Why are we so unhealthy?
By ParaTed2k
@ParaTed2k (22940)
Sheboygan, Wisconsin
December 31, 2006 4:44am CST
Back when I was a kid, we ate candy all day. We even had "all day suckers". For breakfast we ate capn crunch and sweet rolls, or bacon and eggs chased down with whole milk. Even "healthy" cereals were compared in commercials to "This bacon and egg breakfast"... remember?
At school lunch we watched plump lunch ladies scoop spagetti sauce through an inch of fat on the top of the pan. Everythign fried was fried in lard. After a fat and sugar lunch, we headed to the bookstore for candy and beef jerky.
We sat in front of the tube watching 3 stations long before the word "couch potato" was coined. We told time by what was on tv. We got home for school, plunked down our books and watched Gilligan, The Brady Bunch, Hogan's Heroes, and MASH reruns. We did this until it was time to eat dinner.
Dinner was red meat, chicken with the skin still on, or pork... lots of it... Chased down with whole milk.
Then we headed outside to play, and drink fake lemonade and soda pop.
On saturday we woke up early to sit in front of the tv again... Sid and Marty Kroft kept our eyes mesmerized for hours. Finally, after our folks woke up, they sent us out to play... we ate candy and drank soda pop.
During the day we all headed down to the local theater to sit through a double feature... eat candy, popcorn cooked in fat, with butter... and drink Cherry Cokes.
Sure we got exercise when we played back then, but I still don't remember anyone in my gym class breezing through the required 1 mile run.
Today we have diet police telling us we are all going to die. Everyone who isn't on the honor roll is considered ADD or ADHT. Adolescent diabetes is a bigger problem than ever before. Adolescent obesity rates are higher than ever.
I don't get it, we eat "better" than ever with nothing to show for it. So why don't we just go back to "the good old days"? ;~D
8 people like this
30 responses
@sumitvella (379)
•
31 Dec 06
Now that you mention it I feel you are so right.
Do you think our life style has become even more sedentry or are we just trying to increase the average life expectancy.
I think we should just live the way we feel healthy. Another thing I feel is that as we grow old our body can't cope with as much abuse.
3 people like this
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
31 Dec 06
Well, now my life is pretty sedentary, but between high school graduation and a few years ago, well... I barely slept.
@clark16 (375)
• Philippines
1 Jan 07
This topic is good for people who wanted to become healthy. The answer for all our unhealthy problems is DISCIPLINE. The mass consumption of junk foods is because of the commercials we're seeing on the televisions and other media. They play a great part on influencing our minds and dictates whats good or not even if it means to cheat us just for them to earn whenever we brought their products. People should be responsible with their diets and have a healthy body and living. But other ingredients on the food we're eating are toxins which makes our body sick and unhealthy.
2 people like this
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
1 Jan 07
So if I eat a big ol' hunk of prime rib and wash it down with whole milk every dinner, I'll be fine? ;~D
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
1 Jan 07
But you know, even after a lifetime of healthy eating... you're still going to die someday. ;~D
@nanrezhel (43)
• Philippines
1 Jan 07
in my own way of thinking, the main reason why most people ang unhealthy simply because of the way of living. this includes the food we eat, the time of sleep and the way we deal with our environment with regards to ever growing technology as well.
2 people like this
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
1 Jan 07
I don't know. I think searching for the 4 remotes is a lot more exercise that we got just walking up to the tv to change the channel. ;~D
@faylinn_chaeli (1619)
• Philippines
1 Jan 07
We become unhealthy if we do not watch what we eat... a healthy and balance diet is what we need. We should always include fruits and veggies to every meal so that we get our daily dose of vitamins naturally!
Another thing... people these days are so busy with work that's why they end end up eating in a foodchain or eating food with lots preservatives like cup noodles...food that you'll just reheat in the microwave...a typical 7/11 thing...
If we are not a health buff...the least thing that we can do is to WATCH WHAT WE EAT!
2 people like this
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
1 Jan 07
So why weren't we any less healthy when we ate sugar and fat all day?
