Comments on: Reading List: Caffeine Hurts Your Heart, A Look at Cheap Food & A Pro Footballer Goes Veg http://blog.healthyeats.com/blog/2009/09/04/nutrition-news-090409/ Sat, 13 Mar 2010 06:31:57 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Ashlie http://blog.healthyeats.com/blog/2009/09/04/nutrition-news-090409/comment-page-1/#comment-4040 Ashlie Sat, 05 Sep 2009 11:59:37 +0000 http://blog.healthyeats.com/?p=9526#comment-4040 While the media undoubtedly use scare tactics sometimes, it is important to remember that just because an element (Nitrogen) is natural, it isn't neccessarilly always good for you or the environment: Ozone (03) provides great UV protection in the upper atmosphere but at ground level it is smog and can cause lots of respiratory problems, sulfur dioxide provides a useful service at low concentrations at our soil, but it also causes acid rain, and Nitrogen based fertilizers are a lead cause of water pollution - through run-off they are washing downstream, many ending up in the Gulf of Mexico and contributing to the dead zone (they essentially rob the water of oxygen and nothing - fish or plant life - can survive). While the media undoubtedly use scare tactics sometimes, it is important to remember that just because an element (Nitrogen) is natural, it isn't neccessarilly always good for you or the environment: Ozone (03) provides great UV protection in the upper atmosphere but at ground level it is smog and can cause lots of respiratory problems, sulfur dioxide provides a useful service at low concentrations at our soil, but it also causes acid rain, and Nitrogen based fertilizers are a lead cause of water pollution – through run-off they are washing downstream, many ending up in the Gulf of Mexico and contributing to the dead zone (they essentially rob the water of oxygen and nothing – fish or plant life – can survive).

]]> By: Tanya http://blog.healthyeats.com/blog/2009/09/04/nutrition-news-090409/comment-page-1/#comment-4034 Tanya Fri, 04 Sep 2009 22:12:52 +0000 http://blog.healthyeats.com/?p=9526#comment-4034 Ha - love Tamara's comment. I must say though - I know there are people out there who can drink water 24x7 - but I suspect that's not true for the majority. If I allow my kids 1 glass of lemonade with dinner and water for the rest of the day - I'm not going to feel guilty and no one should. Ha – love Tamara's comment. I must say though – I know there are people out there who can drink water 24×7 – but I suspect that's not true for the majority. If I allow my kids 1 glass of lemonade with dinner and water for the rest of the day – I'm not going to feel guilty and no one should.

]]> By: Tamara http://blog.healthyeats.com/blog/2009/09/04/nutrition-news-090409/comment-page-1/#comment-4028 Tamara Fri, 04 Sep 2009 19:24:36 +0000 http://blog.healthyeats.com/?p=9526#comment-4028 More on the Times story: I just read to the second page where the author wrote, "The crop is heavily fertilized — both with chemicals like nitrogen and with subsidies from Washington." I could pick on the "our government is an evil corporation" bit, but it's the first part the rankles me. "Chemicals like nitrogen?" Maybe the author wants to take advantage of people who are easily confused between the element "nitrogen" and the scary headlines about "nitrates." Nitrogen has comprised 78% of the earth's natural atmosphere since long before humans invented fertilizer. It's what's taken up by plants for conversion into usable forms (for insignificant things like DNA and every protein on this planet). I expect that Times Magazine will soon be running articles on the horrifying dangers of dihydrogen oxide. More on the Times story: I just read to the second page where the author wrote, "The crop is heavily fertilized — both with chemicals like nitrogen and with subsidies from Washington." I could pick on the "our government is an evil corporation" bit, but it's the first part the rankles me.

"Chemicals like nitrogen?" Maybe the author wants to take advantage of people who are easily confused between the element "nitrogen" and the scary headlines about "nitrates." Nitrogen has comprised 78% of the earth's natural atmosphere since long before humans invented fertilizer. It's what's taken up by plants for conversion into usable forms (for insignificant things like DNA and every protein on this planet).

I expect that Times Magazine will soon be running articles on the horrifying dangers of dihydrogen oxide.

]]> By: Tamara http://blog.healthyeats.com/blog/2009/09/04/nutrition-news-090409/comment-page-1/#comment-4026 Tamara Fri, 04 Sep 2009 19:09:14 +0000 http://blog.healthyeats.com/?p=9526#comment-4026 Re: the ad It didn't look that graphic to me. Maybe it's because I've never seen human fat before? It looks like something from a B-rate horror movie, you know? Re: the Time story It's funny they mentioned "The Jungle," because that's what I thought of when I read their first paragraph. That isn't a compliment--the age of yellow journalism should have been long dead. Yes, the food industry should be reformed. But I don't care for the obvious scare tactics. Re: the alcohol and caffeine One is a depressant, the other a stimulant. Obviously, they are going to affect how you function if you consume them regularly. It's not particularly shocking news, especially since a similar study was done years ago (<a href="http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/news/20041011/alcohol-may-raise-risk-of-irregular-heartbeat)" target="_blank">http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/news/20041011/...</a> Re: the ad
It didn't look that graphic to me. Maybe it's because I've never seen human fat before? It looks like something from a B-rate horror movie, you know?

Re: the Time story
It's funny they mentioned "The Jungle," because that's what I thought of when I read their first paragraph. That isn't a compliment–the age of yellow journalism should have been long dead. Yes, the food industry should be reformed. But I don't care for the obvious scare tactics.

Re: the alcohol and caffeine
One is a depressant, the other a stimulant. Obviously, they are going to affect how you function if you consume them regularly. It's not particularly shocking news, especially since a similar study was done years ago (http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/news/20041011/...

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