A multiple choice question to get us started.
Which of the following industries produce a product that contains many harmful ingredients and is meant to fuel addiction?
a)the tobacco industry
b)the food industry
c)both a and b
d)none of the above
The correct answer is C. Recently, the American public has come to realize that the food industry is in many ways the big tobacco of this generation. While we still continue to see many health related consequences of tobacco (lung cancer, heart disease, etc) we have launched a somewhat productive battle to educate people about these hazards. Now is the time to launch a full blown educational program about the inner workings of the food industry that will hopefully enable us to reverse the current trend of obesity. Journalists such as Michael Pollan and Eric Schlosser have done an incredible job of bringing this issue to the forefront with books such as "In Defense of Food" and "Fast Food Nation" as well as a powerful documentary that I highly recommend- "Food Inc." I have found that some background into this issue has helped me to understand the obesity epidemic and the manner by which I can enact personal change.
In the election year of 1970 Nixon worried that the farm vote was wobbling due a plummeting in farm income. The farmers had not planted enough crop and the cost of farming had soared. In order to combat this problem the government began to subsidize corn as a mechanism to produce more food at a cheaper price. The capability to grow a tremendous amount of corn turned this food into a commodity and the food industry was born. While this idea initially worked, many now believe that this solution has created our current problem. The World Health Organization has stated that processed foods are to blame for the sharp rise in obesity and chronic disease around the world.
Processing plants are also called wet mills. Their function is to turn one bushel of corn into the building blocks for companies like McDonald's and Coca-Cola. Chemists have learned how to break down long chains of carbohydrate molecules into 100's of different organic chemicals. Some few of the main products of the processing plants are corn meal, corn starch, corn syrup,...The prototypical processed food is breakfast cereal because for 4 cents of commodity corn it can be sold for $4/box. Corn is also in soda (100%-high fructose corn syrup), salad dressing (65%) and chicken mcnuggets (52%, along with 37 other ingredients).
Dr. Robert Lusting, an obesity expert, called processed food "toxic" because it is loaded with sugar and alters the bodies hormonal balance. Additionally, it creates an addiction to food since the high sugar content causes a spike in insulin and thus dopamine (a neurotransmitter that is associated with pleasure). One of the reasons that simple carbohydrates (white bread, white cookies, etc.) cause weight gain is that the high sugar content causes insulin spikes which essentially tells our body to store fat.
One last point to hopefully bring it home. I have read about the French paradox which asks, "how could a people eat such demonstratively toxic substances such as foie gras and triple cream cheese actually be slimmer and healthier than we are?" I think the answer is that they eat "whole" food, not processed foods.
I have come to actually enjoy when I read a label and I know (and can pronounce) all the ingredients. These are the foods I am trying to consume. Try reading the labels of everything you buy in the store, including beverages, and this will make a difference in your long-term health and well being.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
9 AM to 9 PM
Life is constantly moving whether we like it or not and with this constant flux there is a vulnerability to stress. I have always liked the "coincidence" that when you separate the word "DISEASE" you get "DIS-EASE" which essentially means under stress. Since I have just started 2 weeks of a 9-9 hospital schedule I thought it would be appropriate to review how stress will effect my metabolism as well as the tools I can use to avoid any long-term effects.
The primary hormones involved in the stress response are cortisol, norepinephrine and epinephrine. We all learned of the flight or fight response in high school, etc. but how often do we actually think of it in terms of our overall health. There are many situations that elicit an increase in these hormone levels, many of which are warranted, but if we are under constant stress these can have serious long-term effects. A few of the ramifications of a sustained elevation in cortisol include high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke and osteoporosis. A large component of these medical illnesses is based on the fact that cortisol increases our visceral fat (abdominal fat) which is much more harmful than peripheral fat (arms/legs).
A change in our daily routine can disrupt our usual nutritional intake. With my change in schedule for the next 2 weeks I will usually be busy and may not have much time to sit down and eat. In order to prevent acute elevations in my cortisol level I will need to plan appropriately to keep my metabolism in check. This is similar to when we are traveling or running for work, etc.
