Podcast 040 - Review of the movies Supersize Me and Fathead

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Summary



Credit: Mariane Cicala



Paul and Jocelyn discuss both movies, Super­size Me which almost everyone has either

heard about or seen and the later (2009) rebuttal Fatheads.


Super Size Me


Paul begin with a bad joke and his general overview of Super­size Me, that received huge publicity

and rave review, with a simple “utter crap” synopsis.

Jocelyn gives a gentler overview with admission that she realizes and appreciates the point of the

movie. The point of the movie is to connect <a <br /> <br /> href="https://permies.com/t/39895/organic/Fast­Fast­ish­Food­Ranking" target="_blank">fast

food with obesity, but there's more when you consider the most unhealthy meals, unhealthy

habits, less <a href="https://permies.com/t/39384/paleo/Paleo­Exercise" <br /> <br /> target="_blank" rel="nofollow">physical activity etc. all of which were displayed in this movie.

Paul rebuts with the nonsensical assumption that McDonald’s is solely responsible for the problem

– and he notes that McDonald’s has been around a lot longer than <a <br /> <br /> href="https://permies.com/t/24590/toxin­ectomy/Polysorbates­obesity" <br /> <br /> target="_blank">obesity epidemic in our country. The logic is flawed.

They both talk about the realization of the enormous portions being served and huge quantity of

food aka 5000 calories per day. The resulting liver problems and other organs that suffered as a

result of the empty calories and overly processed sugery items consumed, was notable.

Paul finds it incredible that people want to blame corporate America for their personal unhealthy

choices. He wonders what the outcome would be if an independent organizations compared the

toxicity of McDonald’s, Burger King etc to the office vending machines.




Jocelyn feels there is value in the movie's display of portions that are out of whack, what happens

to a healthy person with 5000 calorie per day intake, lack of activity and the life choice that lead

to serious health problems. Consider the shakes, pop, desserts, <a <br /> <br /> href="https://permies.com/t/154/cooking/cast­iron­skillet­ain­hard" <br /> <br /> target="_blank">fried aka excess carbs and surgery carbs; what do you think would happen if

you gorged yourself everyday? Take it a step further and look at what schools are feeding our

kids, look at the commercials during “family” TV or children's shows. Not only do many of them

demonstrate disrespect for parents but many make overly processed suger based foods something

that should be expected in their lunch box and on the home table.



Bottom line, whether the movie is crap or a wake up call, it took almost a year for the main

character of Super­size Me to loose the weight gained and months to get his liver and cholesterol

back to normal.

Jocelyn feels the movie did have some merit in the big scope of things; Paul felt the overall

message was deceptive and awful.

Fathead


They both enjoyed it and the comedic way it was done. Paul gave them thumbs up for the amount

of research they did and the new information that he gleaned about the cholesterol hype (BS), <a <br /> <br /> href="https://permies.com/t/26067/food­choices/Diet­Delusion­book­discussion­application" <br /> <br /> target="_blank">dangers of the Low­fat diet and our dietary pyramid that is grain based.

Jocelyn replies that we are taught that we should eat major grains and have a low <a <br /> <br /> href="https://permies.com/forums/posts/list/40/2254" target="_blank">fat diet, BUT <a <br /> <br /> href="https://permies.com/t/2322/food­medicine/people­eat­grain" <br /> <br /> target="_blank">grains cause spikes in blood sugar as well as may lead to depression, higher

cholesterol and since carbs convert to sugar which then causes the pancreas to produce insulin, too

many carbs are dangerous and may lead to diabetes.



They both agree that there is so much BS in the food/science (using that term lightly) that is flat

out wrong. They specifically mention the government stepping in to ensure that french fries are

now fried with trans­fat (which may mutate blood cells) and even popcorn in a theater that was

popped in coconut oil is now popped with hydrogenated oils. They also talk

about the chemically extracted oils like corn, soy, canola vs naturally extracted oils like sunflower

& safflower.

