Peter Wu: There
you are, more debunking of some health myths or bull-shits. But then in five
years’ time (or less), what he has debunked now may become gospels again. Who
knows?
My
approach to my personal health is this: listen to your body. It will tell you
if something is not right, like discomfort, pains, short of breath, weight
gains, etc. Ask yourself, have there been changes to my bodily functions? Are
there changes in my body which restricts, slows down or stops what you were
able to do? If there are investigate.
When it comes to eating, watch what you eat, how much you
eat and how often. The secret is to seek a balance between input and
output. If you eat more than what your body or daily routines require, you will
put on weight and vice versa.
If
you are like me who is constantly on the lookout for a cheater’s way to
exercise, follow the link below.
-To be continued-
Attachment
Michael Mosley's five biggest health myths
No need to slog it
out at the gym: Michael Mosley discovers the benefits of the fast fix. Photo: act\karen.hardy
Michael Mosley is arguably
the most famous human-health guinea pig on the planet.
The BBC journalist, doctor and author of the best-selling 5:2 diet has
been studying health and the human body for the past 20 years.
But for all his knowledge and self-experimentation, the self-confessed
"sugar addict" has not been particularly healthy.
Michael Mosley.
"I needed to be told I was diabetic to change, despite everything I
knew," he says.
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Instead of resorting to medication, Mosley decided to get drastic with
his diet and see whether he could effect any change.
Turns out he could.
The Fast Diet.
Through intermittent fasting, upping his greens and shifting the way he
exercises, he has lost 12 kilograms and his blood sugar has returned to normal.
"I can fit into a dinner jacket I haven't worn since I was 25 and I'm
enjoying life," says Mosley, who was in
The basic concept of intermittent
fasting, where for two days of the week you restrict your calorie
intake to about 2500 kilojoules a day, is that it gives your body a break from
processing food and a period where your blood is not filled with glucose.
The diet, which Mosley insists he was initially sceptical about, is not
the only interesting discovery he has made through his research for the series.
Some of the others relate to fairly common knowledge, for instance, that
we have to drink two litres of water a day or that eggs raise your cholesterol:
"Now we know that's absolute rubbish," he says.
Other discoveries are more surprising.
We need five small meals a day
This is "completely, awfully, terribly false," Mosley says.
The idea behind eating regularly is that we speed up our metabolic rate and
prevent the body from going into starvation mode. But the body does the
opposite, he says.
The origins of this myth come from a study done in the 1950s, when a
group of young men survived on approximately half their normal calories for six
months.
They lost significant amounts of weight, but while their body fat went
down to 5 per cent they also started to experience significant problems.
Relatively short periods of going without food, however, is a different
story, Mosley says, and can have a positive effect on us - physiologically and
psychologically.
Doctors know it all
While he was studying to become a doctor, Mosley was surprised to hear
that, within 15 years of completing his six-year degree, half of what he had
learnt would be out of date.
For this reason, he says, exempting those who are specialists or make a
concerted effort to keep abreast of the latest science, many doctors lack
knowledge in certain areas.
Nutrition and weight loss is one. In fact, he says during his years of
training he was required to attend just one class on nutrition.
Despite this, and although some doctors are open-minded about the latest
research, "some are happy to pontificate about subjects they know nothing
about".
He mentions one study comparing various methods of weight reduction
where the group who received advice from their GP actually put on weight.
Sugar is the devil in disguise
In a media briefing this week, Mosley said he disagreed with the stance
of I Quit Sugar author and
host of the event, Sarah Wilson.
"Sugar is one of my greatest addictions," he acknowledges.
"Pretty much every tooth in my mouth has been drilled and replaced. If
there's chocolate or biscuits in the house, I'll eat them."
In this sense, he says: "I do generally agree that we eat far too
much of it."
That said, he feels sugar has become a
"massive thing" and is wary of being "evangelical" about
it.
"Do we know that fructose is as demonising as we say? No, the
evidence is contradictory."
Besides, he believes it's not about completely avoiding foods, but
forgiving yourself when you do falter, being aware of the impact of certain
foods and "knowing you'll be constantly tempted and finding strategies
around it".
Mosley's strategy involves no longer keeping biscuits or chocolate in
the house.
Exercise is the best way to lose weight
"Exercise is a bad form of weight loss," Mosley says, pointing
to research on compensatory
eating and relaxing, where "basically you're knackered,
so you sit down" for the rest of the day.
The problem with people believing that exercise is a good way to lose
weight is that they get disenchanted and stop doing it, he explains.
This doesn't mean we shouldn't exercise.
According to Mosley, the real benefits are the effect exercise has on
insulin sensitivity and aerobic fitness. "Which means a longer and
healthier life," he says.
There's "preliminary" research that high-intensity interval
training burns more fat, so "you will look more gorgeous
at the beach".
But for those who don't do the recommended daily amount of exercise –
about 80 per cent of Australians – Mosley wanted to know "what's the least
you can probably do".
"One of the gurus I spoke to said you can get most of the benefits
from three minutes a week," he says. "I was absolutely sceptical
about it."
Mosley now does a short, sharp workout, pushing as hard as he can for 20
seconds, taking a break and repeating. The entire thing takes him a measly four
minutes.
The effects of these quick hits of exercise persist for up to 36 hours
after, he says.
Mosley has also increased his incidental activity. Just taking the
stairs and getting up regularly has a surprising impact on fat and blood sugar
levels.
"We need to move every 30 minutes," he says. "Get off
your arse and go for a short stroll."
Everyone needs to eat breakfast
Not true, Mosley says.
He mentions studies where some people, when they are forced to eat
breakfast, actually put on weight. "It depends on what your body likes to
do," he says.
Which is why Mosley ultimately believes in becoming
your own guinea pig. Depending on our
own physical make-up and routine, we reap benefits differently. It's a matter
of absorbing the information and trying it on for size.
But if you're making a change or trying to break a bad habit, don't
expect to be transformed within 21 days.
"That's completely made up," Mosley says. "I've looked
into it."
What’s Your Body Hiding? season, from October 6 on BBC Knowledge