Long periods of time without eating essentially creates stress for our body. We have discussed the hormones ghrelin (stomach growling hormone) and leptin (I'm full hormone) in previous posts and it is important to eat frequent/small meals to keep these balanced. Additionally, when our blood sugar drops due to not eating we get a surge in the production of our fight or flight hormones. Studies have shown that both humans and animals with elevated cortisol levels prefer to consume foods high in sugar and fat which is what we have talked about avoiding in excess. Therefore, by having a well thought out plan prior to potential stress induced schedules we can make an impact on our health. For example, by bringing a bag of almonds (good source of energy) or packing a healthy lunch (rice cracker with hummus or hard boiled eggs) for the day we can be prepared to eat quickly if needed. It will be beneficial to think of a few fall back meal menus that we can rely on throughout the week.
There are countless means to reduce stress but I think that has to be an individual decision. It is kind of like a doctor recommending diet and exercise, it is not that much help without details and a good plan. Activities such as breathing exercises, aerobic/anaerobic exercise (jogging/weight lifting), hobbies, etc. are all good options. Try these out and see how they work for you.
Questions and comments appreciated. Can also sign up for email updates or via a reader if you find wish. Show your love by signing up as a "follower" of this blog.
The primary hormones involved in the stress response are cortisol, norepinephrine and epinephrine. We all learned of the flight or fight response in high school, etc. but how often do we actually think of it in terms of our overall health. There are many situations that elicit an increase in these hormone levels, many of which are warranted, but if we are under constant stress these can have serious long-term effects. A few of the ramifications of a sustained elevation in cortisol include high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke and osteoporosis. A large component of these medical illnesses is based on the fact that cortisol increases our visceral fat (abdominal fat) which is much more harmful than peripheral fat (arms/legs).
A change in our daily routine can disrupt our usual nutritional intake. With my change in schedule for the next 2 weeks I will usually be busy and may not have much time to sit down and eat. In order to prevent acute elevations in my cortisol level I will need to plan appropriately to keep my metabolism in check. This is similar to when we are traveling or running for work, etc.
Long periods of time without eating essentially creates stress for our body. We have discussed the hormones ghrelin (stomach growling hormone) and leptin (I'm full hormone) in previous posts and it is important to eat frequent/small meals to keep these balanced. Additionally, when our blood sugar drops due to not eating we get a surge in the production of our fight or flight hormones. Studies have shown that both humans and animals with elevated cortisol levels prefer to consume foods high in sugar and fat which is what we have talked about avoiding in excess. Therefore, by having a well thought out plan prior to potential stress induced schedules we can make an impact on our health. For example, by bringing a bag of almonds (good source of energy) or packing a healthy lunch (rice cracker with hummus or hard boiled eggs) for the day we can be prepared to eat quickly if needed. It will be beneficial to think of a few fall back meal menus that we can rely on throughout the week.
There are countless means to reduce stress but I think that has to be an individual decision. It is kind of like a doctor recommending diet and exercise, it is not that much help without details and a good plan. Activities such as breathing exercises, aerobic/anaerobic exercise (jogging/weight lifting), hobbies, etc. are all good options. Try these out and see how they work for you.
Questions and comments appreciated. Can also sign up for email updates or via a reader if you find wish. Show your love by signing up as a "follower" of this blog.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Information Overload
Facebook, Twitter, email, text messaging...We are living in a world where information is now at our fingertips more than ever. The ability to process all this information into meaningful material is a challenge. A criteria for success now and in the future will be the ability to multi task. I have heard the phrase "mental obesity." Well, maybe the onset of "mental obesity" has contributed to "physical obesity" as we know it. A few recent statistics since numbers usually make an impact. Currently, the annual cost of obesity costs 10% of health care spending (about $147 billion). American adults who are obese has increased 140% over the last decade. We have the information but we need to turn it into knowledge.
There is an overwhelming amount of information out there telling us what we should be eating, where we should be eating, how we should be eating, etc. As a physician, I am constantly trying to decipher what the best information is for me and my patients. Should I be following The Atkins Diet, The South Beach Diet, The Mediterranean Diet, or Eat Right for Your Blood Type? In the mail yesterday I received 3 different medical journals with multiple articles comparing different diets and discussing the medical management of obesity with medications. It continues to remain unclear. The problem is that most physicians still are not confident in their ability to counsel about weight and even when we are there are many barriers to do so which include reimbursement, lack of time, etc. It is up to all of us to make sure our physicians calculate our body mass index (Based on weight and height) and we ask questions to encourage the discussion. We must find the best approach for us as individuals.