1 person likes this
@katyzzz (2897)
• Australia
1 Jan 07
Food and unhealthy food has become more available and we ear MORE of it and we erercise LESS.
So, it's obesity and what else?
I think it still boils down to too much and too little.
And we lived with back yards, not in boxes. Going back, attractive as it may sound is not the way to go.
I do understand where you're coming from but nasty consequences may not have manifested themselves YET.
1 person likes this
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
1 Jan 07
I ate what is now considered "unhealthy" food all day, every day, so did my folks when they were kids, and my grandparents too. My aunt Mary is 101... so when is the unhealthy living going to manifest itself? ;~D
@rusty2rusty (6751)
• Defiance, Ohio
3 Jun 07
It seems people from yester years are living longer and longer each year. Do you think it is because of change of diet? Or because they refuse to change their diets? I know my grandmother in law is in her 90's..she is still alive and kick'n living in her own home. She eats what she wants. Not by some diet they prepare now a days. She says the diet now a days is nothing that people are to skinney no a days for no reason when our food sources are so plenty.
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
3 Jun 07
It will be interesting to see if our hyperworry about nurtrition and safety will help us live longer than our grandparents, or be what kills us.
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
1 Jan 07
Hey, we didn't become experts at 70s trivia because of time sitting on our banana seats. I don't think we're any lazier now, it just doesn't take as much physical work to get the job done. I do think there is more of a sense of entitlement though.
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
1 Jan 07
I won't be satisfied with high tech foods until I can download a steak off the internet!! :~D
@mari61960 (4893)
• United States
1 Jan 07
Ya know those really were the "good old days" boy it's amazing how much things change over time. I hadn't given it too much thought till I just took your stroll down memory lane.
It was just what I needed thanks, great discussion.
1 person likes this
@red158 (333)
• Canada
8 Jun 07
Well you didn't say how old your are, judging by your comments I'm guessing 37 - 42, am I close. I don't know why but that doesn't sound like my childhood. I came home from school, and I had some activity that normally took my time, family dinners barely happened because of our schedules 5 kids and 2 parents. Maybe that was the key, dinner was normally stew, soup, spaghetti all easy to reheat and all homemade.
I do think the big difference is trans fats, when were they introduced to everyday food? When did prepackaged food become the norm? When did school
extra curricular activities become a luxury? When did peanut butter become toxic in the school enviromet?
1 person likes this
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
8 Jun 07
Trans fats hit the mass market back in the 60s... about the time everyone started using Crisco instead of Lard. When margarine was fooling mother nature, being fit for a king, no one could believe it's not butter, and you couldn't open a plastic container without someone saying, "PARKAY". ;~D
Unless you buy all natural Peanut Butter, it's basically Crisco mixed with some peanuts, peanut oil and salt. That's why you could eat half your sandwich on the front porch at noon and come back 2 hours later, flick the ants off it and chow down the rest... then wash it down with the hose... hoping it was "house water". ;~D
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
7 Jun 07
The main thing is that we could go out and play. Yes we had food that was high in sugar and fat, but we got to play outside. I remember the only time I was in my room all day was when it rained. My friends and I would play tag and hide and go seek.Games that are good exercise.And when we were in school, we had recess and P.E. class.So it didn't matter that we had a breakfast with mounds of sugar, then we would have lunch and dinner that had a lot of fat.And the food we had mostly was made at home. We rarely went to fast food restaurants. Our moms were stay home moms and they cooked our dinners.And everthough it was loaded with fat it was better than the "healthy" foods of today.Now the kids can't or don't play outside.Because moms Have to work, they don't get to have the home cooked meals and they go to fast food restaurents more often.
1 person likes this
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
7 Jun 07
Sure we played outside a lot, but we must have spent a considerable amount of time in front of the TV. If we didn't we all wouldn't be able to quote Gilligan, The Brady Bunch and M*A*S*H lines like we just heard them yesterday. ;~D
1 person likes this
@sumimasen (644)
• United States
5 Jun 07
It's got to be all the chemicals and preservatives in foods. I was shocked to learn that people once put RAW EGGS in with milkshakes. Maybe it was just the lifestyle, too. More exercise and outdoor activities for kids.
