Unsurprisingly, I got a few comments about Dr David Walker's suggestion that chocolate should be taxed like alcohol or cigarettes.
Since this last post the UK Chief Medical Officer, Sir Liam Donaldson, has come out and pressed for a minimum per unit price on booze "to change Britain's binge-drinking culture". Seems this will protect young and irresponsible heavy drinkers.
To be fair this proposal did not receive support from #10 ... but the fact that it was even tabled speaks volumes about how far out of whack things have become.
At what point will we stop protecting these miscreants and start bringing them to account? They don't care a rat's about the price ... and they don't care who they insult, offend or abuse. And they won't ever take responsibility for the havoc they cause unless we stop holding their hands and excusing their behaviour. Oh, I forgot, they're children (or at least they're under 18)... which means they can't possibly be responsible for anything. It must all be society's fault. What was I thinking?
Or have I missed the point completely and this is all just another clever way to drum up more indirect tax revenue under the guise of social responsibility?
I think I'll have another chocolate Easter Bunny. I'd better wind my neck in.
Tuesday, 17 March 2009
Friday, 13 March 2009
Obesity And Chocolate Tax
Here's a sign of the times.
Between 2004 and 2008, Fire Departments in England where called out 1784 times ... to help move seriously obese people!
Turns out a special 27 stone (378 lbs) dummy has been custom built for training specific to this purpose. There are also reinforced beds designed to support people weighing up to 42 stone (588 lbs) available to those in the need. This is putting strain on existing resources (I'll bet).
And only yesterday on BBC Breakfast a report covered the opinion of a Scottish doctor who has suggested that the government tax chocolate. The logic behind this is that people would think twice and view chocolate as a "treat" instead of a daily habit. Apparently we have been guzzling 10kg per person, per year ... and that's just in the UK.
Do we really need a tax to get the message that excess chocolate consumption is a destructive habit? I suspect such a move will be about as effective a deterrant as the tax on booze.
But it sure would raise enough to bail out another bank!
Between 2004 and 2008, Fire Departments in England where called out 1784 times ... to help move seriously obese people!
Turns out a special 27 stone (378 lbs) dummy has been custom built for training specific to this purpose. There are also reinforced beds designed to support people weighing up to 42 stone (588 lbs) available to those in the need. This is putting strain on existing resources (I'll bet).
And only yesterday on BBC Breakfast a report covered the opinion of a Scottish doctor who has suggested that the government tax chocolate. The logic behind this is that people would think twice and view chocolate as a "treat" instead of a daily habit. Apparently we have been guzzling 10kg per person, per year ... and that's just in the UK.
Do we really need a tax to get the message that excess chocolate consumption is a destructive habit? I suspect such a move will be about as effective a deterrant as the tax on booze.
But it sure would raise enough to bail out another bank!
Wednesday, 11 March 2009
Please Stop Smoking
Dragon's Den star Duncan Bannatyne was on BBC Breakfast this morning talking about his new anti-smoking initiative in schools.
GBP 2,111 (the average annual per capita cost of indulging the smoking addiction) is on offer to the youngster deemed to have the most novel way of persuading his/her parents to kick the habit.
Of course, in the spirit of true fairness, part of the discussion's entertainment was provided by "Sue", a die-hard smoker and campaigner for the rights of adults to make an informed decision. And she, predictably, was fiercely opposed to this new assault on the sensibilities of adult addicts.
Having been a smoker for many years ... and knowing how annoying it was to constantly be badgered to give up ... I remain fascinated by the mentality of smokers.
The right to control our own fate is the logic that always surfaces in the face of evidence that smoking will kill you in a most undignified manner. Oh, and the mythical auntie who smoked all her life and reached the ripe old age of 90-something.
Is this the addiction talking, or are millions of otherwise sentient adults profoundly immature and delusional? Of course it's the addiction.
And, as non-smokers, we understand this. Sort of.
What I don't understand is how selfish people can be. OK, so one can't reason with an addict who is grasping at straws ... but surely these folk must understand just how antisocial the habit is? Don't they care about the smell? Most embrace personal hygiene. Most hate the smell of garlic, or halitosis ... or body odour.
So why don't they recognise that the smell of stale cigarette smoke is every bit as offensive to non-smokers?
As with dieting and weight-loss, all common sense yields to far more powerful psychological forces. Let's hope that we can begin to understand a little bit more about these so that more people can become free ... and so the rest of us don't have to put up with the stench just to interact with people we care about.
