!Stop The Junk!

[CheepHeep]

We are back again with your daily update on the science world. I, cheepheep, your host, generously shares with you some useful information that could help you implement some positive habits into your lifestyle.

 

Read on.....sorry for the cringe-worthy intro.

 

People are easily pulled into binge culture's quick-fix obsession with junk-food. But, according to a study published in Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, they might just as easily be able to pull themselves out of it.

 

 

Laura Corbit, assistant professor at the University of Sydney, and her team wondered how one might counteract unhealthy eating habits. They were curious to find out how food cues, such as billboards and commercials, affect our decisions about where, what and how much to eat. How does our environment shape how we eat?

 

In order to figure out useful strategies against obesity and metabolic disease, they used lab rats to conduct a series of experiments replete with oreos, pringles, jelly snakes and chow.

 

They showed that environments where tasty high-fat and high-sugar treats were routinely consumed induced habitual control: animals lost the ability to make volitional nutritional choices based on the current value of food. But the study also showed that rats could easily be brought out of this state.

 

For people, habitual behavior means that eating patterns are not necessarily dictated by conscientious weight regulation and health concerns, but also by external food cues that shape and perpetuate certain eating habits: a world where McDonalds billboards loom large at every corner, luring you in with the promise of cheap, high-fat and high-sugar food.

 

A first experiment backed this idea up by looking at volitional versus habitual control in rats. Animals were initially given repeated exposures to junk-food or bland chow environments. After being food-deprived, they were trained to press levers that provided either sugar water or pellets. Then, once they were full, they were once again placed in junk-food and bland chow environments in order to see whether these distinct contexts would affect their food-seeking behavior.

 

This first experiment showed that a junk-food environment caused rats to exhibit a more habitual mode of behavior than a bland chow environment.

 

But could aspects of the environment also reverse this habitual behavior?

 

In a second experiment, the rats underwent the same procedures as in the first experiment. This time, however, distinct sound cues were played whenever rats were placed in junk-food or bland chow contexts, creating specific environmental cues associated with specific food types.

 

The researchers found that the cue played in the bland chow context improved sensitivity to the devaluation of food, when rats were subsequently placed in the junk food context after having been fed.

 

A sound cue paired with bland food is all it took to take rats out of a habitual mode of behavior and back into a volitional mind frame.

 

The idea that we control how, when, and what we eat assumes -- wrongly -- that we are always able-minded enough to make measured, healthy decisions. Our best intentions could be assailed by a constant stream of sensory information.

 

If the frequently habitual nature seen in rats is translated to people, this study offers encouraging insight. The researchers suggest using simple interventions, such as reminders of how unhealthy certain foods are or interrupting the automatic processing of junk-food cues. A number of smartphone apps have already been developed to stymie the consumption of unhealthy food. Equally, simply putting up signs that point out healthy food options in a food court can be an effective way of bringing us into a volitional state of mind.

 

As a corrective to obesity and metabolic disease, humans can come up with their own preventive cues, which may jolt them out of habit and into health.

 

 

Hope it helps. Discuss Now!

 

source : Frontiers

[vehx]

