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Aug / 10

Effects of the SAD

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The Standard American Diet (SAD) can cause a host of health issues, which is a large reason we champion the paleo diet so adamantly. During Robb Wolf’s nutrition seminar, he spoke about the SAD and how it causes individuals to suffer from the “deadly quartet”. The components of this quartet are upper-body obesity, glucose intolerance (pre-diabetes), hypertriglyceridemia (high cholesterol), and hypertension (high blood pressure). While people can argue about what diet is best, few can dispute that avoidance of the deadly quartet is a worthwhile goal. Of course, big business that has a financial interest in keeping the SAD alive and well will maintain that there is nothing wrong with their highly processed, carb heavy offerings.

This came to mind the other night while watching a show on the National Geographic channel called “My Child is a Monkey”. The show was about some seriously deranged individuals who adopt a monkey as a pet and refer to them as their child. Not to get on too far a tangent, but monkeys normally live upward of 40 years, yet never mature mentally beyond that of a human toddler. As such, their owners are signing up to change diapers and care for this animal for likely the rest of their own lives. However, many of these owners profiled feed their monkeys the SAD, just like they eat. You see, monkeys are hardwired to prefer the same tastes as us: salty, sweets and fats. So with the lack of any ability to choose better for themselves, the monkeys happily eat the junk food their caretakers give. Anyone guess what happens next? Yep, the monkeys are now suffering from obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart problems and hormonal imbalances. Those first three maladies should sound familiar as members of the deadly quartet mentioned earlier.

Here’s a clip with an obese owner who has caused her monkey to develop diabetes. You can watch the train wreck as she makes choices on the poor animals’ behalf:

Moral of the story is that the SAD universally causes bad health. As grown adult humans, you have the ability to choose to do better. Whether it’s for better performance in the gym or long-term health, give serious consideration to what passes for food in your household — especially if you’re responsible for another’s well being.

WOD 08.19.10

Make Up Day

19 Responses to “Effects of the SAD”

melissa
August 19, 2010 at 7:39 AM

my german buddy christian said that the first time he came to america, he expected nothing but “fast food, fat people, big cars, and big roads.” what a good impression to have world-wide, huh? we did it to ourselves.

also, i realize that the point of the video is that she’s feeding her monkeys bad food and killing them by doing so, but it think the fact that a GROWN WOMAN feeds her two PET MONKEYS dinner while they SIT IN HIGH CHAIRS merits mentioning. yikes!

Marcus
August 19, 2010 at 8:07 AM

Melissa, you’re absolutely right. If you watch the whole show, they frequently call the capuchins their monKIDS. It’s disturbing on sooo many levels.

Drew
August 19, 2010 at 8:45 AM

First, super weird.

Second, are we doing FGB?

Marcus
August 19, 2010 at 8:55 AM

Drew, FGB today — no, it’s a rest day silly! Or did you mean on the “official date”?

Drew
August 19, 2010 at 8:56 AM

official date.

Marcus
August 19, 2010 at 9:09 AM

I’m pretty sure, but “Mom” will have to confirm. Last year we did it on the official date, good ol’ Michael’s first WOD ever. :)

confirmed on official FGB
-mom

Scott
August 19, 2010 at 9:21 AM

You can’t speak in code on the blog!!! What’s the “official date” for FGB? Is that this weekend? Am I missing FGB? I want to do it!! But I’m taking my talents to Vegas this weekend.

Along the diet topic…. I just scheduled my annual physical for next month. Curious to see what my Doc thinks of Paleo and my current fitness level. Also curious to see what my cholesterol and other numbers look like.

As for the video….people really scare me. There are some really crazy and really stupid people in this world. God bless them, but they just are not wired right.

Marcus
August 19, 2010 at 9:25 AM

Official FGB date is Saturday, September 25th. http://www.fgb5.org/ Note, this may or may not be the date we as a gym do FGB.

Anna
August 19, 2010 at 9:38 AM

@Scott- Haha taking your talents to Vegas!! I love it!

Viv
August 19, 2010 at 10:49 AM

OMG. I dont even know where to begin! “Alter” your monkey??! Alter??! WTFFF! Wild animals are’nt not meant to be pets! They are not meant to eat Hidden Valley Ranch!! Sweet mother of chr*3t! If you get a monkey, its gonna bite. If you try and train your tiger its gonna bite your face off (Siegfried and Roy). And I second Marcus’s comment on the American diet; as far as most diets in industrialized nations, they are corporate-led, profit-oriented agendas. The food industry’s main objective is not to feed the general public, it is to turn a profit.
on that note, my wombat and i are doing just fine with our slightly modified Paleo diet, thank you.

Xuan
August 19, 2010 at 11:00 AM

What the heck is a wombat?!

avelyne
August 19, 2010 at 11:11 AM

That video was just appalling!!! WTH?!?

Viv
August 19, 2010 at 11:13 AM

Xuan: an Australian marsupial resembling a small-like bear.

Alia
August 19, 2010 at 11:21 AM

OMG! They ALTER the monkids! Can we alter these humans by removing what little functioning part of their brain is left?

Xuan
August 19, 2010 at 1:32 PM

Thanks for the education Viv :)

Jason
August 19, 2010 at 5:30 PM

Nice, Scott aka LeBron.

Actually, after watching the YouTube video, I want a Monkid. Sad.

Michael H
August 19, 2010 at 5:58 PM

Love FGB!

Michael H
August 19, 2010 at 7:22 PM

Skillwork : Kipping pull ups

3rds:

50 Pushup
50 Sit up
50 Squats

24:24

CrossFit Intrepid » Life of the Hunter-Gatherer: the Veddha
September 30, 2010 at 6:03 AM

[...] maladies sure sound familiar as the effects of the SAD as I wrote about before. It sounds like what I’ve seen from this episode backs up the claims of the Paleo diet and [...]
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