GBP 2,111 (the average annual per capita cost of indulging the smoking addiction) is on offer to the youngster deemed to have the most novel way of persuading his/her parents to kick the habit.
Of course, in the spirit of true fairness, part of the discussion's entertainment was provided by "Sue", a die-hard smoker and campaigner for the rights of adults to make an informed decision. And she, predictably, was fiercely opposed to this new assault on the sensibilities of adult addicts.
Having been a smoker for many years ... and knowing how annoying it was to constantly be badgered to give up ... I remain fascinated by the mentality of smokers.
The right to control our own fate is the logic that always surfaces in the face of evidence that smoking will kill you in a most undignified manner. Oh, and the mythical auntie who smoked all her life and reached the ripe old age of 90-something.
Is this the addiction talking, or are millions of otherwise sentient adults profoundly immature and delusional? Of course it's the addiction.
And, as non-smokers, we understand this. Sort of.
What I don't understand is how selfish people can be. OK, so one can't reason with an addict who is grasping at straws ... but surely these folk must understand just how antisocial the habit is? Don't they care about the smell? Most embrace personal hygiene. Most hate the smell of garlic, or halitosis ... or body odour.
So why don't they recognise that the smell of stale cigarette smoke is every bit as offensive to non-smokers?
As with dieting and weight-loss, all common sense yields to far more powerful psychological forces. Let's hope that we can begin to understand a little bit more about these so that more people can become free ... and so the rest of us don't have to put up with the stench just to interact with people we care about.
Friday, 6 March 2009
Should Trans Fats Be Banned?
Well it's Friday again and now that my dad is an internet celebrity I would not dare miss this post!
Drum roll please ... as promised, here's the link to my new blog Follow Me Slim
Of course I will continue to post bi-weekly here as I really have become quite attached to Health Essentials and find that writer's block is never a problem for me.
I came across an article in Zest magazine recently on trans fats, the gist of which was an argument for continued, heightened lobbying of the UK government to ban trans fats. Apparently they are banned already in Denmark, Switzerland, New York, Boston and California.
For those of you who have been fast asleep, trans fats are chemically altered vegetable oils that are ubiquitous in processed biscuits, confectionery and fast foods. The devil of the fat world ... a shortcut to heart disease and a regular feature in many shopping carts.
Some high profile food manufacturers and retailers (including Tesco, M & S and McVitie's) have voluntarily removed them from their products, prompting the Food Standards Agency (FSA) to advise government last year that a ban was unecessary.
My position? I'm against banning anything that doesn't involve abuse of humans or other creatures. If segments of the British population want to eat themselves into an early grave, that's their perogative. No one's going to ban booze, which is every bit as harmful to people's health in the quantities most are imbibing ... and has the added bonus of causing offensive behaviour.
Then there's cigarettes, fumes from manufacturing, vehicle fumes, industrial chemicals, air fresheners, soft drinks ... should I go on?
Banning things is like dieting. It won't change the mentality of people any more than a magic bullet will teach people healthy consumption habits.
But we'll still keep looking.
Drum roll please ... as promised, here's the link to my new blog Follow Me Slim
Of course I will continue to post bi-weekly here as I really have become quite attached to Health Essentials and find that writer's block is never a problem for me.
I came across an article in Zest magazine recently on trans fats, the gist of which was an argument for continued, heightened lobbying of the UK government to ban trans fats. Apparently they are banned already in Denmark, Switzerland, New York, Boston and California.
For those of you who have been fast asleep, trans fats are chemically altered vegetable oils that are ubiquitous in processed biscuits, confectionery and fast foods. The devil of the fat world ... a shortcut to heart disease and a regular feature in many shopping carts.
Some high profile food manufacturers and retailers (including Tesco, M & S and McVitie's) have voluntarily removed them from their products, prompting the Food Standards Agency (FSA) to advise government last year that a ban was unecessary.
My position? I'm against banning anything that doesn't involve abuse of humans or other creatures. If segments of the British population want to eat themselves into an early grave, that's their perogative. No one's going to ban booze, which is every bit as harmful to people's health in the quantities most are imbibing ... and has the added bonus of causing offensive behaviour.
Then there's cigarettes, fumes from manufacturing, vehicle fumes, industrial chemicals, air fresheners, soft drinks ... should I go on?
