Sugar has played a key role in the history of humanity since it was domesticated on the island of New Guinea approximately 10,000 years ago. The New Guineans picked the cane and ate it raw. They, like billions of people afterwards, were hooked and the sugar cane was featured prominently in their myths. Thereafter, sugar… Continue reading Sugar Daddy
Tag: nutrition
Hunger games
Hara hachi bu is a Confucian adage that dates back 2500 years and instructs people to eat until they are 80% full. The Okinawans from Japan use this mantra before every meal, enabling them to be mindful of their food consumption. Elderly Okinawans have among the lowest mortality rates in the world from a multitude… Continue reading Hunger games
Between a Carbohydrate and a Fat Place
For the vast majority of human history, survival has been a desperate effort with a mixture of luck and lot of vigor. Energy sources have been scarce, and consequently, traits that optimized energy storage and conservation have gained prominence. In response to this history, we have utilized technology to create an environment where energy sources… Continue reading Between a Carbohydrate and a Fat Place
Metabolic Ghetto
The staggering increase in the prevalence and incidence of metabolic syndrome and its various components is especially alarming amongst minority populations worldwide and within the United States. For example, the prevalence of Type 2 diabetes has doubled in India in the last 30 years, obesity rates have increased 3 fold or more since 1980 in… Continue reading Metabolic Ghetto
I eat, therefore I am
Meta-analyses of health outcomes studies show that medical care affects long-term health outcomes by about 10%, genetics determine about 20%, and the other 70% is a combination of social determinants – environment and behavior. Despite these percentages, the focus of the health care industry and policy makers in the… Continue reading I eat, therefore I am
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