DVD Review: The Oiling of America - Dr Mary Enig, Presented by Sally Fallon

The Oiling of America is a controversial concept regarding everything we ever learned about fats and grains. Sadly, it is not an exciting view.  It is a lecture presented in a typical lecture format. So be prepared to watch in small doses.  In watching this video, I had trouble believing it. After some 3 weeks of research, I have been able to find external sources for the same information.  There is the ring of truth here. The detractors I've found all seem have few facts and many emotional appeals.  This is a must see if you are interested in nutrition at all. Your low fat diet could be causing you more harm than good.

The basis of science:  You create a hypothesis, gather data to confirm or refute the hypothesis, then modify the hypothesis to fit the results, repeating the experiment to confirm the new hypothesis. Most studies I've found alter the data to fit the hypothesis.

The problem is we only see what is told to us. One of the most famous and often quoted studies is the "Farmingham Study" This study has been following people since 1948, and is now looking at the third generation in the same community.  It’s an amazing study, but as with any study, the point of interest is what is the question.  Most studies regarding cholesterol ask how to lower cholesterol.  I've never seen a study ask should we lower cholesterol. In this film, Dr Enig's data is compelling. Sally Fallon presents the study with humor and clarity. Did you know that people on low fat diets actually die far more often from cancer and accidents then people on a saturated fat diet?

The internet is full of bad ideas.  The problem most people have is not finding information, but finding good information. I have a test for every "truth" I hear or read on the internet.

    Does it make sense?

    Is there a fundamental truth behind it?

    Who is paying for it?

One of the biggest "truths" that is obviously patently wrong is the cholesterol myth - that it is bad for you. Even doctors that write on the subject seem somewhat confused.  For example, one of the most thought-out definitions I've found on cholesterol is on WikiPedia. What I find fascinating is they talk bout how cholesterol is part of the healing process (most scar tissue is made up of cholesterol), then turn around and claim that cholesterol caused the damage. This idea actually does not pass my step one test of truth.  Why does the body make something bad for me? I'm not talking about free radicals that come from oxidizing lipids, like canola oil, corn oil or other highly processed oils, those are happenstance of chemistry. Cells manufacture the cholesterol you need. And external sources of cholesterol are generally not absorbed.  And if they are, production on the cellular level drops.

But cholesterol is blamed for atherosclerosis because cholesterol is present where there is damage. If the cholesterol is used for healing, then of course it will be present at a damaged site in your arteries. Did you know a persons’ cholesterol shoots up after surgery?  What if this is a normal bodily function designed to speed up healing?

  

What did I learn from this video?  Blaming cholesterol for heart damage is like trying to blame smoke for the fire.  Watch the video, do your due diligence. If I'm wrong I want to know.

Available at:

Amazon

New Trend Publishing

You Tube (Free)

Book Review: A Life Unburdened - Richard Morris

"A Life Unburdened" By Richard Morris - An excellent and easy read.   Informative and inspiring. This is not a "Diet" book.  It is not full of recipes nor does it tell you what to do. And it changed my life.

I am a compulsive eater.  At one time I weighed in at 624 pounds, yes really.  On June 17th 2013, I started Overeaters Anonymous. I've steadily been loosing weight since then.  I did not do it alone, not only have I had to find a spiritual path as describe in the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous. I've also been trying to learn how to really eat well.  It seems that the media can't make up my mind.  One book on a personal experience was very helpful.

Before you decide to be a vegan, a carnivore, a caveman or any other kind of foodie, I offer a look at what we know.  The truth is not much.  It is becoming more and more obvious that everything we think we know about anything is wrong.  The media reports what they "know" when more often than not what they tell us is what they "understand", the media's understanding is no better than yours on any given issue.


I was given this book by a friend, it does not contain a diet, recipes or any real nutritional firebombs. It simply contains one families experience in getting healthy.  Richard Morris penned this after he essentially re-made his health and life, he shares his experience in a clear and concise manner. It is friendly versus authoritative, yet he backs up every single conclusion with science and references. 

If you have ever wondered how the severely obese "feel", his first chapter is right on. Though Richard being a light weight at only 400 pounds, does not give away every little thing.

The book is entertaining and informative.  I found no real "radical" concepts.  A lot of is is simple common sense.  The information is excellent, and caused me to think deeply on what I ate. The most important information I got out of this book is to question what I know.

It inspired me to start looking at what I ate from the most important question of all: Is what I'm eating nourishing?  A review of my diet and a little research led to the conclusion that it was not. All of that came from seeing how Mister Morris and his family managed to conquer their weight issues.  Richard goes back over 4 generations and looks at how each generation ate and what the results were, from a health standpoint.

His experience by it's self is not authoritative.  But the research he finds supporting his conclusions are. This has inspired me to find a plan if eating radically different then what  "I kew" was correct and loose 39 pounds as of this writing. Because of what I've learned I'm following a food plan that is extremely comfortable and I have had no issues cheating in the last 6 weeks.

Before you go on the next diet, do that thing the Doctor wants or make any life changing nutritional decisions, I suggest you read "A Life Unburdened" by Richard Morris.

Available on:

• Barnes and Noble
• Amazon
• New Trend Publishing

Gregor - Sharing learning and loving.