Banning things is like dieting. It won't change the mentality of people any more than a magic bullet will teach people healthy consumption habits.
But we'll still keep looking.
Tuesday, 3 March 2009
For My Dad
My Dad complained yesterday that I hadn't updated this blog on Friday, as is my usual routine.
So Dad, this post is just for you!
I was delighted actually to hear that he still follows my writing even though I know he's really busy. Now if I could just persuade him to start walking again ...
The reason I didn't update at my usual time was partly by design (I wanted to leave the previous post up to let people know about my new blog) ... and partly inexcusable (I was pre-occupied and uninspired, so took the easy way out).
My new blog is turning out to be a lot of fun!
First, my computer skills are shocking, so accomplishing even the most basic of tasks is quite daunting for me. I'm also too much of a perfectionist and want everything just right before I "go public". I know, that's sad. But hey ... in spite of these tiny obstacles, I'm getting really excited.
The whole idea behind my new venture is to paint myself into a corner. Since moving to the UK, I have put on a few pounds. I came over from Zimbabwe last year, so seeing all this organic food, fresh salmon and prawns has been a culture shock. And an irresistable temptation.
Actually, I shouldn't use Zimbabwe as an excuse as I was "rather large" even on my arrival, in spite of living on eggs, the odd can of smuggled tuna, rice and cauliflower. I think I may have overdone it on the rice? What can I say, I was slightly stressed.
Anyway, I'm in a good place now and have resolved to resculpt myself into a leaner, healthier version of what I was ten years ago. My vision is to have the body of a fit 30 year-old, with the wisdom (hah!) of a 40-something-ish person. It would also be nice to re-acquaint myself with my feet when I look down.
By recording all this, including some rather ghastly photos, I figure I'll have no choice. Slim down ... or embarrass myself profoundly in front of my online audience. Along the way, I'm going to be recording my daily slog, warts and all.
I may even throw in the odd bit of useful information about how to lose weight safely and how to hone a healthier existence. You never know.
I'll give you all the link in my next post on Friday, even if I have fallen far short of perfection.
I'm hoping to attract a bunch of people who have similar aspirations for 2009 and who want a daily source of inspiration. And a good laugh.
And I want to get my old man to start moving again. For those of you who don't know ... he's 80 years old, works like a dog, enjoys the odd Johnny Walker and gets concerned when his son misses a post.
How cool is that!
So Dad, this post is just for you!
I was delighted actually to hear that he still follows my writing even though I know he's really busy. Now if I could just persuade him to start walking again ...
The reason I didn't update at my usual time was partly by design (I wanted to leave the previous post up to let people know about my new blog) ... and partly inexcusable (I was pre-occupied and uninspired, so took the easy way out).
My new blog is turning out to be a lot of fun!
First, my computer skills are shocking, so accomplishing even the most basic of tasks is quite daunting for me. I'm also too much of a perfectionist and want everything just right before I "go public". I know, that's sad. But hey ... in spite of these tiny obstacles, I'm getting really excited.
The whole idea behind my new venture is to paint myself into a corner. Since moving to the UK, I have put on a few pounds. I came over from Zimbabwe last year, so seeing all this organic food, fresh salmon and prawns has been a culture shock. And an irresistable temptation.
Actually, I shouldn't use Zimbabwe as an excuse as I was "rather large" even on my arrival, in spite of living on eggs, the odd can of smuggled tuna, rice and cauliflower. I think I may have overdone it on the rice? What can I say, I was slightly stressed.
Anyway, I'm in a good place now and have resolved to resculpt myself into a leaner, healthier version of what I was ten years ago. My vision is to have the body of a fit 30 year-old, with the wisdom (hah!) of a 40-something-ish person. It would also be nice to re-acquaint myself with my feet when I look down.
By recording all this, including some rather ghastly photos, I figure I'll have no choice. Slim down ... or embarrass myself profoundly in front of my online audience. Along the way, I'm going to be recording my daily slog, warts and all.
I may even throw in the odd bit of useful information about how to lose weight safely and how to hone a healthier existence. You never know.
I'll give you all the link in my next post on Friday, even if I have fallen far short of perfection.
I'm hoping to attract a bunch of people who have similar aspirations for 2009 and who want a daily source of inspiration. And a good laugh.
And I want to get my old man to start moving again. For those of you who don't know ... he's 80 years old, works like a dog, enjoys the odd Johnny Walker and gets concerned when his son misses a post.
How cool is that!
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