Oh and don't forget about today's current bad-for-you ingredient: high-fructose corn syrup.
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
5 Jun 07
Yup, raw eggs in milkshakes was almost a staple. We used to make eggnog with raw eggs too. I used to eat ham standwiches for lunch that just sat in my car all morning while I was at work too.
~~~~~
What is now called "living dangerously" used to be called "living". ~ParaTed2k's (Not So) Famous Sayings.
1 person likes this
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
8 Jun 07
Yeah, played with fire and got burned on that one. I like my eggs "sunny side up", but that one weekend they sure didn't like me. ;~d
@sumimasen (644)
• United States
8 Jun 07
Well today for some reason if you eat raw eggs, you come down with salmonella, apparently, LOL!
@cloud_kicker_32 (4635)
• United States
1 Jan 07
Idont think we are unhealty at all,I think its just people trying to make everyone stick think! The government and schools should have absolutely nothing to do with how we eat and our weight..I agree that there is a weight issue in the USA.,.but really whos to say what is really over weight? We have always ate well..we are Americans this is what we do..lol..we eat what other countries dont,,we love red meat, and pop..who cares..I know kids that are over weight, and are more energetic and active than alot of thin people,,This whole crap makes me angry..did u know.. that last year at head start my child was 3 yrs old..they weighed him, and he weighed 1 LB OVER WHATS HIS AGE LIMIT..not his height??? this was from the school..i was furious..I made an appt with his doctor and he said they were being stupid and irnore it.,.that he was actually under for his age and height?? soo,,all this weight issues that everyone wants to "take care of" well they ALLLLL CAN KISS MY......BEEEEEPP!!! LOL..thanx for the post i feel better now lol
1 person likes this
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
1 Jan 07
Yeah, I think I would ignore anything someone that stupid said too. There may or may not be a health problem in the US, but there is an educated idiot problem!
@nobodyspecial (1011)
• United States
1 Jan 07
Could it have to do with the processing of foods? Homogenized, pasturized, salted, flouridated, just to name a few.
We also ate besides candy and sodas, fruit that ripened on it's own, not gassed in the store, meat cut today not packaged, spiced and precooked.
My Grandmother lived to 99 years 5 months and 13 days. She ate lard sandwiches when times were lean, fresh garden produce in the fall, eggs from her own hens, and chicken for supper that was eating it's own breakfast that morning. The apples in the pies and in the refrigerator were from her own trees. No spray, no 'fertilizers', just what the farm gave her and the good earth.
She gained and lost weight, worked hard and then didn't, depending on the season. Burned wood for heat and a fan for cooling.
I wonder if we listen so hard to the media because we fear growing old...and looking our age.
We exercize, we eat what we are told, then we are told what we are eating isn't the right thing anyway...We buy products to lift, products to harden, products to soften.
Why?
Can't we just grow older in peace? Eating what we always ate, gaining or losing weight as our own bodies demand...Getting our kids out side on the nice days doing what kids have always done?
It ain't so bad growing old...as long as you don't listen to everyone else.
1 person likes this
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
1 Jan 07
That's a good point. We are so "youth" oriented now that we fear any sign of aging.
@zhuliahh (30)
• United States
1 Jan 07
We eat more often outside then people back then, and you know how unhealthy it is to eat outside. Even tho home cook might not always to healthy, but it sure is better then the restuarant. And how many of us have pizza ,McDonald, and KFC nowaday? At least once a month? And the news have been telling us that fast food restaurant has drastically increase their portion, but we don't feel it. Maybe that's why ppl are not as healthy: we eat outside too often, ND the food portion is way too big for us.
1 person likes this
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
1 Jan 07
I guess you and I had different upbringing. To us fast food was an in between meal snack. Sure, we ate breakfast and dinner at home, and lunch at school, but we always stopped for something to eat with our friends.
I don't remember a time when I didn't have a few bottles of Mt Dew a day.... at least back when I was younger.
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
1 Jan 07
Yup, they didn't call them "all day suckers" for nothing! :~D
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
6 Jun 07
True, if we would keep things clean and wash our hands, there would be far less illness.