Since I started on this journey to really live by own advice last week I have been focused on eating a higher amount of protein and less carbohydrates (a modified Atkin's diet). I was pleased to read a study in the Archives of Internal Medcine yesterday that a low carbohydrate diet had similar effects on lowering blood sugar and cholesterol as a Low-Fat Diet Plus Orlistat (AKA Alli, weight loss medication that reduces fat absorption in the gut-->lower calorie intake). Additionally a low carbohydrate diet was more effective for lowering blood pressure. I find it has been productive for me to read the back of food labels for carbohydrate counts. My current goal is 20-40 total carbs/day (Total carbs-Fiber= "bad carbs"). One fundamental problem with all these diets (I don't like that word) is that the weight loss is not sustained. I believe it is OK to use some of these approaches, even medications, at the onset of a desired change but we need to focus on a lifestyle regimen that we can maintain or what is the point.
My goal is that we can all continue this discussion and work to instill real positive lifestyle changes. It is possible that this discussion will prevent a heart attack, a stroke, diabetes, etc. If you haven't done so already please subscribe for email updates and sign up as a follower of this blog. Also, I would love to hear pertinent stories and comments about these postings.
There is an overwhelming amount of information out there telling us what we should be eating, where we should be eating, how we should be eating, etc. As a physician, I am constantly trying to decipher what the best information is for me and my patients. Should I be following The Atkins Diet, The South Beach Diet, The Mediterranean Diet, or Eat Right for Your Blood Type? In the mail yesterday I received 3 different medical journals with multiple articles comparing different diets and discussing the medical management of obesity with medications. It continues to remain unclear. The problem is that most physicians still are not confident in their ability to counsel about weight and even when we are there are many barriers to do so which include reimbursement, lack of time, etc. It is up to all of us to make sure our physicians calculate our body mass index (Based on weight and height) and we ask questions to encourage the discussion. We must find the best approach for us as individuals.
Since I started on this journey to really live by own advice last week I have been focused on eating a higher amount of protein and less carbohydrates (a modified Atkin's diet). I was pleased to read a study in the Archives of Internal Medcine yesterday that a low carbohydrate diet had similar effects on lowering blood sugar and cholesterol as a Low-Fat Diet Plus Orlistat (AKA Alli, weight loss medication that reduces fat absorption in the gut-->lower calorie intake). Additionally a low carbohydrate diet was more effective for lowering blood pressure. I find it has been productive for me to read the back of food labels for carbohydrate counts. My current goal is 20-40 total carbs/day (Total carbs-Fiber= "bad carbs"). One fundamental problem with all these diets (I don't like that word) is that the weight loss is not sustained. I believe it is OK to use some of these approaches, even medications, at the onset of a desired change but we need to focus on a lifestyle regimen that we can maintain or what is the point.
My goal is that we can all continue this discussion and work to instill real positive lifestyle changes. It is possible that this discussion will prevent a heart attack, a stroke, diabetes, etc. If you haven't done so already please subscribe for email updates and sign up as a follower of this blog. Also, I would love to hear pertinent stories and comments about these postings.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Thinning Sleep
We have all heard of beauty sleep. Is there such a thing as thinning sleep? While I was working overnight at the hospital I was wondering if a disruption in circadian rhythm may effect metabolism or how lack of sleep may attribute to weight gain. During these "graveyard shifts" I have noticed that there is always tons of junk food in the nursing stations and I tend to crave sugar. It is possible that we crave sugar both at night and during the day to keep us awake. We have all been known to experience an energy crash in the mid afternoon which triggers a trip to the coffee and sweet stand. Recent research has identified two important hormones that appear to play a role in the association between sleep and metabolism.
Ghrelin is a hormone that is produced in the gastrointestinal tract. It is the culprit for our stomach growling to notify us of hunger. It turns out that lack of sleep, or even restless sleep, increases our levels of ghrelin hormone throughout the day. Studies have shown that people with ineffective or lack of sleep have higher circulating levels of this hormone and tend to consume more high density carbohydrates. Therefore, they tend to be more overweight. We all know if we get less than 7-8 hours of sleep but many of us don't know if we have sleep disorders that effect our quality of sleep. A common sleep disorder is obstructive sleep apnea that is basically a cessation of breathing multiple times throughout the night due to relaxation of the neck muscles that protect our airways. This is a known risk factor for not only obesity but also heart and lung disease. People that snore heavily, have large necks or are overweight may have obstructive sleep apnea. This can be diagnosed with a sleep study and is a treatable disorder.