well me personally , i use the jenny crank diet =P ... but no seriously i agree , the other danger is that junk food and even food that isnt chips , candy soda , etc. but is still commercial "lazy" or "quick fix " food is loaded with excitotoxins ... these are things like MSG , aspetame , high fructose cornsyrup , and many others with names i cant even pronounce , let alone spell , these substances are used specifiaclly to create craving and addiction to thier products ,,, ever notice that mostly overwieght people drink diet coke ? ,, ever notice they never seem to loose that wieght and in many cases tend to gain more? hmmm... and without getting into the debate over GMO foods.... im just going to say that eating healthy , and preferably organic foods makes a huge difference in not only physical fitness / wieght loss , but in over all mental wellness and happiness ,, the sad part is that its not the addictive factor that keeps many people eating crap disquised as food , but its convenience , ,,, in other words laziness ... i understand if you are busy with work and have limited time to get lunch .. but there is never a good reason to eat mcdonalds ... and like cheep heep sited with the studies ,, it is about deprogramming the brian washing that you and i have been exposed to for our entire lives ,,, these corporation spend millions researching the perfect mental triggers or "cues" to stimulate hunger and craving ... everything from choice of colors ( like the yellow and red of mc donalds , thier specific tint and hue are proven to resemble blood and sinue , and on a primal level remind people of food , specifically a fresh kill , like in the wild ,, and therefore trigger hunger ... dont take my word for it ... look it up )   .. to the auditory pavlovian response like the chime in a nabisco commercial ...."nab bis co ...*ding "  .. the ironic fact is that once you start eating those " healthy foods" .. you knwo ... the ones that ethier taste like crap or have no taste at all ...lol  , ,, once you put some distance between you and the garbage foods you are eating , you will notice that healthy food not only dont taste like crap , and actually taste better , as well your sense of taste will return and you will notice that thefood you thought had no taste at al actually has wonderful flavor that you never noticed ,, you will notice that you arent sluggish and tired after eating , and that you dont want to eat all the time , that it takes less to fill you up and you have more energy ... i know some of you are reading this but all you are hearing is blah blah blah , yadda yadda yadda,,, ....im not trying to tell you or convince you to go vegan or even vegitarian ,,, im not telling you to only  live off of nuts and berries and to eat bark , im just saying be a little more aware of and choosy about what you put in your body ..... thank you cheep heep for this topic... and sorry for me rambling / ranting on top of it  lol .. i just feel strongly about it as im sure you do =)

[Alphaloki]

I remember watching a documentary about crows in urban areas. They were mostly eating left over food in garbage cans and they could easily recognize MacDonald Big Mac boxes. They ate them first

[CheepHeep]

That is a rather dedicated post from you vehx and i share your view on the subject too. I always avoid food containing MSG or other artificially synthesized chemicals. Most of these chemicals are unnecessary and are only there to induce the illusion of a more satisfying or tastier product resulting in increased sales of that product, profiting the organization that supplies said item. So I avoid them for better health and to demote the production of such ingredients that impose considerably danger to the public if taken in large quantities over a period of time.

 

Organic food is the best. Its a shame that organic food is generally more expensive compared to its artificial version. A century ago, there was probably no such thing as organic food because all food WAS organic and there was no need for a special word to categorise it because it was just called food.

 

Its a lot easier and less effort to make junk food which is one of the reasons why there's an increase in diet related health issues. Jobs are a lot more demanding and you rarely get time to make a proper meal on a regular basis. Shame really... We are our own worst enemy.

[schNee]

tldr

 

for me it would be easier if u don't write it in bold letters., dunno but this exhaustes me 

 

i eat some junk food but only sweets and after hangover when im too lazy to stand up

i have no microwave since years, the pizzas doesn't even taste good, same for everything else. 

BUT this needs a while to train ur nerves back to good food since there is no flavor enhancers in good food. 

i try to cook all fresh cause i know exactly each thing what i put in my food. 

[CheepHeep]

tldr

 

for me it would be easier if u don't write it in bold letters., dunno but this exhaustes me 

I'll keep that in mind mate!

[vehx]

tldr

 

for me it would be easier if u don't write it in bold letters., dunno but this exhaustes me 

 

i eat some junk food but only sweets and after hangover when im too lazy to stand up

i have no microwave since years, the pizzas doesn't even taste good, same for everything else. 

BUT this needs a while to train ur nerves back to good food since there is no flavor enhancers in good food. 

i try to cook all fresh cause i know exactly each thing what i put in my food. 

