Comments on: Life and Death of the ‘Mediterranean Diet’ http://www.notesfromspain.com/2010/02/12/life-and-death-of-the-mediterranean-diet/ Podcasts and comment on travel, tapas, learning Spanish and living in Spain, plus beautiful Spain photos. Tue, 24 Jan 2012 08:00:59 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Rai http://www.notesfromspain.com/2010/02/12/life-and-death-of-the-mediterranean-diet/comment-page-1/#comment-135652 Rai Wed, 24 Feb 2010 03:33:29 +0000 http://www.notesfromspain.com/?p=1575#comment-135652 I'd bet that if the 'fast' food chains actually served the food as fast as they're supposed to, they might be able to increase their market share a little. (or maybe I'm the only one who misses getting in and out of the drive-thru lane in less than five minutes.) I’d bet that if the ‘fast’ food chains actually served the food as fast as they’re supposed to, they might be able to increase their market share a little.

(or maybe I’m the only one who misses getting in and out of the drive-thru lane in less than five minutes.)

]]> By: Rai http://www.notesfromspain.com/2010/02/12/life-and-death-of-the-mediterranean-diet/comment-page-1/#comment-135635 Rai Mon, 22 Feb 2010 06:24:35 +0000 http://www.notesfromspain.com/?p=1575#comment-135635 I wish we could edit these things; that last paragraph was regrettably unnecessary. I wish we could edit these things; that last paragraph was regrettably unnecessary.

]]> By: Rai http://www.notesfromspain.com/2010/02/12/life-and-death-of-the-mediterranean-diet/comment-page-1/#comment-135615 Rai Sat, 20 Feb 2010 01:07:44 +0000 http://www.notesfromspain.com/?p=1575#comment-135615 The fact is, "the poor and 'less educated'" in western societies DO have a higher incidence of obesity, and it isn't statistically attributable to genetics. Those living below the so called 'poverty-line' have lives of comfort and leisure that the truly poor of the rest of the world would be more than happy to acquire, even if it meant they had to be fat, ugly and had an increased risk of cancer or diabetes. In my own personal experience, in order to actually enjoy the meals I'm eating, it takes a much smaller portion of my income to eat 'unhealthily' than it does to eat healthy, or to follow the mythical Med. lifestyle, an still enjoy myself as much. Sure, you can eat healthy for cheap, or even for less, but I don't find it very appetizing. I am not overweight, but I don't believe it has nearly as much to do with my extremely-sedentary lifestyle, and my eat-what-makes-me-happy diet, as it does with the fact that I was lucky to have become quite tall, and that I'm kind of 'stuck up' (I mean I have 'high self-esteem') no matter what my paycheck says. The fact is, “the poor and ‘less educated’” in western societies DO have a higher incidence of obesity, and it isn’t statistically attributable to genetics. Those living below the so called ‘poverty-line’ have lives of comfort and leisure that the truly poor of the rest of the world would be more than happy to acquire, even if it meant they had to be fat, ugly and had an increased risk of cancer or diabetes.
In my own personal experience, in order to actually enjoy the meals I’m eating, it takes a much smaller portion of my income to eat ‘unhealthily’ than it does to eat healthy, or to follow the mythical Med. lifestyle, an still enjoy myself as much.
Sure, you can eat healthy for cheap, or even for less, but I don’t find it very appetizing.
I am not overweight, but I don’t believe it has nearly as much to do with my extremely-sedentary lifestyle, and my eat-what-makes-me-happy diet, as it does with the fact that I was lucky to have become quite tall, and that I’m kind of ‘stuck up’ (I mean I have ‘high self-esteem’) no matter what my paycheck says.

