Wisconsin, Overweight and Obese?

[yo vanilla]

Originally Posted by gallon

What exactly is the issue with HFCS? This comes up again and again. Is it just the calories, or something more involved?

it's more involved. completely terrible for your health and well-being, but it's cheap and has a long shelf life (which, btw, is a strong indicator of something being bad for you) so all the major food companies use it in everything. some studies have shown it to be highly addicting as well, as much as some hardcore drugs

[susancruzs]

Like the shelf life of a Twinkie or is that another urban myth? A fellow I worked with told me when he was in the army they'd have Twinkies forever.

[yo vanilla]

Originally Posted by susancruzs

Like the shelf life of a Twinkie or is that another urban myth? A fellow I worked with told me when he was in the army they'd have Twinkies forever.

There's a health food store in Appleton (that I haven't been to yet) which I am told displays fast food on a shelf. It never decomposes.

[Geechie North]

If I could throw some info into the mix:

Stress is a major factor. Scientists fed mice in two groups the same diet (portions, etc.), only they stressed one group, and left the other group undisturbed.

Stressed group got fat. Really fat.

Then there is the related matter of sleep, or lack there of.

Americans today average 6 hrs- lowest ever, and down from the traditional 10 hrs that was average for most of our history.

[fxsts]

When I was in my thirties, I owned a dairy farm in Kiel, Wisconsin...1970's. It was a time, when the family farm was going by the wayside, to corporate farming. The University of Wisconsin ag group at the time was pushing growth hormones to produce bigger cows and more milk. Average cows produced about 40# of milk a day. Now, cows are about 2-3 hundred pounds heavier and produce 50-60 pounds of milk per day. The hormones grew the cows in stature , big udders and big legs to carry the weight. Also, the bulls used, were hormone fed to produce these dairy cows were matched for the same reason.
Now, take a look at the average 20-30 year old. Very few women with thin calves. Most are pronounced and without definiton on their ankles. Now, without gettting everyones shorts in a bunch, observe the chest...getting bigger arent they? In other words...I see the same thing that happened to dairy cows now in the general population. The younger generation is genetically destined to grow. Also, when I had a sick or old cow, I shipped it to the Milwaukee yards...guess who the buyers were...a broker for McDonalds. Go figure!
Another pet peve of mine, was the milk. It was tested each pick up for bacteria and somatic cell count..infection. One of thhe tricks to keep the bacteria count down was to clean all the milking equipment with iodine. No test is done for iodine. Over the years, different anti bacteria solutions have been used...notice the chemical smell of whole milk? Corporate farms are about one thing...profit...they will use any edge to increase profit. I think its about time for the FDA to start going after this insustry...Any thoughts?

[susancruzs]

What you say makes sense and I've heard my brother-in-law in Iowa talk about it how farming has changed. He's an old school vo-ag guy (in his 70s now). He used to visit individual farms when he taught school but he says it isn't like that at all anymore. Of course he's been out of it for many years.

I for one think there's alot of things in the foods and products we eat and use that would knock our socks off if we knew! Is this a case of not knowing is bliss???

[yo vanilla]

Originally Posted by susancruzs

I for one think there's alot of things in the foods and products we eat and use that would knock our socks off if we knew! Is this a case of not knowing is bliss???

If the results weren't so devastating to our health, perhaps. But in this case, knowledge is key.

[susancruzs]

You're right! I read labels and am probably a little naiive in thinking the labels are telling the whole truth.

I certainly don't weigh what I did in my youth, but I exercise try not to let my weight get to where I was a few years ago. I'm a carb and chocolate freak so losing even 20 lbs. was a major chore, not going down that road again.

For the person talking about being stressed, remember stressed backwards does spell desserts. My comfort food is definitely sugar related, good thing I don't have high blood pressure, cholesterol or diabetes!

[Geechie North]

Originally Posted by fxsts

When I was in my thirties, I owned a dairy farm in Kiel, Wisconsin...1970's. It was a time, when the family farm was going by the wayside, to corporate farming. The University of Wisconsin ag group at the time was pushing growth hormones to produce bigger cows and more milk. Average cows produced about 40# of milk a day. Now, cows are about 2-3 hundred pounds heavier and produce 50-60 pounds of milk per day. The hormones grew the cows in stature , big udders and big legs to carry the weight. Also, the bulls used, were hormone fed to produce these dairy cows were matched for the same reason.
Now, take a look at the average 20-30 year old. Very few women with thin calves. Most are pronounced and without definiton on their ankles. Now, without gettting everyones shorts in a bunch, observe the chest...getting bigger arent they? In other words...I see the same thing that happened to dairy cows now in the general population. The younger generation is genetically destined to grow. Also, when I had a sick or old cow, I shipped it to the Milwaukee yards...guess who the buyers were...a broker for McDonalds. Go figure!
Another pet peve of mine, was the milk. It was tested each pick up for bacteria and somatic cell count..infection. One of thhe tricks to keep the bacteria count down was to clean all the milking equipment with iodine. No test is done for iodine. Over the years, different anti bacteria solutions have been used...notice the chemical smell of whole milk? Corporate farms are about one thing...profit...they will use any edge to increase profit. I think its about time for the FDA to start going after this insustry...Any thoughts?

FDA won't go after this (or any other) industry, because it is owned by said industries.
If the average American knew the reality surrounding BGH there would by quite an outcry, in my opinion- just like there was in Europe. And that led to its banning there.
But for that to happen we'd need an independent media, and the situation re: BGH demonstrates the exact opposite exixts in the old US of A.

[cubssoxfan]

What about the antibiotics in chickens? Kids get sick and the antibiotics don't work because there is a tolerance from the ingestion of the antibiotics via the eaten chicken.
Has me thinking the Amish method of farming is a lot smarter then our modern uber-manufactured method of farming. I root for the organic growers.