# Eating Tilapia is Worse Than Eating Bacon



## earl of DC (Jul 7, 2007)

i eat fish (mainly the 1s i catch) but ive been stop eatin this sh... !!!

http://www.draxe.com/eating-tilapia-is-worse-than-eating-bacon/


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## bigjim5589 (Jul 23, 2005)

Earl, I'm sure there's a real concern here, but have to say when I read such things I have to wonder if it's being reported honestly, or to further someones own ideas about what's healthy for us. 
Let's say I'm always skeptical when I read these things. It reminds me of the reports & concerns about lead & mercury in our fish.

Tilipia are filter feeders so how's this different than oysters, clams or mussels?

How about the teacher recently that went on that McDonalds diet? Everything we eat is not healthy for us according to who writes these things.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/08/mcdonalds-diet_n_4557698.html 

I love bacon, so I guess I'll still take my chances with tilapia. Can't be much worse than eating anything else from our waters with all the Vibrio & other problems seen over the last several years. 
It's probably no worse than eating catfish from our waters & I really like to eat catfish. I do however limit the amount of fish I eat that I catch & I don't eat tilipia too often either. 

All things in moderation!


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

I think that somebody's standard for "healthy" is subject to interpretation.

Processed meats aren't healthy, no matter how you cut it. If it were just meat, OK. And tilapia don't have much nutritional value, as most freshwater white fish don't. Comparing the two, however, is apples and oranges.

Personally, I don't eat either, but I don't expect anyone to follow my lead.


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## zam (Jun 16, 2004)

I believe a lot of the things that article says, its actually not even anything new. I first read those things about Tilapia years ago, but they do try to make it sound as bad as possible. for instance, the title claims Tilapia is worse then bacon, but when you read through it all its really saying is that its worse then bacon in one aspect, its inflammatory potential, theres other things like high saturated fat, cholesterol, nitrates, salt ect...that makes bacon worse. If they were totally honest they probably should of said it can be just as bad as bacon


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## Windrift00 (Jun 4, 2011)

Ok wow. So that article takes facts discovered from certian farms, farms which are in trouble or shut down, and attempts to describe every fish farm. Yea see articles like this, which twist fact until it's just lies drive me insane. Because someone, somewhere, believes this.


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## bronzbck1 (Jun 13, 2007)

If you eat Tilapia you don't care about the fishing industry at all. Didn't read the above and don't need too.


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## steveMD (Apr 9, 2010)

If you believe this stuff I have a bridge in Brooklyn you can buy. Total B.S.


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## pods (Sep 10, 2013)

Farm raised fish are like fast food people. Tons of macronutrients, zero micros. 
Chinese farm raised fish, well that is just plain dangerous. Might as well serve it on a bed of Fukushima Arugula. 
I would say that they are equally unhealthy and leave it at that.
Hell, I feel bad using Chinese shrimp for bait catching pinfish with the kids, and I'm just gonna toss the pinfish out a bigger hook when I catch them.
pods


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

steveMD said:


> If you believe this stuff I have a bridge in Brooklyn you can buy. Total B.S.


I don't think most people in America know enough about nutrition to resonably argue the point. Just look around you, and judge the merit of that statement based on the waistlines you see. But I do believe that both tilapia and bacon have no place in a healthy diet, albeit for totally different reasons. It's hard to say which is worse - eating a meat that is almost completely devoid of nutrition. (filling your stomach and providing no nutrition is inherently unhealthy - it's controlled starvation) Or eating a processed food full of sodium and sugar. (even the fat isn't as big of a deal - it's proven that one doesn't get fat eating fat, lest low carb diets would not work)

Tilapia is the "white bread" of the animal kingdom. Bacon is just bacon, it has no parallels...


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## Windrift00 (Jun 4, 2011)

It's hard to even debate, please check some actual medical publications on the fish. And not just ones which discuss the fish raised in horrid conditions. Of course they're full of crap! 

Oh and what's described above is called Rabbitt starvation, which can occur with any lean meat if that's all you eat. Both have their places in a healthy well balanced diet. Bacon is awesome. (In moderation)


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

Windrift00 said:


> Both have their places in a healthy well balanced diet.