The other hormone of interest in this area is called Leptin. Leptin is produced by fat cells that are responsible for telling us when we are full, essentially the opposite effect of ghrelin. Interestingly, levels of circulating leptin have been found to be lower in people that are not well rested. Therefore, they can eat more without feeling the sensation of fullness. We are all starting to hear about insulin resistance as a cause of type 2 diabetes, well, now there is discussion about leptin resistance. This may be your first introduction to leptin but it is certainly something that you will hear more about in the future.
With all of life's stresses it can be very difficult to slow down our minds and bodies at the end of the day to ensure a restful nights sleep. Things such as breathing exercises, avoiding caffeine late in the day, and good sleep hygiene may help us to get the sleep that we need to keep our metabolism in check.
Thank you for all the positive feedback so far. I have added a new feature at the top right corner where you can subscribe to receive email updates with new entries.
Ghrelin is a hormone that is produced in the gastrointestinal tract. It is the culprit for our stomach growling to notify us of hunger. It turns out that lack of sleep, or even restless sleep, increases our levels of ghrelin hormone throughout the day. Studies have shown that people with ineffective or lack of sleep have higher circulating levels of this hormone and tend to consume more high density carbohydrates. Therefore, they tend to be more overweight. We all know if we get less than 7-8 hours of sleep but many of us don't know if we have sleep disorders that effect our quality of sleep. A common sleep disorder is obstructive sleep apnea that is basically a cessation of breathing multiple times throughout the night due to relaxation of the neck muscles that protect our airways. This is a known risk factor for not only obesity but also heart and lung disease. People that snore heavily, have large necks or are overweight may have obstructive sleep apnea. This can be diagnosed with a sleep study and is a treatable disorder.
The other hormone of interest in this area is called Leptin. Leptin is produced by fat cells that are responsible for telling us when we are full, essentially the opposite effect of ghrelin. Interestingly, levels of circulating leptin have been found to be lower in people that are not well rested. Therefore, they can eat more without feeling the sensation of fullness. We are all starting to hear about insulin resistance as a cause of type 2 diabetes, well, now there is discussion about leptin resistance. This may be your first introduction to leptin but it is certainly something that you will hear more about in the future.
With all of life's stresses it can be very difficult to slow down our minds and bodies at the end of the day to ensure a restful nights sleep. Things such as breathing exercises, avoiding caffeine late in the day, and good sleep hygiene may help us to get the sleep that we need to keep our metabolism in check.
Thank you for all the positive feedback so far. I have added a new feature at the top right corner where you can subscribe to receive email updates with new entries.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
The Power of Reinforcement
Wii fitness has revolutionized exercise. Prior to the Wii there were obviously work out tapes, etc. but the interactive element of the Wii takes it to a whole new level (I am not on the payroll of Nintendo). I first stepped onto the Wii fitness exercise console 9 days ago when it told me I was slightly overweight and much older than my actual age, really? Well, this triggered a reaction which spurred this lifestyle change and the decision to actually follow my own advice as a physician. This morning I stepped on again and was given positive reinforcement. I lost a few pounds (probably mostly water weight) but this has obviously encouraged my change in behavior. I have heard that people that weigh themselves regularly tend to stay within a more narrow weight range. It makes sense that having objective data will change our behavior. I guess ignorance is not bliss when it comes to our health. A great feature is that the Wii fitness tells you how many calories you have burned with a given exercise similar to a treadmill at the gym. One problem may be that many people do not know how many calories they should be consuming a day or how many calories there are in certain foods. Hopefully, this will change when more restaurants put their calorie counts on the menu which has been encouraged by health care professionals.
Hearing nutrition experts, friends and patients tell success stories it is clear that this is about changing an unhealthy lifestyle that may have been ingrained in many of us since we were children. The overwhelming data on childhood obesity elucidates this point. The negative connotation of the word "diet" is something that I have tried to avoid in both my own mind and when I discuss necessary changes with others. A nutrition education based on the psychology and physiology of food will certainly enable us to make more conscious decisions.
