Controversial stance, maybe?

Options
aj_rock
aj_rock Posts: 390 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I hear the word 'natural' thrown around a lot. Somewhere down the line, a lot of people have confused 'good for you' with 'natural'.

When you really think about what that word means, humanity itself is unnatural. So why this fixation on clean eating, no drinking milk, eat paleo, blah blah blah?

First off, saying that our bodies are meant to eat one thing versus another because that's how primal man did it is silly. Should I also find potential mates by hitting them with a club and dragging their unconscious bodies back to my cave? Historical precedant really should not influence our eating, unless history literally says 'if you eat this, you will immediately and violently become sick'.

When people ate these natural things, they also expected to not live far beyond the age of 30. we didn't fix this by just 'eating better'. We did it by being really SMART and using SCIENCE to lengthen our lifespan. We use pesticides and stuff like that FOR GOOD REASONS. Assuming that every big company has it out for your life makes no sense. They can't make money if their product killed people; it's in their best interest to feed you food that WON'T kill you.

It just seems silly to see a lot of sensationlist crepe gets bandied about simply because the people pushing their 'eat clean' diets use specific words and fears to try and sway the average person.

*end rant mode*

Let the conflicting opinions begin!
«1345

Replies

  • VeganGal84
    VeganGal84 Posts: 938 Member
    Options
    This made me laugh. No opinion to add, but thanks for making me LOL this dreary afternoon. :laugh:
  • Heatherbelle_87
    Heatherbelle_87 Posts: 1,078 Member
    Options
    Im pretty sure this has made me fall in love with you. lol Thank you for having the balls to say it!
  • SiltyPigeon
    SiltyPigeon Posts: 920 Member
    Options
    I :heart: you. No, really.
  • Luvlee85
    Luvlee85 Posts: 120 Member
    Options
    "Should I also find potential mates by hitting them with a club and dragging their unconscious bodies back to my cave?"...

    Some people may say yes to that one. I liked this post!!!
  • anna_lisa
    anna_lisa Posts: 486 Member
    Options
    I think it depends on what you are reading and researching and who is doing the research. That is all I will say........
  • Atlantique
    Atlantique Posts: 2,484 Member
    Options
    I hear the word 'natural' thrown around a lot. Somewhere down the line, a lot of people have confused 'good for you' with 'natural'.

    When you really think about what that word means, humanity itself is unnatural. So why this fixation on clean eating, no drinking milk, eat paleo, blah blah blah?

    First off, saying that our bodies are meant to eat one thing versus another because that's how primal man did it is silly. Should I also find potential mates by hitting them with a club and dragging their unconscious bodies back to my cave? Historical precedant really should not influence our eating, unless history literally says 'if you eat this, you will immediately and violently become sick'.

    When people ate these natural things, they also expected to not live far beyond the age of 30. we didn't fix this by just 'eating better'. We did it by being really SMART and using SCIENCE to lengthen our lifespan. We use pesticides and stuff like that FOR GOOD REASONS. Assuming that every big company has it out for your life makes no sense. They can't make money if their product killed people; it's in their best interest to feed you food that WON'T kill you.

    It just seems silly to see a lot of sensationlist crepe gets bandied about simply because the people pushing their 'eat clean' diets use specific words and fears to try and sway the average person.

    *end rant mode*

    Let the conflicting opinions begin!

    I agree with you to a point insofar as natural does not always equal better. But some of your analogies are way off. LOL
  • dipsl19
    dipsl19 Posts: 317 Member
    Options
    Assuming that every big company has it out for your life makes no sense. They can't make money if their product killed people; it's in their best interest to feed you food that WON'T kill you.

    ... cigarette companies? hello??!
    i mean there's just so much i can say in response to this. pesticides are used so that there is more product to be sold, period. because it makes more MONEY.

    .... everything is about money. companies dont care about their customers. lets get real here..

    obviously everything is relative, and no you wont DIE from eating a bag of cheetos once a week, but if you eat them all day every day it WILL negatively affect your health.

    luckily its not my job or concern to convince anyone, so carry on lol
  • AlsDonkBoxSquat
    AlsDonkBoxSquat Posts: 6,128 Member
    Options
    I hear the word 'natural' thrown around a lot. Somewhere down the line, a lot of people have confused 'good for you' with 'natural'.

    When you really think about what that word means, humanity itself is unnatural. So why this fixation on clean eating, no drinking milk, eat paleo, blah blah blah?

    First off, saying that our bodies are meant to eat one thing versus another because that's how primal man did it is silly. Should I also find potential mates by hitting them with a club and dragging their unconscious bodies back to my cave? Historical precedant really should not influence our eating, unless history literally says 'if you eat this, you will immediately and violently become sick'.

    When people ate these natural things, they also expected to not live far beyond the age of 30. we didn't fix this by just 'eating better'. We did it by being really SMART and using SCIENCE to lengthen our lifespan. We use pesticides and stuff like that FOR GOOD REASONS. Assuming that every big company has it out for your life makes no sense. They can't make money if their product killed people; it's in their best interest to feed you food that WON'T kill you.

    It just seems silly to see a lot of sensationlist crepe gets bandied about simply because the people pushing their 'eat clean' diets use specific words and fears to try and sway the average person.

    *end rant mode*

    Let the conflicting opinions begin!

    1) We've tracked my family line back several hundred years, way before food was modernized, and they lived to be 80 or so. I disagree with your premis that this wasn't an expectation because this has always been an expectation in my family.