That's certainly subjective. Your idea of "healthy well balanced" is not mine... 

I don't follow the USRDA, 5 food group model. I think that is a model for keeping you medically dependent. The awesomeness of bacon and tilapia certainly show through, in that respect.


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## pods (Sep 10, 2013)

solid7 said:


> That's certainly subjective. Your idea of "healthy well balanced" is not mine...
> 
> I don't follow the USRDA, 5 food group model. I think that is a model for keeping you medically dependent. The awesomeness of bacon and tilapia certainly show through, in that respect.


Hey solid, you ever hear about Dr. Fuhrman? You sound a lot like you have read the same things as I have. Eat to Live, Eat for Health, Disease Proof your Child. (some of the books he has written)


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

Windrift00 said:


> Oh and what's described above is called Rabbitt starvation, which can occur with any lean meat if that's all you eat.


I hate lean meat. There is nothing wrong with full fat meats, so long as they aren't grain fed, and rushed to market by hormonal injections and fertilizer food.

Most nutritionists and doctors in this country are criminals, in my opinion... Alternative eating habits that have emerged over the last 20 years have proven the negative effects of our "American" diet. I'd take anything over a traditional American diet - wheter it be raw vegan, vegetarian, paleo, or primal. I wouldn't want to have to live on the vegetarian-ish diets, but I have in times past, and I still looked and felt better than most people I know. Just have to eat so damn much...


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

pods said:


> Hey solid, you ever hear about Dr. Fuhrman? You sound a lot like you have read the same things as I have. Eat to Live, Eat for Health, Disease Proof your Child. (some of the books he has written)


No, I don't know him. I was a strict vegetarian for 2 years, while sorting out some stomach issues, and then went to the other end of scale, and spent several more years on a paleo diet. The only reason that I didn't stick with Paleo, was the cost, and a job layoff. They didn't go well together. But I'd sacrifice a lot of disposable income for the luxury of eating well. And I will. I don't have a huge frame, but I own every ounce of it in the form of lean muscle. I'm almost 40 years old, and still look like I'm in my late twenties to early thirties. Proper nutrition is a subject that is near and dear to me.


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## pods (Sep 10, 2013)

Look him up. He follows and treats patients with a nutritarian approach to eating. Lots of veggies, fruits, beans nuts seeds. Does wonders for treating disease. Cures heart disease, Type II, HPB, etc.
Sounds like you are my brother from another mother. Just turned 40 here. Same body type. If TSHTF, I have no fat to rely on. Oh well.
http://www.drfuhrman.com/
That is his website. Very engaging guy too.
pods


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

pods said:


> Does wonders for treating disease. Cures heart disease, Type II, HPB, etc.


Your health is dependent on 70% diet, and only 30% activity. You can exercise all you like, but if you don't eat well, you'll still be sick and/or fat. It is no surprise to see someone turn their life and health around through good nutrition. The problem with that is, eating well doesn't sell pills. 



pods said:


> If TSHTF, I have no fat to rely on. Oh well.


You don't need a fat reserve to rely on. Your body will process lean muscle just fine, in the case of emergency. The fact that the body burns fat in an energy restricted mode, is absolutely no justification for carrying around a spare tire. In fact, everyone should do what they can to go into old age with lots of lean muscle. Because when you get on the downhill side of life, when you get sick, and your body starts to digest itself, you don't get it back. (you just can't heal well enough anymore to build muscle after a certain age) Lean bodies tend to be much healthier than those carrying fat. Carrying fat is a sign of a chronic deficiency or illness. Therefore, the leaner you are, the better. And if you believe the evidence, lean people who remain even mildly active in old age, tend to be much less ill than the "average" person.


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## pods (Sep 10, 2013)

Haha, I know all about selling pills. I develop pharmaceuticals for a day job (formulation scientist). I found nutrition by accident through a bad back (2 herniated, 1 bulging disc). Nutrition and exercise worked better than anything the doctors proffered to me. Of course, I had to take responsibility that it was me that put myself into that position. I still don't eat the best, but at least I _know _that I don't.
pods


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

pods said:


> Haha, I know all about selling pills. I develop pharmaceuticals for a day job (formulation scientist).


