk food industrial complex. More chips and donuts and soda means more health problems means more doctors visits; and these habits are hard to break or escape. So the model lives on and we all get worse.
I think the “fat-positive” movement is great (though I think some of their “science” is sus), because it promotes feeling good about yourself. On the other hand, I think many folks would feel better about themselves if they weren’t trapped in the never ending cycle perpetuated by our societal failures to care for each other and topple our capitalist overlords
Not surprised to hear that your experience in Germany was like that. And you're right about overweight Europeans being more active.
And that theory doesn't sound so crazy....
I don't think this is an unreasonable conspiracy theory to have. When I still lived in the U.S., I had a silent stroke after a car accident and the stress from everything that unfolded in the year after that event drove my normally low-ish blood pressure dangerously high, pushed my okay-ish cholesterol into the not okay zone, and suddenly I was pre-diabetic when I had never been so before. The doctor wanted to refer me to a nutritionist, but the insurance company denied paying for it. They'd rather wait until you are in need of a cardiologist than to pay for preventive care because all the profit to be made is in specialists like cardiologists. It was shocking and one of the many reasons I gave a middle finger to the U.S. and it's enforced sickness and moved to Portugal.
Well written as always. I’ve lived overweight my whole life and it pisses me off. There’s no reason for it for me but I can’t seem to make it a focus. Your piece reminded me that it’s the consistency of walking, eating well, forgiving yourself and striving to do better that matters. Thanks for that.
My pleasure and it's a HUGE relief that this made you feel more positive and not worse. Because making anyone feel worse is not what I want to do. It's forty years later and I still hear my mother's voice in my head. Making people feel worse does nothing but make them feel worse.
This is so on point. Yes, we need to take individual accountability. Also, when the societal infrastructure is completely broken, that becomes nearly impossible.
Here in Chicago, the difference between lifestyles in the city versus in the suburbs is extreme. Not surprisingly, so are the fitness levels and health outcomes.
Finally, there must be something in the air. Today's Field Research touches on a related problem.
Yup, there's always such a difference between the city core and the suburbs. And I look forward reading what you wrote.
I grew up in the Czech Republic where the only way you could get Kellogg's Honey Smacks cereal was on the black market. I kid you not. This was during the communist times. Jeans and Honey Smacks, black market goods. Forbidden cereal never tasted so good...
Fast forward a decade or two and my grandmother, visiting us here in America from the homeland, steps into a regular old grocery store, sees the mountains of fruit and fresh produce, and weeps tears of shocked joy.
Somewhere between these two extremes is culinary joy and contentment.
It seems like humanity has such a hard time finding the happy medium...
I was overweight one time. About 45 pounds too heavy. I lost it all. It is hard to stay ahead of it. American cities are not meant for physical exercise, like you say. American diets and food are not meant for trim waistlines, as you mention. The worst part is that it becomes YOUR fault. I hate that. We all only have so much willpower, are under so much stress, and the environment you surround yourself in makes a difference! Heck, most of us are barely conscious most of our waking hours, instead our default neural network making decision for us even though we have the semblance of awareness and agency. We just aren't capable of being entirely mentally present in the day, and this isn't an individual's failing, this is just how humans are made.
Absolutely! Like I say, when this many people have a problem, it can't be the fault of all the individuals...