 

as far as microwaves go ,, the idea that they radiate your food is not exactly true ,,, yes they use micro wave radiation to accelerate the movement of certain particles ( mostly moisture) in the food , and faster motion = heat  , but its not the same type of radiation as atomic bombs or power plants that contaminate and leave residual radioactive particles , so in that respect they , themselves , are not dangerous , but its still a good idea not to stand in front of them just like its a good idea not to keep your cell phone near your breasts as a female and near your groin for both male and females ,, and to use hands free as much as possible as to not have it next to your head for any signifigant amount of time ...  what is unhealthy about microwave ovens is the food designed for them and most importantly the cookware / containers used to prepare the food in them .. even microwave plastics are not a good idea because all plastic tends to release vapor etc. when heated , especially when heated in that method , paper / cardboard containers / packaging usually contains a noteable amount of recycled material ,,and im all about recycling , but even though its does not affect the food as a package , when heated it will release vapor as well , and that includes what ever that material come in contact with before and durring the recycling process (eww think about that for a minute lol) ...like i said ,, its only a problem when heated ... the best material to use when heating with a microwave is (1) glass ,,, glass is the best for all food applications because it is simply melted sand ,, and does not leach out anything into the food , ,, (2) is ceramic , but still need to aware of where it was made and what it was painted or glazed with ,, many items from china have been found to have been painted with lead based paint ( an obvious health concern ) as well chips or cracks in the ceramic container can expose undesirable substances ......ok enough about microwaves lol   as for junk food sweets , snacks etc.  .. its not like they are pure poison and cause death upon contact lol , many are not even harmful at all ... like real cane sugar , but still will have an undesirable effect if consumed in mass ,,,, so for emergency hangover relief , absolutely hit the comfort food button lol ....  i avoid mainstream colas but i will drink alternative brands ( usually found in the health / organic section of super markets , and at Whole Foods stores ,,,, )  whole foods has thier own brand of soda with no caffiene , no sodium , and uses organic cane sugar ,,,coca cola only makes one product that i consider to be ok , and that is coca cola life , in the green bottle , it is made with no high fructose corn syrup , but instead is sweetened with stevia and real cane sugar ,,, and has less than half the callories of regular soda ,,, but even with all that , i tend to drink unsweetened black tea or green tea , real fruit juices (preferably made with my blender from fruit ) not the fruit drinks with 10% juice and 90% who knows lol ,,,, and ofcourse ,, plain old water ,,, preferably spring water , then filtered and distilled water , but never ever tap water ,,, not because im a snob ,, i just dont want flouride , lead , chlorine , and a list of other things found in tap water ( the tap water in america , i dont know about other places) ... its bad enough i have to bathe in it lol ,   again im sorry for going on and on ...... and on again ..lol ... i've been up all night and for some reason feel like getting up on my soap box and yapping .....

[CheepHeep]

Vehx you deserve a medal for the time and effort you put into your replies hahha.

[vehx]

thank you .... i dont get out much =(  ...lol

[L3ftY.]

and, we haven't talked about how eating chips and Uber can possibly get you arrested.....

[vehx]

lol yes indeed , that a whole other thread ,,,  next thing you know a pack of condoms will be busting you out to your girlfriend ... and then posting your face on social media in the shame on you section

[CheepHeep]

lol yes indeed , that a whole other thread ,,,  next thing you know a pack of condoms will be busting you out to your girlfriend ... and then posting your face on social media in the shame on you section

You would know wouldn't you

 

:

[vehx]

You would know wouldn't you

 

:

lol no comment ,,,,,, sorry for off topic ,,, i guess i could get into the safety and health concerns relating to the latex used in condoms =P ...just kidding ..... or am I 

[Rolan001]

vehx, your healthy is not good, because you playing a lot, so lot of muscle issues  

[vehx]

vehx, your healthy is not good, because you playing a lot, so lot of muscle issues

cheep heep sorry for another off topic but .......

 

i appreciate the concern rolan , but i actually get alot of exercise .... check out my profiles gallery ... do i look out of shape to you ? .... not to mention sitting on my ass can be hard work lol =p