That's funny... I had my enrollment for med school before I decided to be a nerd. Spent most of my childhood in a doctor's office, (where my father's wife worked) and I saw for myself the unholy alliance between doctors and big pharma. It ruined me forever on both doctors and traditional medicine. 

So you're that guy that Bob Dylan sang about. (Johnny's in the basement, mixing up the medicine...)


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## Windrift00 (Jun 4, 2011)

Big Pharm in this country is crazy, I'll admit that. I won't call all Doc's the same, there are plently of docs who suggest healthy alternatives to meds. Seriously. As for healthy diet, it depends on the person obviously. But to say those two items have no place in a healthy diet is just as wrong as saying everyone should eat them.


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

Windrift00 said:


> But to say those two items have no place in a healthy diet is just as wrong as saying everyone should eat them.


Tilapia isn't the obvious one. But bacon? It has a place in a healthy diet? Really?

In an optimal situation, (which obviously, there aren't many) when exactly would you want to eat bacon as part of a health conscious diet?

If you tell me you're compromising, and letting a little garbage in once in awhile, OK. But to make bacon one of the pillars of a healthy diet is wrong on so many levels...


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## jcreamer (Mar 6, 2001)

I like both and will continue to eat them. I do not believe that it is what you eat but how much you eat.


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

jcreamer said:


> I do not believe that it is what you eat but how much you eat.


Would you like *just a little bit* of arsenic on that dog crap sandwich?


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## dena (Jun 20, 2010)

In catfish farms, the catfish are raised in ponds.
These ponds are densely packed with fish, and the water dirties quickly.
To clean the water, the dirty water is pumped out, and clean water is pumped in.
The dirty water is recycled.
The Tilapia eat the solids from the catfish poop as food, that cleans the water enough to pump it back into the catfish pond.
Yum Yum Tilapia. .... Ugh.


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## doomdealer (Apr 10, 2013)

dena said:


> In catfish farms, the catfish are raised in ponds.
> These ponds are densely packed with fish, and the water dirties quickly.
> To clean the water, the dirty water is pumped out, and clean water is pumped in.
> The dirty water is recycled.
> ...


They showed them being raised with rockfish (I think) on Dirty Jobs, and yeah, they ate the poop.


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## ez2cdave (Oct 13, 2008)

Hmm . . . I'm making a "Bacon Explosion" for the Super Bowl ( Google for the recipe ) . . .


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## Windrift00 (Jun 4, 2011)

solid7 said:


> Tilapia isn't the obvious one. But bacon? It has a place in a healthy diet? Really?
> 
> In an optimal situation, (which obviously, there aren't many) when exactly would you want to eat bacon as part of a health conscious diet?
> 
> If you tell me you're compromising, and letting a little garbage in once in awhile, OK. But to make bacon one of the pillars of a healthy diet is wrong on so many levels...


Non lean meat has a place in a healthy diet. Simple as that. It's not like it's coffee or something.


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## Windrift00 (Jun 4, 2011)

http://www.snopes.com/food/warnings/tilapia.asp

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/02/science/earth/02tilapia.html?_r=0


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## ez2cdave (Oct 13, 2008)

pods said:


> Hey solid, you ever hear about Dr. Fuhrman? You sound a lot like you have read the same things as I have. Eat to Live, Eat for Health, Disease Proof your Child. (some of the books he has written)


I prefer my own book "Scam Proof You Child" . . . LOL !


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

Windrift00 said:


> Non lean meat has a place in a healthy diet. Simple as that. It's not like it's coffee or something.


I don't disagree. Read my posts earlier... I eat full at meat, all of the time. Fat is not what makes people fat!

Bacon isn't just "non-lean meat", though.


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## critter gitter (Jan 5, 2008)

Was diagnosed with MS few years back and Paleo, gluten, dairy, legume and refined sugar free has kept me in remission. Lots of fruits veggies,tree nuts, berries and wild game-fish and venison. Vitamin D is critcal. Issue though is one cart of groceries is $300. Firm believer in diet. Also all my intestinal issues vanished. Frickin wheat is nasty chit. Who would have thought that about neolithic diets. Some really good reads on subject.
Wonder about farm raised trout. I eat lots of that.