Moderation is key. Last night we had some friends over for dinner and it was clearly going to be difficult to avoid a bolus of sugar (spaghetti, wine, cheese, cookies...) so I focused more on portion size which is probably just as challenging as making healthy food choices. This morning I woke up feeling a little less light and energetic as I had during the previous days when I had eaten a protein for dinner. Although, had I eaten as much as usual I probably would have felt worse. Maybe this will serve as another element of reinforcement.
Please share your stories in the comment section so we can all benefit together. Questions and ideas for other topics are definitely encouraged.
Hearing nutrition experts, friends and patients tell success stories it is clear that this is about changing an unhealthy lifestyle that may have been ingrained in many of us since we were children. The overwhelming data on childhood obesity elucidates this point. The negative connotation of the word "diet" is something that I have tried to avoid in both my own mind and when I discuss necessary changes with others. A nutrition education based on the psychology and physiology of food will certainly enable us to make more conscious decisions.
Moderation is key. Last night we had some friends over for dinner and it was clearly going to be difficult to avoid a bolus of sugar (spaghetti, wine, cheese, cookies...) so I focused more on portion size which is probably just as challenging as making healthy food choices. This morning I woke up feeling a little less light and energetic as I had during the previous days when I had eaten a protein for dinner. Although, had I eaten as much as usual I probably would have felt worse. Maybe this will serve as another element of reinforcement.
Please share your stories in the comment section so we can all benefit together. Questions and ideas for other topics are definitely encouraged.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
All You Can Eat
The direct relationship between cost and quality of food has become more apparent to me over the last few months, specifically through my interest in food politics and obesity, but as I have attempted to live by my own advice over the last 48 hours it has become crystal clear.
Since I was a child I have heard the importance of eating a good breakfast, mostly from my dad who loved the analogy "the body is like a car, it needs fuel." My protein shake with a water base wasn't thick enough for my satisfaction and separated easily so I ventured out to the health food market for some almond milk. Go figure, all the foods I knew I should be eating were right there in that small store-almond butter, hummus, tuna fish, etc. At the start of a lifestyle change I think it is a good idea to check out one of these health food markets and stock the house with "good" snack food. One of my observations at this store was that the price of these items were much more expensive compared to your average grocery store. It is no wonder that there is a direct correlation between socioeconomic status and obesity. It is difficult to obtain fruits and vegetables in poorer neighborhoods and for the same $1 a family can buy 800 or so calories of junk food versus 200-300 calories of vegetables. Processing makes food cheaper because cheap corn results in cheap high fructose corn syrup. Thankfully, many obesity experts are aware of this and there has been a movement to bring farmers markets with healthier options into poorer neighborhoods that even take food stamps.
During these tough economic times we all want to get our moneys worth. We ventured out to an all you can eat and drink sushi restaurant last night with some friends. Even as I write "all you can eat" my immediate association is stuffing my face at a rapid rate. Our previous experiences with food have conditioned us to respond consistently to a given environmental stimulus. A buffet would be another example of a setting whereby we pile and pile food onto multiple plates to get all the value we can for our money. My natural inclination at this restaurant where you have 2 hours to eat as much as you can was to eat quickly. However, I tried to slow myself down to really enjoy the food (which actually tasted a little soapy for some reason) and so I could experience the fullness. One way to trick the body into eating more is too eat quickly because it takes time for the hormones to kick in to tell you that you are full. That is why I will be focusing on eating slowly and chewing every bite to entirety prior to taking another one during this "live by my own advice" process.
Food is much more than nutrition. We all have a relationship with food and sometimes relationships can be destructive. I will continue to evaluate this dynamic as I go through this process.
If you are have found these first few entries interesting, please don't be shy and sign up as a follower on this page since there may be more to come.
Since I was a child I have heard the importance of eating a good breakfast, mostly from my dad who loved the analogy "the body is like a car, it needs fuel." My protein shake with a water base wasn't thick enough for my satisfaction and separated easily so I ventured out to the health food market for some almond milk. Go figure, all the foods I knew I should be eating were right there in that small store-almond butter, hummus, tuna fish, etc. At the start of a lifestyle change I think it is a good idea to check out one of these health food markets and stock the house with "good" snack food. One of my observations at this store was that the price of these items were much more expensive compared to your average grocery store. It is no wonder that there is a direct correlation between socioeconomic status and obesity. It is difficult to obtain fruits and vegetables in poorer neighborhoods and for the same $1 a family can buy 800 or so calories of junk food versus 200-300 calories of vegetables. Processing makes food cheaper because cheap corn results in cheap high fructose corn syrup. Thankfully, many obesity experts are aware of this and there has been a movement to bring farmers markets with healthier options into poorer neighborhoods that even take food stamps.
