The Real Skinny...: December 2011

THE REAL SKINNY... ON HEALTH & NUTRITION IN AMERICA

Welcome to The Real Skinny... where I will dissect some of the myths surrounding the health, nutrition, food & fitness industries in the United States. I started this blog because I am exasperated by all of the misinformation and propaganda we are fed (pun intended) by the government and the mainstream media about our food supply and the fitness industry here in the U.S.

Like many of you, I have long considered myself to be a healthy person. I regularly followed the advice of so-called experts in the nutrition fitness industries about the latest diets and exercise regimens. I exercised almost every day - sometimes for several hours at a time – and I ate what most people consider to be a very healthy diet. I always ate whole grains, low fat dairy, veggies, fruit and lean meats. I counted “calories in” vs. “calories out” religiously. Despite all of my efforts, I was still plagued with a host of issues including excess body fat. My frustration with this predicament – some might call it my obsession – led me to dig a little deeper into the nutrition/health advice I was getting.

My research began with a few magazine articles and websites. Gradually, as I did more independent research, I started to believe strongly that much of what passes for mainstream thinking on nutrition and fitness is complete nonsense. I now spend a big chunk of my free time reading everything I can on this topic – and the more research I do, the more convinced I am.

I am not big on conspiracy theories. I don’t think the CIA introduced crack cocaine into the inner city, and I don’t think George Bush had a heads-up about 9-11. But I have come to believe that the federal government and the agribusiness community have so dominated the debate on this issue that the American people are not exposed to any other line of thinking. And where has this gotten us? Americans are unhealthier and more overweight than ever.

I would like to share some of these concerns with a wider audience outside of family and friends - the poor souls who have already been subjected to my rants these past few years. For their sake and yours, I decided to take my rants to the masses. I look forward to sharing some of what I learn along the way as I attempt to educate myself and anyone who will listen about what it truly means to be healthy in America.

Friday, December 23, 2011

Raw Milk and Presidential Politics…

While raw milk might not be the first thing you think of when comparing candidates in the next presidential election, one of the Republican presidential candidates running for the GOP nomination sure thinks it is worth mentioning. As part of his platform, Congressman Ron Paul is pledging to overturn the ban on interstate trafficking of raw milk. If you recall, I have written about this issue in the past and advocated that the ban be repealed legislatively. In fact, Congressman Ron Paul is the original sponsor of the legislation I was touting in one of my first blog posts.

To be clear, I am not a supporter of Ron Paul for President. His views on foreign policy and his off-the-charts anti-government conspiracy theories make me unable to support his campaign. But regardless of what you think of Ron Paul as a presidential candidate, we should give him credit for raising an interesting debate about food policy in the U.S. that most other politicians are unwilling to explore.

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Support the Personal Health Investment Act!!

I write this blog post with (perhaps) impure motives…

When I first read about the Personal Health Investment Act, which allows individuals to deduct a percentage of their costs for health and fitness classes and memberships, I saw dollar signs. I am a Jazzercise Instructor (and have been for more than fifteen years) and this type of legislation can help lure new customers to my classes. If I weren’t typing this right now, I would be rubbing my hands together in glee. My profit motives aside, however, this legislation is needed now more than ever – and America’s ever-expanding waistlines prove it. We simply must exercise (in addition to eating right) if we want to live long and HEALTHY lives. While many Americans understand this, many are too willing to make excuses for not making a commitment to fitness.