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

critter gitter said:


> Was diagnosed with MS few years back and Paleo, gluten, dairy, legume and refined sugar free has kept me in remission. Lots of fruits veggies,tree nuts, berries and wild game-fish and venison. Vitamin D is critcal. Issue though is one cart of groceries is $300. Firm believer in diet. Also all my intestinal issues vanished. Frickin wheat is nasty chit. Who would have thought that about neolithic diets. Some really good reads on subject.
> Wonder about farm raised trout. I eat lots of that.


Don't tell any of this to the guy who suggested that it isn't "WHAT you eat, but how MUCH". We can't have anyone believing that optimal eating is anything less than mindless mouth stuffing, buffered by a sincere attempt at portion controls.   

I love that Paleo diet. (which is not a fad weight-loss routine, but a lifestyle) The only thing I didn't like about it was how it made me look. It cut every last ounce of fat off of me, and I was a little too lean and shredded for my own liking. It was the only time in my life that I ever had an inch deep six pack and the Adonis "V". I don't have enough muscle to be that detailed, IMO. But then again, I'm used to seeing what MOST people look like, and judging by the American standard, anybody that is healthy probably looks sick.


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## surfnsam (Apr 28, 2008)

I want a bacon bowl filled with deep fried talapia(fried in duck fat) !


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

surfnsam said:


> I want a bacon bowl filled with deep fried talapia(fried in duck fat) !


LOL... I find this to be the most appropriate reply in the whole thread.


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## bloodworm (Jan 5, 2007)

of course everything in moderation, but I can see why its that bad


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## captmikestarrett (Apr 28, 2004)

Mark Twain said "All things in moderation, so I will only smoke one cigar at a time"
Oscar Wilde — 'Everything in moderation, including moderation.'

Capt Mike


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

Yes, I'm all for moderation. I once saw a guy drink a glass of winshield wiper fluid on a dare. Somebody bet him he couldn't chug a whole gallon. Thank god some common sense prevailed on that one!


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## seahunt21 (Nov 6, 2011)

How can a true fisherman eat tilapia anyway?


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## Windrift00 (Jun 4, 2011)

solid7 said:


> Don't tell any of this to the guy who suggested that it isn't "WHAT you eat, but how MUCH". We can't have anyone believing that optimal eating is anything less than mindless mouth stuffing, buffered by a sincere attempt at portion controls.
> 
> I love that Paleo diet. (which is not a fad weight-loss routine, but a lifestyle) The only thing I didn't like about it was how it made me look. It cut every last ounce of fat off of me, and I was a little too lean and shredded for my own liking. It was the only time in my life that I ever had an inch deep six pack and the Adonis "V". I don't have enough muscle to be that detailed, IMO. But then again, I'm used to seeing what MOST people look like, and judging by the American standard, anybody that is healthy probably looks sick.


It's actually both. Or all. There are many ways to eat and live a healthy lifestyle and no one true way, except to do what is the best for you.


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

Windrift00 said:


> It's actually both. Or all. There are many ways to eat and live a healthy lifestyle and no one true way, except to do what is the best for you.


Yes, there are many ways to live a healthy lifestyle, and many healthy ways to eat. Unfortunately, too often people with no knowledge of either subject pass influence on to others. 

Believing in Jesus (in theory) will cause one no bodily harm. You can't apply the same type of faith to food and lifestyle. Well, you can, but you have to own your results. And unfortunately, by the time one sees the results of their misplaced beliefs, it is often either too late, or has cause significant harm. I understand that most people are too busy to think about their health, and that "there's a pill to fix that". Whatever you want to do. I'm nobody to tell people what to do. The best I can do is to help people to challenge what (they think) they believe.


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

If you don't believe how willingly ingorant that we allow ourselves to be on all matters related to food, try watching some vintage advertisements, sometime. It's a real eye-opener. Sure, you'll say, "that was 50 years ago - we know so much more now". Imagine what another 50 years might reveal. Most people still rely on media to tell them how they're "supposed" to eat, rather than educating themselves.


