Worker Bees’ Daily Bites:
All the news, none of the trans fat.
1) Angering dermatologists everywhere!
Another holy grail of health is about to crumble. Here’s more evidence that a little sunshine is not only okay – it’s probably good for you (something any cat could tell you…if they could tell you). Want to prevent osteoporosis, arthritis, cancer, and maybe even MS? Check out this clickativity.
2) We still love apples
This is an interesting little article about how Americans are so unhealthy, not even our favorite fruits and vegetables are the best. Wow, thanks, Science Daily.
Among the findings: most people still do not know they’re supposed to eat 5 daily servings of produce. And actually, that’s not even correct – a bunch of health organizations got together two years ago and proved that 7-9 daily servings is actually what’s needed for optimal health.
The point of this daily bite is to introduce a little thing Mark refers to as relative nutrition. Sure, potatoes and apples and iceberg aren’t the healthiest produce choices in the world (go for yams, berries and spinach).
But relative to the
processed tripe convenience food that’s shoveled at the overwhelming majority of Americans – including the kidlets – any produce is better than some. Think about what you eat in a day. How much of it actually looks like something that grows in a garden?
Everyone is at a different point along the nutrition curve, which probably flows something like: raw, vegetarian, organic, fresh, selective, indiscriminate, destructive.
Most Americans, sadly, fall into the last two categories. Even most “health-minded” folks, Mark believes, hover somewhere around selective. Thanks to unethical food marketing, these well-intentioned shoppers are selecting foods that have the ring of health but are not really healthy. For example: low-fat dairy, canola oil, multi-grain bread, cereal bars, and pork – because it’s “white” meat.
The further you get along the nutrition curve, the healthier you’ll be. But keep relative nutrition in mind. If you know spinach is better than iceberg, and you can afford it, then for Pete’s sake, eat some spinach! But it’s just good to keep in mind that different people are at different points on the curve, so any progress is still progress. And it’s not just because we like apples (okay, maybe that’s some of the reason).
Why men have love handles and women have bellies
3) Killing is wrong, but Big Pharma evidently missed that memo…
Because they were too busy writing emails figuring out the best way to lie.
And lie some more.
4) The C-Section debate
Is elective Cesarean section a safer bet for baby? We already know it’s safer for mom, but the stigma remains in some societies. This study updates the debate.
Web it out:
Astrology affects your health? Study not funded by Miss Cleo (we checked). Yet another fabulous episode in Silly Studies R Us.