During these tough economic times we all want to get our moneys worth. We ventured out to an all you can eat and drink sushi restaurant last night with some friends. Even as I write "all you can eat" my immediate association is stuffing my face at a rapid rate. Our previous experiences with food have conditioned us to respond consistently to a given environmental stimulus. A buffet would be another example of a setting whereby we pile and pile food onto multiple plates to get all the value we can for our money. My natural inclination at this restaurant where you have 2 hours to eat as much as you can was to eat quickly. However, I tried to slow myself down to really enjoy the food (which actually tasted a little soapy for some reason) and so I could experience the fullness. One way to trick the body into eating more is too eat quickly because it takes time for the hormones to kick in to tell you that you are full. That is why I will be focusing on eating slowly and chewing every bite to entirety prior to taking another one during this "live by my own advice" process.
Food is much more than nutrition. We all have a relationship with food and sometimes relationships can be destructive. I will continue to evaluate this dynamic as I go through this process.
If you are have found these first few entries interesting, please don't be shy and sign up as a follower on this page since there may be more to come.
Friday, January 22, 2010
To Know is To Understand (Or, I went to bed lightheaded and feeling hungry)
Physicians counsel regularly on the importance of diet and exercise. As a physician with a future career in Endocrinology, Metabolism and Nutrition this will become a second nature reflex in my daily interactions with patients. However I am not sure I know what it means, or how it feels, to really "buckle down" in a fight to lose weight.
Maybe it was the Wii fit telling me that I am borderline overweight (BMI of 25), or that I have spent the last few days in the office of a master clinician with a focus on nutrition or maybe it is because I am on the brink of a milestone birthday (my analyst wife will like this one) but I have decided to go full force into a lifestyle change that result in shedding some excess pounds and hopefully a surge of energy and vitality. One of my colleagues has stuck himself with needles and taken all sorts of medications to experience what the patient experiences and I commend him for this action. I will characterize this as my own equivalent by taking my own advice.
Day 1: Started with a protein shake for breakfast (including probiotics and L-Glutamine powder). On my walk to work I felt a somewhat surprising burst of energy and clarity (a possible placebo effect?). I felt well satiated throughout the first 3-4 hours, although, upon rising from a chair towards the fourth hour I felt slightly lightheaded (clearly it was time to get some kind of snack). A few bites of a protein fruit bar gave me a resurgence, although, it tasted awful. As I sat with patient after patient hearing about their battles with nutrition (e.g. too much alcohol, gluten allergy, sweet tooth, etc.), it had reinforced how difficult it is to stay "healthy" today. As I left the office, I felt famished and ran to the nearest Starbucks for a fruit cup and coffee (no sugar) which did the trick. I preceded to dinner with friends, felt it was difficult not to have a couple of beers, and had mussels with less french fries than usual. Despite feeling relatively satisfied from dinner, I went home to watch the Lakers vs. Cavs and fought against the temptation for something sweet. I compromised on a small bowl of cherries and 1/2 scoop of low fat frozen yogurt. Although, I still felt unsatisfied. That chocolate bar was calling my name but I did not succumb to its soothing nature. Is it possible that I hadn't had enough sugar throughout the day to release an adequate amount of dopamine and serotonin (the pleasure/happy hormones)?
Prior to bed I read from David Kessler's book "The end of Overeating" which illustrated the minute by minute struggle many of us face against food. The clever tactics by the food industry to capture our senses through the layering of sugar, fat and salt plus the creation of textures aimed to stimulate pleasure only make health that much more difficult to obtain.
It was difficult to fall asleep. Maybe because I was lightheaded from not eating enough, or maybe it was because I chugged a full coffee in the evening or maybe it was because my mind was fixated on the difficulties of this task.
Not sure what the response to this blog will be but if anyone seems interested I will keep posting . In the future I may post some food politics type info, nutrition facts/tips, etc. Please comment and/or encourage.
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