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## MisterBrown (May 22, 2012)

I am just jumping in here, but COSIGNING the paleo diet!!

I am primal/paleo/low carb and before the diet I weighed 230...and my diet was what supposedly healthy...ate 5-6 small meals a day, no sugar, but LOTS of whole grains...I might not have been eating sugary carbs, but I ate the supposedly "healthy" carbs...my staple was high fiber whole grain lean turkey sandwiches. I was in the gym 4-5 a week doing cardio...

BUT I COULD HARDLY LOSE WEIGHT!!!

Stumbled across marksdailyapple.com and decided to give healthy, tasty fats a go and to cut my carbs...which for me was cutting out the whole grain bread.

The weight/body fat MELTED OFF. Went from 230 to 185 in about a year. I wasn't even in the gym that much! I just played softball and did some sprints now and then and felt the best I ever had felt in my life.

My blood work before and after was crazy. Cholesterol went from good to great...even after eating lots of fats and cholesterol laden food. I was pre-diabetic before (all those damn "healthy" grains) and then my resting blood sugar levels fell into the 70's...and then my pre-hypertension changed and I ended up in the 100/70 range for BP (probably because of the weight loss)

I have more energy, don't get sleepy after a meal (no more carb crashes from grains) and feel great!

I cheat every few weeks to a month with a pizza or something, but to be honest, I only cheat when I don't feel like making food and just want a quick pizza from crappy Dominos. I am at the point where excess carbs make me feel like sh*t. 

Oh, and my favorite "sweet" desserts/treats are high fat smoothies with stevia, fruit, some veggies and coconut oil in my Nutribullet. 

It is funny how I eat a ton of healthy fats in my diet, but most people think that fats make you fat...and those people gorge on low fat/high sugar crap like fat free yogurt and cookies and other types of junk. 

SUGAR IS THE DEVIL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!






solid7 said:


> Don't tell any of this to the guy who suggested that it isn't "WHAT you eat, but how MUCH". We can't have anyone believing that optimal eating is anything less than mindless mouth stuffing, buffered by a sincere attempt at portion controls.
> 
> I love that Paleo diet. (which is not a fad weight-loss routine, but a lifestyle) The only thing I didn't like about it was how it made me look. It cut every last ounce of fat off of me, and I was a little too lean and shredded for my own liking. It was the only time in my life that I ever had an inch deep six pack and the Adonis "V". I don't have enough muscle to be that detailed, IMO. But then again, I'm used to seeing what MOST people look like, and judging by the American standard, anybody that is healthy probably looks sick.


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## MisterBrown (May 22, 2012)

solid7 said:


> If you don't believe how willingly ingorant that we allow ourselves to be on all matters related to food, try watching some vintage advertisements, sometime. It's a real eye-opener. Sure, you'll say, "that was 50 years ago - we know so much more now". Imagine what another 50 years might reveal. Most people still rely on media to tell them how they're "supposed" to eat, rather than educating themselves.


I will say, the media is starting to come around a tiny bit. Just a tiny bit. I will catch something like the today show where they might advocate some bits of a primal/paleo diet and declare simple sugars as the enemy.

However, the media still pushes the hell outta grains which I really believe are the devil.


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

MisterBrown said:


> SUGAR IS THE DEVIL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


After all that great ranting, my friend, you finish half-ass...

SUGAR *AND GRAINS* ARE THE DEVIL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## MisterBrown (May 22, 2012)

Duck fat is off the damn charts!!!!!!!!!!!! 



surfnsam said:


> I want a bacon bowl filled with deep fried talapia(fried in duck fat) !


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

MisterBrown said:


> Duck fat is off the damn charts!!!!!!!!!!!!


