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Food and Health Fact #139
Fact #139: Timeless truths about behavior and health
By Matthew Rees
Food and Health Fact #139: Timeless truths about behavior and health
Find all previously published newsletter facts hereFind a list of thought-provoking books related to food, nutrition, health, and other topics here
This week's "food for thought" excerpt is from Disease-Proof: Slash Your Risk of Heart Disease, Cancer, Diabetes, and More -- by 80 Percent (2013), by David Katz, MD.
"It is important to remember that science is all about the slow accumulation of evidence and the gradual evolution of understanding, which sometimes involves confirming time-tested truths. (Yes, fruits and veggies really are good for us, just like they were last week and will be next week.) If you put too much stock in the latest media report about what is or isn't good for you . . . you may end up with a terminal case of health information whiplash. At some point, you may throw up your hands in frustration and tune out the messages entirely, even when they're valid. . . .
“Contrary to what common assumptions and the media sometimes lead us to believe, our genes do not determine our weight or future health. What they do is to tell us about our risks of developing certain diseases. It's about possibility; nothing is set in stone. Our DNA simply cannot forecast that we will get a particular disease, unless it's one that that's caused specifically by a genetic mutation. . . . We are actually the ones driving the bus toward wellness or illness, so don't blame your genes for the future of your health.
“Most diseases are not random occurrences but the consequences of the things people do every day. . . . This means that the leading causes of death and disease are largely within our control because they result from what we do or don't do with our feet, our forks, and our fingers -- namely, whether we are physically active, consume a healthy diet, or smoke -- on a daily basis. With few exceptions, that is the new rule that's been established by groundbreaking research -- and it is the central premise of this book."
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