    2) Food science has evolved quicker than man has evolved, so no man has not evolved to process "processed foods" efficiently yet, which I think you're sort of getting at.

    3) Pesticides - my body is not made to process poisons, I'd be surprised if yours is either

    4) Added hormones in foods - my body makes it's own hormones, when I consume other hormones it throws my natural balance out of balance. Again, I'd be surprised if this wasn't the case for most people.

    Controversial maybe? Opinion based on only opinion and missing large points of fact, definitely.
  • brandiuntz
    brandiuntz Posts: 2,717 Member
    Options
    I hear the word 'natural' thrown around a lot. Somewhere down the line, a lot of people have confused 'good for you' with 'natural'.

    So true. "All Natural" has become the latest marketing ploy for supplements/food. We need to read labels and know what's in our food/supplements/vitamins to really know if something is healthy.
  • kerriBB37
    kerriBB37 Posts: 967 Member
    Options
    I'm not in the mood for anything controversial because, well, it is Friday afternoon.. but I will say that this last week (starting Monday morning) I have followed a strict Paleo diet. I do CrossFit 5-6 days a week and it was a "challenge" proposed by our coaches. I have been CrossFitting for 7 weeks and hadn't lost any weight, I KNOW I am a lot stronger and look better, but no change on the scale. This past week (weighed in today) I lost 2.2 #. Now, to ME that was success. I have been on MFP for 200+ days straight and hit a pretty big plateau in May. I changed up my workouts and starting kicking major *kitten*. No change on the scale though. Furthermore (and what matters to ME) is that I feel GREAT! All I have eaten (and a lot of it) is lean beef, turkey, chicken, shrimp, veggies galore, every nut you can think of and fruit. My energy level is through the roof, I lifted more this week (ie. 165# back squat, 80# push press, 175# deadlift) than I ever have. Those are the little gifts that I've received from the Paleo lifestyle, and it's only been 5 days.

    =)
  • 111408
    111408 Posts: 27
    Options

    They can't make money if their product killed people;

    I'd just like to point out that tobacco is a HUGE industry, and their product kills people and they still make a TON of money.

    That being said, I agree with you to an extent on some of the stuff you said. Mostly I think people should do what makes them feel healthy, if its drinking milk and eating fruit but no eggs fine. If they can eat Lean Cuisines all day long and feel healthy, so be it. To each their own.
  • cvaneaton
    cvaneaton Posts: 154
    Options
    Thanks for sharing your rant! You have some good points and a great sense of :laugh:
  • katapple
    katapple Posts: 1,108 Member
    Options
    Should I also find potential mates by hitting them with a club and dragging their unconscious bodies back to my cave?

    :laugh:
  • Dornroschen
    Dornroschen Posts: 178 Member
    Options
    I eat as clean as possible, because I can't have just one serving of chips, etc. without wanting another and another and another...

    Beyond that, doesn't anyone find it a bit odd that we never really crave broccoli or good for us stuff? We crave sodium-rich, high fat content foods because those things are addictive. So why wouldn't companies put a high amount of that crap into their food to guarantee higher sales?
  • Jemmuno
    Jemmuno Posts: 413 Member
    Options
    This made me laugh as well, and yes you do have a point that food company's don't sell food to kill us and I do understand where your going with your rant, HOWEVER there are foods that are healthier than others and we must keep in mind that the westernized world is capitalist so therefore our health takes back seat to the dollar. Drinking a twelve pack of mountain dew may not kill you right away, but it doesn't do anything to help the body over the long run, and rots the teeth over time.

    As for the pesticides comment agreed just rinse off your fruits and veggies before you eat them.
  • Marig0ld
    Marig0ld Posts: 671 Member
    Options
    OMG this made me LOL so hard...it's good to know that not everyone hates people who don't grow their own food in their backyard. Organically. Um yeah, I work 40+ hours a week and go to school. Not happening.

    Another controversial opinion I have issue with...that diets should always be plant-based because that's how humans are "meant" to eat. I call BS on that....don't even try to tell me that primitive humans would choose eating bark over a freshly killed boar or other meaty critter.. Mmmm meat.....
  • bry_all01
    bry_all01 Posts: 3,100 Member
    Options

    First off, saying that our bodies are meant to eat one thing versus another because that's how primal man did it is silly. Should I also find potential mates by hitting them with a club and dragging their unconscious bodies back to my cave? Historical precedant really should not influence our eating, unless history literally says 'if you eat this, you will immediately and violently become sick'.


    wait....you mean to tell me that's NOT how men and women are SUPPOSED to get together? I have some stuff to sort out with my husband tonight, then..... :tongue: thanks for the laugh!
  • YvonneMin
    YvonneMin Posts: 27
    Options
    Very true. Many people consider vaccinations to be the best human invention ever that has benefitted humans the most. And they certainly aren't "natural".
  • jessradtke
    jessradtke Posts: 418 Member
    Options
    Awww, man! I was agreeing with you until you hit the pesticides.
  • chuckyp
    chuckyp Posts: 693 Member
    Options
    I don't believe all the hype either. And I, like most people, have been eating normally produced, non-organic products my whole life with no known ill-effects. While I don't know what evidence there is of trace levels of pesticides on produce having any harmful effects on consumers, I'm sure they were developed not specifically to help people, but to increase a crop's yield by having less of the crop destroyed by pests and therefore increase the productivity and profit of the company. I don't know that having a little pesticide on a fruit is any worse than having the same organically-grown fruit that has a burrowing insect, fungus, or disease that could have been prevented by the application of pesticides or fungicides.

Categories