It's kinda of wierd when everything you've learned: BC and Fats

[AlaskaAngel]

Actually it makes some sense to me. Maybe it is just showing that it isn't fats per se that are the problem, but non-organic food, whether or not it contains fats. What are they eating if they aren't eating fats... is it organic, or foods that are created with toxic substances?

A.A.
I'm delighted to hear that Linda is doing so well! Next stop Seattle for the Al/Linda odyssey....

I will read the full article and come back but would make the following points;

1. I have previously posted trials / articles on this site which suggest that the only way fat intake can be accurately assessed is by biopsy etc. It was suggested that hidden fats posed a significant problem, and recollections etc may be open to question, and types of fats may play a bigger role than absolute quantity. ( I recall now the posts were in realtion to a reference to the nurses trial which from memory had similar conclusions - I will try and refind them)

2. It is suggested in may books etc that the problem is more about balance and quality than quantity. If the omega threes and sixes are significantly out of balance it causes potential problems. The bodies basic needs are fairly low. Somebody may be consuming margarine and "healthy" polyunsaturates high in omega six (corn soy safflower etc......) as part of a low fat diet, and still have a very poor ratio of omega threes to sixes etc.

Factors such as the above could have a high impact on any test results.

RB

[CLTann]

I was very much disappointed or shocked in reading the result of the massive study. What the result showed is that all those careful dietary planning has been for naught. Suddenly, there is new world of order in health care. Black and white are not so extremes anymore. We lost our guiding light -- low fat, low saturated fat, high omega 3, etc. Throw all of these wishful thinkings out of window. The trouble is: we don't know where to re-start.

Regarding A.A.'s comment on organic food. Although I have a great deal of love, respect and appreciation for her exemplifying help and attitude, the choice of the word, organic, is very difficult for me to understand. This word, organic, was very clear to me for its meaning in chemistry. All compounds having carbon in their structure are organic compounds. Then in the financial world, someone started to use the term organic growth of a company. With a timid and cowardly approach to my trusted friend, I learned the meaning is for the company to grow without outside input (no buy-out or merger). Then I ran into the same word in food and diet. We see the word everyday in the grocery stores and newspaper ads. I am still unclear on what is an organic chicken; by intuition, I suppose that type of chicken is not caged and fed with standard mass produced chicken feed. Since higher price normally goes with better quality, I kept on buying organic chicken at a price of $12 to $14 each. Then, is organic food good for us? Are foods without carcinogens organic? How about preservatives, coloring agents, anti-oxidants and other ingredients other than food? Reading any food labels, you will see a long list of additives, many of which I, with a doctorate in chemistry, have never heard of throughout my career.

Ann

Start with the omega three and six balance, and the impact of our rapid change in dietary habits.

Please do not give up on the omega threes and sixes there are to many trials suggesting they are key factors.

I will come back on this as soon as I have some more time.

RB

[RhondaH]

I've read several follow ups to this study and all of them say that this study addresses only PART of the questions (as many studies do) and not all of them. I agree with AA comments about organic vs. non organic. I've seen studies that show especially with fruits and vegetables that organic has more active phytochemicals than non (especially studies where children were involved). Ann, organic as I am aware is antibiotic free (all the foods with antibiotics are making us immune to medicinal antibiotics), hormone free (this should explain itself and I actually had a friend tell me about a girl they knew of that LOVED milk and drank a lot of it and by age 6 had developed breasts and she was NOT overweight), pesticide free (it seems like every day we are finding out that the "latest and greatest" after further testing is not so great) not to mention I've found that a lot of OTHER organic foods (i.e. my sons cereal bars contain turmeric for color rather than color additives) not to mention "purer foods" rather than preservatives (for fun, compare the labels). I cook EVERYTHING from scratch (yes it takes more time, but my mom and I agree and SHE grew up on a farm, that the food tastes SO much better) AND I know exactly what is in it. I went to an interesting lecture recently on buying local foods and not only was the discussion about organic, but also of buying fruits and vegetables when they are in season rather than out of season and in the winter (especially in Michigan where I live) eating more of the root crop. No, organic is NOT cheap, but to me I buy my clothes at Goodwill (I get the cutest things there) and spend my money on as much organic food, etc. as I can, I want to KNOW whats going in and on my body. Look at teflon, plastics etc and how for "convenience" sake it was SO good and now it is found to NOT be so good. I'm also concerned about the chemicals/preservatives that make up the "low fat/low sugar" foods (i.e Splenda) we had a "sugar substitute" that was found to cause cancer and this is a "new" product so I'm sceptical of IT'S safety...PERSONALLY, I put a little brown sugar in my oatmeal in the morning, but I KNOW it's brown sugar. It seems to me that for "convenience and palate" people will eat/use more of the "unknown" rather than the purer foods/chemicals. I also feel that quantity of fruits and vegetables as well as of fats is a large factor. Did the people in this study eat the "NEW" food pyramids recommendation of 9 fruits and vegetables per day or the 5 AND...more importantly, did they eat a VARIETY of ALL the foods (even the ones they don't like). I also wonder (and I'm sticking my neck out on this one) if some of these studies aren't "purposefully" skewed in favor of the drug companies (i.e don't bother with diet and exercise, only the drugs will work). Don't get me wrong, I think the drugs are important, but I can't help but wonder why the incidence of cancer has become so high when not only has the diet gotten worse, exercise lax, the environment polluted...don't laugh and NO, I'm not crazy, but sometimes I wonder if it isn't some kind of conspiracy (politically motivated). I'm curious to see what the WHEL study says as it ALSO is a large scale, 8yr study, but is much more specific. THERE...my 1/2 cent worth

Rhonda