Eating Rant

We are constantly bombarded with propaganda from all sides on what foods are good and what are bad. I'm hardly telling you anything new, it's been going on for decades. 

I remember when we were told that eggs were bad. Then they were good. Then Ok or maybe bad depending on how you chewed or something equally brilliant. I have no earthly idea what iteration we're on now. I'm old enough to remember a bit on Carson (oh so many years ago) where some expert diet group announced their evil and angelic food lists. Pasta was supposed to be a goodie back then. Later not so much. Again, I don't know where the current argument places carbohydrates but I'm betting you can find someone on both sides of the argument with little effort. I'm just too lazy to do any actual research.

The latest I am aware of involves caloric intake. The idea is that restricted diets lead to longer lives. It's science and it's settled with starving monkeys and everything so stop eating so much all you fat bastards! Except when it's not. Great Ghu am I tired of this exercise is Nanny Statism on the part of people who seemingly cannot definitively  answer any food questions except that eating anything that actually tastes good is verbotten. Everything would be fine if only all of you people would just shut up and do what you're told. And forget what we said last week. We have always been at war with Eastasia and X has always been good/bad for you.

I get my diet information primarily from my daughter, The DO, who does do her research. I'm not saying I always (or even usually) take it but I do listen and heed because I know her and trust her. I know she always has my best interests at heart. And that's the difference here. We've seen it in the AGW debate. Scientists have an agenda and it usually doesn't involve your welfare. Food researchers want to make a living just as the climate scientists do. They're very interested in their next paycheck and a broad invocation of the old 'The Food Pyramid is a good rule of thumb and let's just let it go at that' won't get the bureaucrats and stake holders on their feet, throwing great wads of money at you. None of these folks actually has your personal welfare as their number one priority. There's generally a sliding scale of indebtedness and yours truly will invariably be found somewhere near the bottom. I'm not saying don't read and listen but consider the source and ask yourself what their true motivations might be.

Now I'm not one of those guys who complains without offering an opinion. Most emphatically not an educated opinion but still, how much worse could I do? Think 53 years of anecdotal evidence from a man in his late middle age and still going reasonably strong and take it for what it's worth.

We try and eat as fresh as possible. We have canned and boxed and folded/spindled/mutilated items and eat it whenever but I honestly think fresh is better for you. Then again pesticides, so there.
I read an old power-lifter's saw years ago about "it takes beef to build beef" and I followed it when I was lifting heavy. I still think it holds water. I eat a lot of beef. I mean a lot.
I try and limit my sugar intake, mostly because I'm fighting incipient old guy pot belly. Though I do like me some Mountain Dew. The real stuff, not that diet crapola.
I don't eat too late in the evening and I believe in the idea that if you clean your plate only so as to not waste food that food will go to your waist (aren't I clever? I totally stole that from someone but since I also suffer from CRS Syndrome I can't remember who. Let's just pretend it was me Ok?)

That's about it. Other than those things I eat exactly what I want, when I want and in the quantities I want. I ask no permissions nor do I offer any excuses. Beef, chicken, sourdough bread, milk, cold cereal, potatoes, eggs, bacon, pizza and pasta are my basic food groups. Frankly, my eating habits would probably send most nutritionists into instant anal apoplexy. I have no idea what that means I just really liked typing it. Anal Apoplexy. Insert 9 year old boy giggling here. Lu and I fry and scorch and bake and boil and cook with fire. We eat what sounds good at the time and don't really give it a lot of thought. Denial? Maybe, but man is it ever a tasty trip down the river. I may indeed have to pay for my eating habits one day but this is not that day.

And for the food Nazi's out there giving their expertise to a nation that really doesn't seem to want it I have this message. Please leave the opinions out of your findings and just give us the basic facts. If you know something by all means do share. I promise to listen to good science. If you're just guessing or inferring or angling for another fat grant from the government please shut up. You have been exactly 180 degrees wrong so many times now that I have zero confidence that any of you 'experts' are in the game for anything more than a paycheck and self aggrandizement. I know, I know. That sciency stuff is so hard! In the meantime I and others like me will continue to ignore your ignorant and contradictory mouth farts and get our information from sources we trust. Like my daughter.

And we'll probably continue to eat exactly what we want, when we want and in the quantities we want. And if Brigid is cooking I can pretty much guarantee I'll eat myself into a happy food coma with absolutely nary a guilt in sight.

Because I can, that's why.

Now if you'll excuse me I smell something tasty frying.

Six