Posted on 12/01/2006 2:52:42 PM PST by Diana in Wisconsin
When you feel compelled repeatedly to chain smoke cigarettes or shoot up heroin because you just can't help yourself, that's called addiction. And some scientists are saying that for many overeaters.
"Food is like a drug," said Anne Kelly, neuroscientist.
Ann Kelly is a neuroscientist at the University of Wisconsin who has been looking into the brain processes of addiction. Not only to narcotics, but to certain kinds of food.
"I hesitate to say there is such a thing as food addiction but what we have to keep in mind is that food can affect the brain in a very similar way as do addictive drugs," said Kelly.
In her lab, she studies the brains of rats addicted to morphine and other rats whose favorite food is a high fat sugary lard.
"It's sort of like cookie dough." said Kelly.
And the brain scans of the morphine addicted rats when they think they're about to get a fix, LOOK very much like those of the rats conditioned to fatty sweets. when they're about to be FED. Aha, says lawyer John Banzhaf.
"This could be the smoking gun, we could say fat is the next tobacco. Alright how about the legal argument?" said John Banzhaf, law professor.
That's what has lawyers practically salivating. FOOD. could be their new Tobacco.
"If we can change the six major fast food companies so they are providing clear and conspicuous disclosure on their menus of fat and calories and they're providing appropriate health warnings, we will have a dramatic impact on the overall problem of obesity and it will happen immediately," said Banzhaf.
But some, including Dr. Elizabeth Whelan of the American Council for Science and Health, don't like where all this seems to be headed.
"When you say a food is addictive, what you're really saying is that the obese person is a victim and you know that's I think abandoning individual responsibility." said Dr. Elizabeth Whelan, American Council for Science and Health.
Must have seen how my boys and nephews eat.
I was just pointing out that sugar is addictive to a certain degree. If you disagree, I suggest you eliminate all sugars and carbs from you diet for a month and see what happens. We also have a lot more preservatives and transfats in food now then we've had in the past. That can be a good thing in that it helps us ship food greater distances and preserve it longer. But it has drawbacks as well.
Try not to assume the worst so quickly.
I like being a member of that underclass.
They proposed doing that in the city of Detroit. I don't think they ever passed the bill though. They were too busy banning cell phone use while driving in the city.
You'll save money staying home. Make sure you use a lot of garlic on that Ribeye.
"If you disagree, I suggest you eliminate all sugars and carbs from you diet for a month and see what happens."
I quit smoking but I'll be damned if I give up my Coca-Cola. Nectar of the gods. ;-)
I get it now. So, if I like to spend time with friends, I must be addicted to them, too. ;-)
Banzhaf is back, just like you said. He should be banned.
You'd think the sheeple would have learned something about this a$$ clown by now. We shall see.
This is the kind of nonsense that will lead us to more restrictions on what we can and cannot consume. I can hear the defense now.....the Twinkies made me do it, your honor. No wait, they've already used that one.
Sugar is no more addicting than a Ritz cracker. To believe sugar is addicting you'd have to believe that all carbohydrates are addicting. It's this kind of ignorance that should worry people because it plays right into the nanny staters hands.
I suggest you eliminate all sugars and carbs from you diet for a month and see what happens.
Other than not having any energy what exactly do you think will happen? Do you think my body will tell me that I should give it what it needs?
We also have a lot more preservatives and transfats in food now then we've had in the past
Yet our food supply is safer than ever, we're healthier than ever and we're living longer than ever. Sounds scary. Trans fat is feared because it raises bad cholesterol and reduces good cholesterol, right? High cholesterol is responsible for coronary heart disease, right? Trans fat is everywhere now, right? Then how is it that the incidence of coronary heart disease has been plummeting in this country while the consumption of trans fats has been increasing?
But it has drawbacks as well.
What drawbacks?
Try not to assume the worst so quickly.
I think I assumed correctly about your misunderstanding of these food ingredients. It's real hard to find anything but the extreme positions of the food Nazi's regarding the food debate. This article makes clear why that is. Unless people begin to understand the truth about these things we'll just end up giving up more of our freedoms to know nothing busybodies who want to determine what's best for us. I'm relaxed but I'm certainly not casual about the issue. This article should really scare conservatives and anyone else who thinks personal freedom is worth protecting.
BTW, the kids are gone tonight.
wink, wink...
Yes. If one of your friends called you up tomorrow and said they never want to see you again, you would go through withdrawls. You would go through pain and hurt and your life would have to adjust to it just like quitting drugs.
It's about coercive lawsuits and the government with their experts deciding what the citizenry can and can not eat.
Next up: Oxygen addiction.
Maybe sex,but not gay sex.I'm pretty sure nobody is gonna try to ban THAT---
Hep me, hep me now! 'Cause I gots a water addiction, an oxygen addiction and sometimes I just got to lay down and sleep once every day.
I will if you could spread to every woman on the planet that not every man is like Bill Clinton.
BTW, if this crap keeps up, I'm likely to get a 'kicking the s**t out of nanny state lawyers' addiction.
I wonder if I can sue them for causing it?
Right. Which means according to the "food addict" people I should stay away from all friends, get away from any modern conveniences (because I'm used to them making life easier), go into a cold, dark cave (because addiction to the sunshine might cause cancer) and just cure myself of that addiction to food and water. After all, it's for my own good. ;-)
I hate to say "I told you so"........but........
Banzhalfassedfarass does need to be banned, I totally agree. But for some reason he is a media darling.
Anyone who looks at him and takes seriously anything he has to say about food is in serious need of mental health intervention. The a-wipe needs to look at losing a minmum of 50 pounds.
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