“If the only tool you have is a hammer everything looks like a nail?”
I have been reading through some old articles and came across this one which discusses the then-new research from UNSW School of Psychiatry, which suggested cognitive therapy as a way of dealing with obesity. This is very interesting as thoughts are certainly things (e.g neurotransmitters) that impact gene expression BUT… in the article the shining-light comment comes from Dr Steve Hambleton, president of the AMA saying….
“Human genetics are based on the hunter-gatherer way of living, Hambleton notes. People are designed to have “survival” periods between meals: a human can exist without food for several weeks, and still have enough energy to be capable of gathering food. “We’re physiologically designed to put aside a bit for rainy days,” he says. “Of course, it never rains. There is ready access to enormous quantities of high-energy food. That’s where our problem is – enormous access to the wrong sorts of foods, and it’s cheap.”
Listen: Dr. Ron Ehrlich interviews Dr. Zoe Harcombe. Post continues after audio.
Particularly when that cheap food contains a lot of processed sugar and carbohydrates, which excessive consumption of results in obesity. This type of cheap food also suppresses Leptin, which tells us when we have had enough to eat (….cognitve therapy?? or just eat right??).
No doubt there is no shortage of industry-funded research that has found its way into “evidence-based” research, that will say grains and sugar are not the problem…in fact they are great for the economy (and there is plenty of “research/PR” to support that position). But it’s not good for our health.
Human genetics are based on the hunter-gatherer way of living, and humans have never been exposed to the amount of sugars, grains and carbs we now (excessively) eat. It is not that complicated. I think we can take lessons from the past 2 million years of how we survived… surely the evidence is clear!
Listen: Dr. Ron Ehrlich interviews Cliff Harvey. Post continues after audio.
Be Well.