Random Thoughts, continued

Hello friends!
I'm so sorry, I completely forgot to mention that I have some new friends! Blogger friends from BlogCatalog who have added me to their neighborhoods and friends groups. Welcome and thanks so much!

Good news!
New York City's ban on trans fats goes into effect today. Now, I do have some thoughts about food police and restrictions on cooking liberties and freedom to eat whatever I choose. But, I also have serious concerns about the high reate of obesity, especially in children, in this country and all of the related health concerns associated with it. Trans fats are particularly insidious because they raise bad cholesterol and lower good cholesterol. And, researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health also warn that they can cause inflammation in the body. Bad bad bad. For a great resource on healthy eating from the experts who really know their stuff, visit the Harvard School of Public Health's Nutrition Source.

Get naked!
About 1,000 people in Ireland did just that this past weekend and had their picture taken as part of a performace art installation. Several people quoted said they found the experience to be quite liberating. I'll bet. I would love this. I think that we are so body conscious because we have such limited experience seeing real bodies. The naked or semi-naked bodies we see (beyond the one or few we may see privately of those who are our intimates) are in magazines, TV, and in the movies and they have been so airbrushed and made to look perfect that as a culture, we have very little idea of what real bodies look like. Even at the gym I go to, where the women's locker room is one big open room, women are constantly wrapping themselves up tightly in towels and trying to put on and take off their underwear underneath the towels. It's a little crazy, actually. If we just realized we all were imperfect, then maybe we'd be more relaxed. I'm not saying that we still shouldn't strive to have healthy weights and to be fit and take care of ourselves, but we'd realize that other people have bumps and dimples and little rolls and there's nothing to be ashamed of or embarrased about. Go Irish!