The above image, no longer in use, is called the Food Pyramid. It contains within it suggestions for healthy eating. In my opinion, humble or not, it contains some of the worst dietary advice ever given.

• • It puts too much emphasis on vegetables and fruits. I’ve no problem with them, I like most of them, but I think them overrated in terms of health. In my diet I have a small glass of orange juice daily, though not religiously, and broccoli and onions, green peppers and jalapeños. These turn up in recipes. (As I will be discussing Keto in this piece, I mention here that on that system, we avoid vegetables grown underground, but eat many grown above. Potatoes and yams, for example, are diet death, french fries a never-no-no. Green beans? Not a big deal.) (Keep in mind that I am 71. If you are in your 20s, 30s or 40s, eat, drink and be merry!)
  • The pyramid suggests we eat less meat than fruits and vegetables by far. I even get the impression that it might want us to skip meat entirely. I get most of my nutrition from meat. It keeps me slim, and provides all the nutrients I need to stay healthy, except perhaps Vitamin C.
  • I would group cheese with meats, as it is something we can eat in any quantity without affecting our weight. I skip yogurt, and do not drink milk (except with coffee). I have never liked milk. Neither did my mother.
  • Fats and oils … use “sparingly?” The body loves fats of all kinds, saturated and not. In fact, our brains are comprised of mostly fat, 60% as I read it, meaning that my dad was 60% right in a certain insult he would occasionally lay on me. (For sake of humor, I am too hard on him. He never called me a “fathead.”)
  • The biggest problem with the above pyramid is the bottom, the bread, cereal, rice and pasta group – 6-11 servings daily! If you want to lose weight and avoid diabetes, you will ignore that recommendation. Of course we all love bread – I can wolf it down as well as anyone. But if I do, I pay a price – my weight mushrooms.
  • We can agree with one thing: Avoid sugars.

Continue reading “The George McGovern legacy: An equal distribution of poor health” →

“Oh, earth, you’re too wonderful for anybody to realize you. Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it?” 

~ (deceased) Emily Webb, Our Town

It’s been a rough week. I struggle to write, as my heart is heavy. Recent days marked the sixth anniversary of the passing of my mom, who died by suicide. Days before that, my friend suddenly passed away (at the very same age as my mom). Strangely enough, I do not know precisely the cause of her death; and even if I did, I would not have permission from her family to divulge the details. Suffice to say, I sense parallels to my mom’s situation, and the synchronicities feel inherently uncanny. Incidentally, many years ago, both my mom and my friend were very close, but life circumstances abruptly ended their relationship. 

While I can not convince others just how precious and crucial it is to fully breathe existence into our present and respective incarnations — persevering through the obstacles and tragedies — I can only speak for myself. My tethered spirit beckons to me to stay and persist. I recognize that I need to work harder at the living aspect of this life cycle (and frankly, to be more present), before I even venture into considering how to work on the dying part.