I don't fry often, but when I do, it's home rendered beef fat. (tallow)

Doesn't go bad, and it tastes so good... Nothing better than tallow fried puffers, in a thick coconut and almond flour batter. (made with heavy cream - all the fat hardly any of the lactose)


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## MisterBrown (May 22, 2012)

I was so emotionally involved typing ish out, I know I missed some things. hahahaha

YES. Grains are probably even worse...because the American public is force fed from supposedly credible sources that grains are super healthy. Sure, white bread is bad...but do yourself a favor and eat LOTS OF WHOLE GRAINS -- Heart healthy...fiber, blah, blah...

And this reminds me I need to crack open "Wheat Belly"...lol



solid7 said:


> After all that great ranting, my friend, you finish half-ass...
> 
> SUGAR *AND GRAINS* ARE THE DEVIL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
> 
> Other than that, you sound like you have it figure out.


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## MisterBrown (May 22, 2012)

Do they sell tallow in Whole Foods? I found duck fat there...Tallow is next on my list.

I have been frying sweet potato chips in coconut oil (not high heat)...would love to try in duck/beef fat.



solid7 said:


> I don't fry often, but when I do, it's home rendered beef fat. (tallow)
> 
> Doesn't go bad, and it tastes so good... Nothing better than tallow fried puffers, in a thick coconut and almond flour batter. (made with heavy cream - all the fat hardly any of the lactose)


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

MisterBrown said:


> Do they sell tallow in Whole Foods?


No clue... I make my own.

Beef tallow used to be sold in little blue boxes that looked like butter cartons. I haven't seen it in almost 20 years, and when I asked for it a few years back, even the butchers looked at me like I was crazy...


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## Windrift00 (Jun 4, 2011)

solid7 said:


> If you don't believe how willingly ingorant that we allow ourselves to be on all matters related to food, try watching some vintage advertisements, sometime. It's a real eye-opener. Sure, you'll say, "that was 50 years ago - we know so much more now". Imagine what another 50 years might reveal. Most people still rely on media to tell them how they're "supposed" to eat, rather than educating themselves.


Oh let's be honest with ourselves, anyone relying solely on the media for any sort of information is willingly being ignorant. 

Anyway the Paleo diet is awesome. I personally don't do it because I dislike a lot of the veggies involved with it. But I have altered my diet to be more paleo-like. I've dropped well over 100 lbs. A friend doing pure paleo eats bacon when they want (It's a married couple) and she's down 5 dress sizes and he's down 50+ lbs. MmMmMm bacon.


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## findfreelife (Jan 31, 2014)

Windrift00 said:


> Oh let's be honest with ourselves, anyone relying solely on the media for any sort of information is willingly being ignorant.
> 
> Anyway the Paleo diet is awesome. I personally don't do it because I dislike a lot of the veggies involved with it. But I have altered my diet to be more paleo-like. I've dropped well over 100 lbs. A friend doing pure paleo eats bacon when they want (It's a married couple) and she's down 5 dress sizes and he's down 50+ lbs. MmMmMm bacon.


I think it's important to remember though that just because you're "skinny" or have lost lots of weight, it doesn't mean you're healthy. For example, one of my friends I grew up with has always looked quite fit due to his fast metabolism and good genetics despite his smoking, overeating, and not exercising. Everyone used to be jealous that he could eat whatever he wanted including lots of bacon and still maintain a great physique.

However, fast forward 20 years to the present day, he still looks great and eats terribly but when he went to the doctor recently he was diagnosed with hypertension stage II and was advised to start exercising, maintaining a proper diet, and quit smoking. Now he is taking two different types of medication and is working towards correcting his lifestyle. You wouldn't be able to tell all this just from looking at him from the outside as he looks healthy as an ox.

I personally think that it is the daily habits that make the most effect over time. i.e., Eating a good amount of fruits and vegetables, Cutting out processed foods, Exercising Daily, Not smoking, Reducing the amount of alcohol Although I may not look like a Mr. Universe, I'll have an overall healthy body that is reflected more in the numbers.


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

Windrift00 said:


> Oh let's be honest with ourselves, anyone relying solely on the media for any sort of information is willingly being ignorant.


