Cheap Shot

Bee gives new meaning to the term, Food Pyramid. This one was inspired by the trend in America toward a predominantly obese society. (includes yours truly). My weight gain began in earnest in the 1970 - 1980 span when we became obsessed with fat consumption, and red meat consumption. By the way, that was the launch pad decade for the obesity crisis we are experiencing. Later, in the nineties, I watched as a co-worker, and good friend, began shedding pounds. It seemed like he did so right before my eyes. Inquiry revealed that he was on the Atkins lifestyle. I asked him what that entailed. He explained about the low "simple" carb approach. He explained that he could eat vegatables, particularly green ones, as much as he wanted to. He also explained that protein (meat, poultry, some dairy) were also part of the mix. Oh, no. Suicide. I immediately began to harrangue him about what he was doing. Loss of weight be damned, I didn't want to see my friend kill himself. He recommended that I read the book; that's the Dr. Atkins book. No need really. Like most folks in our society, I was much more content to emphatically preach what had been fed to me for over thirty years. (via teachers, the media, the medical practicioners, and many other well meaning sources.) Why should I read something, when small, appetizer size sound bites have served me so well for lo this long? Hmmmm. Except they didn't serve me well. I was gaining weight; had the requisite heart attack, at 42!!, felt sluggish, and had blood metrics (triglycerides, cholesterol, etc. that were off the charts). Then, a few years later, I decided to read this nonsense that Dr. Atkins was spewing. Oops. It made sense. The science of it is clearly explained. It wasn't new science. Just "conveniently" ignored science. Let's give it a try. No small amount of trepidation here, I assure you. Having had first hand proof of what heart attacks feel like, and having subsequently gone through a quintuple bypass, I was not eager for a repeat performance. The result. Weight went down. Well, I guess we knew that might happen. I had observed it myself. What I did not observe in my previous experience, was my friend's blood metrics. Mine improved dramatically. Triglycerides plumeted. Cholesterol fell to acceptable limits. My energy increased. I felt better. Case closed. Then I started thinking about observations in nature. Who are the carnivores, and who are the herbavores. Which ones look fit, run fast, and are alert. Which ones are obese, and sluggish. Hence, this Kartune. (I'll bet you never knew how much went into one Kartune. :))