Subj : What did the boy do?
To   : Alexander Koryagin
From : Ardith Hinton
Date : Tue Nov 19 2019 23:52:16

i, Alexander!  Recently you wrote in a message to Ardith Hinton:

 AH>  In my experience those who rely heavily (!) on cheap
 AH>  carbohydrates are more likely to be overweight.  :-Q

 AK>  ‘hildren very often have a poor appetite.


            Young children may need to be fed several times a day because their 
stomachs are too small to handle very much at a time, but grownups don't always 
understand that.  Another thing many parents don't understand is why their kids 
dislike e.g. the Brussels sprouts or beef tongue they regard as special treats.



 AK>  Their mothers often make them eat their food.


            I don't know how many do it nowadays, but they certainly did when I 
was growing up.  Mother decided for you what & how much of it you should eat... 
and you weren't allowed to leave the table until you had eaten every bite.  :-(



 AK>  The epidemic of excess weight


            ... which may be an exaggeration by the popular press, BTW...



 AK>  is most likely connected with genetic changes that
 AK>  happen during many years and even generations.


            I think it can be.  If one's distant ancestors survived on whatever 
was available to them at the time, one may have nutritional needs in accordance 
with what worked for them.  Nowadays things seem to be changing too quickly for 
our bodies to keep up & we may do best by honouring our roots.

            In Canada, a century ago, most people lived on farms where they did 
a lot of physical work... they also understood where their food came from & who 
had produced it.  In the intervening years large numbers of them have relocated 
to the city & the manufacturers of "convenience food" have learned that if they 
add generous amounts of sugar, salt, and/or fat people tend to want more.  IMHO 
our bodies weren't designed to handle such large quantities of nutrients Mother 
Nature would have used sparingly & discreetly in view of what benefits us.  :-)



 AK>  I believe this change has been caused by the fact
 AK>  that very many people live in stress, and food is
 AK>  a very effective antidepressant.


            Some people lose their appetites when they're under stress... but I 
think people generally feel better after eating because their blood sugar level 
goes up.  The danger is that if they are eating a lot of refined carbohydrates, 
which provide instant gratification, they'll crash again in +/- twenty minutes. 
Teachers often notice this in schools equipped with vending machines... (sigh).



 AK>  And people who refused to smoke now have a little
 AK>  choice in replacing it with something else. :)
       |I'd say "have little choice but to replace it".


            A century ago, alcohol was out & tobacco was in.  The situation has 
now been reversed.  If you're on your way to the gym, however, there are people 
who will happily sell you an energy bar loaded with sugar & caffeine.  Caffeine 
is very in these days... at least where I come from.  The neighbourhood where I 
grew up had two coffee shops back then.  These days it has so many, combined of 
course with bubble tea shops... think tapioca starch... I've lost track because 
I can't count that high.  I have also remarked on the number of city folk I see 
rushing around with a cell phone in one hand & a coffee cup in the other.  :-))




--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: Wits' End, Vancouver CANADA (1:153/716)

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