Page 13 - Winter2010

Caustic Commentary

instead of food-like substitutes. Even more alarming to the in the league—fourteen in all, including Portis. By contrast,
likes of Dr. Betteridge is the refusal of many to remain on the the Philadelphia Eagles, whose trainers recommend a more
drugs. Betteridge complains that he has seen many patients caveman-like diet and pickle juice during practice, have one
“in whom statins have been stopped inappropriately, either of the lowest injury rates in the league.
by the patient or by their doctors. Patients in particular are
bombarded with information about the potential dangers of NO BUTTER OR CREAM IN RESTAURANTS EITHER
statins.” When patients complain, “you have to reassure [them] Just because you’re not an athlete or a child doesn’t mean
that the side effects are most unlikely due to the drug, or you that you’re not a target of the food police. First Lady Michelle
have to look for other causes and counsel them that this is Obama is prodding restaurants to remove butter and cream
a very important drug for them to take” (www.theheart.org/ from their dishes, use lowfat milk and provide apple slices or
article/1129713.do). Dr. Betteridge has received honoraria and carrots as a default side dish on the kids’ menu (news.yahoo.
research funding from AstraZeneca, Bristol-Myers Squibb, com, September 13, 2010). Nothing wrong with the apple
Know, Merck Sharp & Dohme and Pfizer. slices or carrots, but in this case the vegetables are serving
as a shill for vegetable oil products, which will replace butter
MORE MADNESS and cream when chefs remove them. And where, oh where
The food police seem more determined than ever to remove are the voices urging removal of industrial fats and oils from
the last scrap of animal fat from children’s diets. In an article restaurant meals? The food industry coined the term “solid
on obesity in the October, 2010 issue of the Journal of the fats” to refer to both trans and saturated fats, but when it
American Dietetic Association, authors Jill Reedy and Susan comes to demonization, only healthy fats like butter and
M. Krebs-Smith bemoan the fact that, “Nearly 40 percent of cream get the blame.
total calories consumed by 2-18 year olds were in the form
of empty calories from solid fat and from added sugars. Half CELL PHONES AND BRAIN CANCER
of empty calories came from six foods.” And which are the Does epidemiological evidence show an association between
foods contributing to “empty” calories? Soda, fruit drinks, long-term cell phone usage and the risk of developing a brain
dairy desserts, grain desserts, pizza. . . and whole milk! Dairy tumor? Yes, it does. A recently published meta-analysis indi-
desserts (that is, ice cream), pizza and conventional whole cates that use of a cell phone for ten years or more approxi-
milk, bad as they are, at least provide desperately needed mately doubles the risk of being diagnosed with a brain tumor
saturated fats in the diets of growing children. The proposed on the same side of the head as that preferred for cell phone
solution: artificial sweeteners in sodas and desserts, lowfat use. For two types of cancer (glioma and acoustic neuroma)
milk, and fake vegetable oil- and soy-based ingredients in the data showed statistical significance (Surgical Neurology,
ice cream and pizza. 2009 Sept;72(3):205-14). What to do? Send text messages, use
a land line and limit cell phone use to short emergency calls.
LOWFAT FOR FOOTBALL PLAYERS Above all, eat plenty of good fats, especially choline-rich egg
“Redskins catch on to healthy habits” was the headline of a yolks, which will protect your brain.
Washington Post article about Jane Jakubezak, nutritionist
for the Washington, DC football team (September 16, 2010). AIRPORT SCANNER SCANDAL
Thanks to Jane’s urging, veteran running back Clinton Portis Government officials insist that because the new airport scan-
now eats lean protein and vegetables, avoids butter and cream, ners emit only a very low dose of radiation, they are safe. But
and shuns his mother’s comfort foods. The weird, birdfood diet unlike other scanners, these new devices operate at relatively
Jakubezak recommends for these star athletes includes whole low beam energies. The majority of their energy is delivered
grain cereal, skim milk, energy shakes, lowfat chocolate milk to the skin and the underlying tissue. Thus, while the dose
(after workouts), lean meat, egg white omelets, peanut butter would be safe if it were distributed throughout the volume of
and jelly, and lots and lots of whole wheat bread. By Thanks- the entire body, the dose to the skin may be dangerously high.
giving, the Redskins had the longest list of injured players In a letter to Dr. John P. Holdren, Assistant to the President for
Wise Traditions WINTER 2010 WINTER 2010 Wise Traditions 13

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