Both Paul and Jocelyn are in complete agreement about this movie, its merits and its thought

provocation. The conversation moves to making money with food, the Heart

Association sticker on cereal boxes that clearly are NOT heart healthy with the empty, surgery

carb calories ($$) or the commodity of grains and the massive corporations based on that

commodity ($$) and the scientists that are employed because of donations or corporate grants ($$)

or the poor unemployed scientists that

stood up and said “WAIT A MOMENT!!”.



The conversation then moves to communal meals be it family or <a <br /> <br /> href="https://permies.com/t/2898/intentional­community/benifits­people­sharing­home" <br /> <br /> target="_blank">intentional community vs convenience eating. They both agree that

convenience eating is a downfall. Paul is insistent that communal meals should not be on rare

occasion, but daily or a couple times a day. Not only for the social aspect but when you eat at

home, you usually eat better.

Everybody into permaculture should see this movie according to Paul. Get your food from a more

natural state and keep it simple – use polyculture.

Paul ends with a reminder: Richness of Knowledge is great; Knowledge has to be exchanged.

Share, share and then share some more. Post pictures of what you doing, what you've done, where

you've failed and where you've succeeded. Use the forums for information, ask questions and

share answers.



Resources



Super Size Me



Amazon.com

Amazon.ca

Amazon.co.uk



Fat Head

Amazon.com

Amazon.ca

Amazon.co.uk



Relevant Links



jocelynsevents.com



"Super Size Me" vs. "Fat Head"

Bacon and Cholesterol

Should People Eat Any Grain

Nutrition re:carbs

Good Lard is a Health Food

Food for a Year



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Help support the empire and get all of the podcasts in bundles here

Unconscious Sheeple came to mind while listening to this podcast.

Gary Collins has a book about the right kinds of fats. "Primal Power Method", what I liked is that he had an actual bibliography with his sources listed. What a novel idea. He was a former FDA investigator...Jack Spirko interviewed him pretty interesting stuff.

The Ban on Hydrogenated Fat. Whats the status on this?

Here is some toxic gick for you to consider the next time you go to a fast food restaurant.

webpage

This is such a good podcast, and I hope more people listen to it!

What comes to mind with this podcast and what Paul and Jocelyn discuss are some things that work for me and the conflict around health I have with some relatives. For me, it has been shocking how deeply ingrained the belief of what consists of a "good diet" is, because my relatives are a little more than confrontational about my refusal to touch anything that contains grains, starches, or processed sugars. It is a bit of an eye-opener how much this has been embedded into other people's psyche. Also, with this, because it is so ingrained, it becomes nye impossible to even have a level-headed discussion with them, because it is assumed I am doing something that is a "fad", and that I am inherently wrong and they are right (whereas, I am evidence of what I speak, and what I am doing provides results). So, I've opted for just sticking with what I am doing, because it works, and ignoring them, because they are following their own ideas, which do not appear to be working by any stretch og the imagination.

For me, I have found for myself that meat and fats and veggies, with minimal to little carbs works best> I feel fuller longer, and I need to eat as much. This investigation of my own led me to Mark's Daily Apple and Antifragile.

What both of these sources boil down to for what works for me is:
-lots of easy exercise walking around and hiking throughout the week (just walk as much as you can)
-two short intense half-hour full-body workouts a week
-one all out sprint at full throttle for no more than half an hour
-eat meat and fats and veggies
-if I have a hankering for something sweet, which isn't often, that can be filled with fruit (preferably local and in season)
-you don't have to eat as much either (instead of 21 meals a week of larger portions, just eating 12-16 meals a week of smaller portions)

This infographic from the Primal Blueprint 21-Day Challenge is the essential good information that I have been using. Antifragility just comes in for me as a nuanced approach to the timing of food and types of food, which Nassim Nicholas Taleb makes some good remarks about how certain religions maintain that aspect of human-evolution with the timing of fasts and types of food that are allowed at certain times of the year.