Trying to Hack the Body Again
...and I have my doubts that this try will be more successful that previous attempts. Animal research raises possibility of end to fat-free diets.
I'll just go ahead and lead off with a comment that logic should have put an end to fat-free and low-fat diets long ago.
A new study in mice raises a tantalizing possibility – that humans may one day be able to eat any kind of fat they want without raising their risk of heart disease.
"We deleted an enzyme in mice and they could eat any type of fat and not get heart disease," said Lawrence Rudel, Ph.D., a professor of comparative medicine. "If you're a mouse, it's great. Of course, we don't know yet if it will be the same in humans."
Yes, you read that correctly. They are wanting to delete enzymes to protect against atherosclerosis. I'm sure plenty of problems will arise from this. For one, enzymes don't usually control only one function. They are usually involved in several bodily processes. You can't just delete them and expect no downstream effects. Unfortunately, too many people are perfectly fine with popping a pill or undergoing weight loss surgery and putting up with the side effects (like cosmic pizza grease), rather than adjusting their lifestyle. Popping a pill is easy. Cutting out sugar and processed carbs isn't easy. Eating more fruits and vegetables isn't easy. Getting up off of the couch and moving around more isn't easy. Oh sure, it's simple, but for the majority, it isn't easy. We're all victims looking for science to save us rather than realizing that humans were lean and healthy for hundreds of thousands of years. Here is a simple solution: stick to the perimeter of the store - produce, meat and eggs. Grab some olive oil and nuts and go home. If a food product is in a bright package with a cartoon character, put it back on the shelf. If it has a celebrity advertiser, put it back.
This is still in animal testing stages and may never come to fruition, but we don't need to tamper with the human body! The body is perfectly capable of maintaining itself if given the proper fuel, rest, and activity.