That was exactly my point. But as you've seen, there are two extremes. Believe what you're told, or believe what's in your heart without any real evidence. (faith based eating) 



Windrift00 said:


> Anyway the Paleo diet is awesome. I personally don't do it because I dislike a lot of the veggies involved with it. But I have altered my diet to be more paleo-like. I've dropped well over 100 lbs. A friend doing pure paleo eats bacon when they want (It's a married couple) and she's down 5 dress sizes and he's down 50+ lbs. MmMmMm bacon.


You dislike what veggies? With most versions of paleo, there are no disallowed veggies. (some sneer at potatoes - I do not) Fruits are kept to a minimum, no grains, no legumes. (peas, beans, etc) You can have any green leaf, any cruciferous, any sprouts, (even if they're grain) and so on, so forth. Paleo is a deep subject, and it sounds like you are talking about some early form of Paleo. 

As for variations on the Paleo diet - I know about the bacon heads. It's really a stark contradiction, as bacon certainly qualifies as a processed food. Sure, they're dropping pounds. Wait for the long term... Let me know in 10 years what the gal looks like. I can already tell you horror stories about the ones who did the bacon version of paleo...




findfreelife said:


> I think it's important to remember though that just because you're "skinny" or have lost lots of weight, it doesn't mean you're healthy. For example, one of my friends I grew up with has always looked quite fit due to his fast metabolism and good genetics despite his smoking, overeating, and not exercising. Everyone used to be jealous that he could eat whatever he wanted including lots of bacon and still maintain a great physique.


Your friend doesn't have a "fast" metabolism - he has a "slow" metabolism. Exactly opposite to what you've always been told. That is, he can eat tons, and gain little to nothing. That is a very inefficient body. People who gain fat easily are the ones with a fast metabolism. Their bodies utilize anything that it put in, with much greater efficiency. There is a correspondence between metabolism and the ability to put on both fat AND muscle. And there is also a relationship between the types of conditions that one will encounter from each body type. Your friend is the classic case. Person doesn't feel bad, does whatever they want, and out of the blue, they are diagnosed with hypertension or COPD - and that's IF they haven't had their stroke or heart attack first.



findfreelife said:


> I personally think that it is the daily habits that make the most effect over time. i.e., Eating a good amount of fruits and vegetables, Cutting out processed foods, Exercising Daily, Not smoking, Reducing the amount of alcohol Although I may not look like a Mr. Universe, I'll have an overall healthy body that is reflected more in the numbers.


That's the thing, though. Are you going to let a doctor - the same doctor who wants to prescribe you drugs like statins - dictate to you what those numbers should be?

I've always had high cholesterol. Even when I was just a kid. In eigth grade, I got forced onto a diet to reduce my high cholelsterol. And you know what? It never worked. My LDL to HDL ratio, however, was very good, despite my overall high number. To this day, my numbers are very consistent. They don't change. But, what DOES change, is the medical recommendations regarding cholesterol. And wouldn't you know - they magically seemed to start changing with the advent of statin drugs. And I'm sorry, but I'll die a natural death before I ever allow myself to be put on a regiment of prescription drugs. I watched my grandfather live on a drug cocktail for 30 years. In the morning, there was no room for breakfast after he swallowed his pills.

Being thin and lean don't mean that you're healthy - you are correct about that - but it's certainly a better indicator than the opposite. You don't see African bushmen walking around with 30 extra pounds - and you certainly wouldn't want to get into a scrap with one of them. The basis of that earlier mentioned Paleo diet, was that humans who have not ever eaten modern processed food, are naturally more muscular, obviously stronger, and very lean, despite their lack of dietary diversity. Many tribal people also enjoy very good longevity, despite the lack of modern medicine. So, if you don't get yourself killed by man or beast, it isn't such a bad way to live....


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## MisterBrown (May 22, 2012)

Ugh: U.S. News & World Report - http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/07/health/best-diets-ranked/?iref=obinsite


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

MisterBrown said:


> Ugh: U.S. News & World Report - http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/07/health/best-diets-ranked/?iref=obinsite


People don't like Paleo because you have to think (and cook) for yourself. Nobody brands it, and puts it in a package. This is a diet that is popular amongst health (exercise based) conscious people. No real surprise with the negative review.

People would be so lost if they ever had to go back to subsistence living...


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