]]> By: Parubin http://www.notesfromspain.com/2010/02/12/life-and-death-of-the-mediterranean-diet/comment-page-1/#comment-135564 Parubin Mon, 15 Feb 2010 09:56:47 +0000 http://www.notesfromspain.com/?p=1575#comment-135564 Am I the only one who thinks Jamie looks a bit chubby in that clip?. No wonder he keeps his shirt out of his pants. Anyway eating out on a daily basis is most of the times a bad idea, sometimes we have to put up with it because of work but I'd say is always safer and better to bring your own homemade food. If your work involves traveling out of town (and dining out with colleagues, clients, suppliers) then you are sure to put on extra weight. Other than that I have to say that in western countries like the US, the UK, Spain (and the rest of the UE) overweight has become a clear indication of socioeconomic status : the poorer and less educated suffer in general terms from obesity much more than the more privileged. Am I the only one who thinks Jamie looks a bit chubby in that clip?. No wonder he keeps his shirt out of his pants.
Anyway eating out on a daily basis is most of the times a bad idea, sometimes we have to put up with it because of work but I’d say is always safer and better to bring your own homemade food. If your work involves traveling out of town (and dining out with colleagues, clients, suppliers) then you are sure to put on extra weight.
Other than that I have to say that in western countries like the US, the UK, Spain (and the rest of the UE) overweight has become a clear indication of socioeconomic status : the poorer and less educated suffer in general terms from obesity much more than the more privileged.

]]> By: Ben Curtis http://www.notesfromspain.com/2010/02/12/life-and-death-of-the-mediterranean-diet/comment-page-1/#comment-135563 Ben Curtis Mon, 15 Feb 2010 08:40:35 +0000 http://www.notesfromspain.com/?p=1575#comment-135563 Interesting and alarming Heather, thanks for sharing, and I'm so glad you are growing your own food! Interesting and alarming Heather, thanks for sharing, and I’m so glad you are growing your own food!

]]> By: Heather Heron http://www.notesfromspain.com/2010/02/12/life-and-death-of-the-mediterranean-diet/comment-page-1/#comment-135551 Heather Heron Sun, 14 Feb 2010 15:48:32 +0000 http://www.notesfromspain.com/?p=1575#comment-135551 We bought a house in a small village (300 people) on the outskirts of Almeria 8 years ago. Then, there were two village shops and 5 bars. In the shops one had a tiny freezer containing, ice, ice cream, & frozen fish everything else was fresh, dried or canned and there wasn't a plastic bag in sight. In the bars, all tapas were home cooked.Every family had land across the river valley where veg was grown and fruit/olive orchards were kept. Everyone kept hens, most had a pig and sheep or a goat or 2. We used to comment that one didn't see the children walking the streets with packets of crisps or sweets like in the UK. When we moved here permanently 4 years ago we had already noticed the changes. Now we have only one shop and 3 bars, the shop has 3 large freezers 2 filled with convenience foods and I am offered everything in a plastic bag.No thank you!! You only get home cooked tapas at fiestas. The bars are mostly empty during the week, mostly due to the present financial crisis but I'm sure a few fresh fish tapas would get them in. We have watched the children grow and I can honestly say out of the 22 children at the village school 75% are now obese. I hear grandmothers and mothers shouting at their children that, they are too fat (the Spanish are brutaly honest) and then handing out chocolate covered buns & deep fried bunuelos an hour before lunch. The children now walk the streets with crisps, cakes & sweets, but who buys them????? As the elderly population leave this world to go to a better place, the younger members of the family don't want the work of the land and the animals and all around us land is being lost and sold but there are very few buyers. We bought one of these plots and have been self sufficient for olive oil, veg and most fruit (can't grow bananas here) for 2 years. To-day is Valentines day, the day potatoes and vegetable seeds are sown here in the village. Why not start the change in a small way and grow something you can eat. You can grow most things in pots or window boxes, better than watching TV. Don't buy convenience foods or convenience tapas. I won't even begin to start on the amount of salt the spanish consume or the amount bars put on tapas, could be one of the reasons our surgery runs 2 blood pressure clinics a week. We should be in control of what we and our children eat!!!! Are we??? We bought a house in a small village (300 people) on the outskirts of Almeria 8 years ago. Then, there were two village shops and 5 bars. In the shops one had a tiny freezer containing, ice, ice cream, & frozen fish everything else was fresh, dried or canned and there wasn’t a plastic bag in sight. In the bars, all tapas were home cooked.Every family had land across the river valley where veg was grown and fruit/olive orchards were kept. Everyone kept hens, most had a pig and sheep or a goat or 2. We used to comment that one didn’t see the children walking the streets with packets of crisps or sweets like in the UK.
When we moved here permanently 4 years ago we had already noticed the changes. Now we have only one shop and 3 bars, the shop has 3 large freezers 2 filled with convenience foods and I am offered everything in a plastic bag.No thank you!! You only get home cooked tapas at fiestas. The bars are mostly empty during the week, mostly due to the present financial crisis but I’m sure a few fresh fish tapas would get them in. We have watched the children grow and I can honestly say out of the 22 children at the village school 75% are now obese. I hear grandmothers and mothers shouting at their children that, they are too fat (the Spanish are brutaly honest) and then handing out chocolate covered buns & deep fried bunuelos an hour before lunch.
The children now walk the streets with crisps, cakes & sweets, but who buys them?????
As the elderly population leave this world to go to a better place, the younger members of the family don’t want the work of the land and the animals and all around us land is being lost and sold but there are very few buyers.
We bought one of these plots and have been self sufficient for olive oil, veg and most fruit (can’t grow bananas here) for 2 years.
To-day is Valentines day, the day potatoes and vegetable seeds are sown here in the village.
Why not start the change in a small way and grow something you can eat. You can grow most things in pots or window boxes, better than watching TV. Don’t buy convenience foods or convenience tapas. I won’t even begin to start on the amount of salt the spanish consume or the amount bars put on tapas, could be one of the reasons our surgery runs 2 blood pressure clinics a week. We should be in control of what we and our children eat!!!! Are we???

]]> By: Ben Curtis http://www.notesfromspain.com/2010/02/12/life-and-death-of-the-mediterranean-diet/comment-page-1/#comment-135547 Ben Curtis Sun, 14 Feb 2010 10:10:09 +0000 http://www.notesfromspain.com/?p=1575#comment-135547 Hmmm, maybe it's a city thing? Hmmm, maybe it’s a city thing?

]]> By: Ben Curtis http://www.notesfromspain.com/2010/02/12/life-and-death-of-the-mediterranean-diet/comment-page-1/#comment-135546 Ben Curtis Sun, 14 Feb 2010 10:09:53 +0000 http://www.notesfromspain.com/?p=1575#comment-135546 Glad to hear the Med diet is still flourishing in that corner of the med! Glad to hear the Med diet is still flourishing in that corner of the med!

]]> By: Ben Curtis http://www.notesfromspain.com/2010/02/12/life-and-death-of-the-mediterranean-diet/comment-page-1/#comment-135545 Ben Curtis Sun, 14 Feb 2010 10:09:18 +0000 http://www.notesfromspain.com/?p=1575#comment-135545 How terrible that they have both been afflicted with colon cancer, I'm very sorry. By chance, or perhaps not, I was once taken to the airport by a 60+ taxi driver who told me how hard his life was since his colon cancer operation... How terrible that they have both been afflicted with colon cancer, I’m very sorry. By chance, or perhaps not, I was once taken to the airport by a 60+ taxi driver who told me how hard his life was since his colon cancer operation…

]]> By: Ben Curtis http://www.notesfromspain.com/2010/02/12/life-and-death-of-the-mediterranean-diet/comment-page-1/#comment-135544 Ben Curtis Sun, 14 Feb 2010 10:07:14 +0000 http://www.notesfromspain.com/?p=1575#comment-135544 It's gone! Not good for my digestion embutido, so I only have very small amounts very occasionally. It’s gone! Not good for my digestion embutido, so I only have very small amounts very occasionally.

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