Health Warning To Fellow Farangs!

[Felt 35]

......so 100% home cooking is the answer....well if so then I just lost one of my personal greatest joys to live here

[infinity11]

No time to read five pages.

However i was thinking about the OP.

Why even bother with medicine (doctors) and tests if you are in good health?

It is a limited non holistic western approach and just creates more fear worry and stress.

[partington]

No time to read five pages.

However i was thinking about the OP.

Why even bother with medicine (doctors) and tests if you are in good health?

It is a limited non holistic western approach and just creates more fear worry and stress.

You should probably make time to read something of a mildly educational nature, though.

Many diseases give you no indication that they are present until it is too late. In other words : you do not know if you are in good health without tests and doctors.

Cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes for example can be completely silent until they have done considerable harm. Checkups can alert people in time for successful treatment.

All responsible health care systems encourage preventative medicine measures.

[TommoPhysicist]

It's not the food you eat that's the problem, it's your lifestyle.

If you are inactive, even the best diet won't keep you fit.

The more active you are, the less you have to worry about your eating and drinking habits.

Nope, 8-10 hour training weekly,75% endurance training, 175cm, 65 Kg,dont drink or smoke,western breakfast, rest of the day Thai food, and as said in my previous post doctor warned me on two last check ups because of high cholestrol (243).

Training in a air-con gym does nothing for you at all.

Walk or run up a mountain every day .............. real weather, real terrain, real exercise.

(or mini-marathon, 100km bike ride, etc. every week)

Edited March 14, 2013 by TommoPhysicist

[Sheryl]

No time to read five pages.

However i was thinking about the OP.

Why even bother with medicine (doctors) and tests if you are in good health?

It is a limited non holistic western approach and just creates more fear worry and stress.

You should probably make time to read something of a mildly educational nature, though.

Many diseases give you no indication that they are present until it is too late. In other words : you do not know if you are in good health without tests and doctors.

Cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes for example can be completely silent until they have done considerable harm. Checkups can alert people in time for successful treatment.

All responsible health care systems encourage preventative medicine measures.

+1

The pathology which ends in heart attacks takes decades to develop and you will feel fine all the while.

Ditto that underlying many strokes.

To ignore proven risk factors because one feels well is asking for trouble.

[Tolley]

I heard a professor on tv saying the other day saying that at least 70 percent of chronic diseases like heart disease, cancers, arthritis etc were related to bad diet and lifestyle.

Taking control of your own health is critical if you want to enjoy your life especially as your get older.

It is amazing the lengths people will go to make or save money yet will not even take basic precautions to safeguard their health.

[jmccarty]

I have been in Thailand now for 6 1/2 months. Triglyceride level was around 250 some 12 years ago in Singapore when I was eating Burger King and KFC for lunch 3 or 4 times a week. Stopped that back then and a month later it went down to the low 100's. 2 weekends ago, after a heavy night on wine and pizza, my 08:00AM blood came out at 703! Last weekend, had a much slower night before the follow up blood test with 5 beers and a chicken curry, my 08:00AM blood came out at 403. I do have a family history of high triglycerides.

I'm excersizing for the first time since early May last year after a serious boating accident and will go for another check up at the end of the month.

Doctor also said watch the Thai food, especially anything that is fried.

Must say, eating healthy here is not as easy for me as it was in Singapore. Mostly the logistics of getting to the grocery store at the end of the day make it just easier to eat in a local restaurant. And I like pretty much all of the Thai food available.

I have made the effort though and looking forward to that next blood test at the end of the month.

[watcharacters]

I'm on a srict seefood diet.

Watch out for the bottom feeders.

[FritsSikkink]

Talking to a doctor:

Q: Doctor, I've heard that cardiovascular exercise can prolong life. Is this true?
A: Heart only good for so many beats, and that it...... Don't waste on exercise. Everything wear out eventually. Speeding up heart not make you live longer; it like saying you extend life of car by driving faster. Want to live longer? Take nap.

Q: Should I reduce my alcohol intake?
A: Oh no. Wine made from fruit. Fruit very good. Brandy distilled wine, that mean they take water out of fruity bit so you get even more of goodness that way. Beer also made of grain. Grain good too. Bottom up!

Q: What are some of the advantages of participating in a regular exercise program?
A: Can't think of one, sorry. My philosophy: No pain...good!

Q: Aren't fried foods bad for you?
A: YOU NOT LISTENING! Food fried in vegetable oil. How getting more vegetable be bad?

Q: Is chocolate bad for me?
A: You crazy?!? HEL-LO-O!! Cocoa bean! Another vegetable! It best feel-good food around!

Q: Is swimming good for your figure?
A: If swimming good for figure, explain whale to me.

Q: Is getting in shape important for my lifestyle?
A: Hey! 'Round' is shape!

Well... I hope this has cleared up any misconceptions you may have had about food and diets.

And remember:

Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways - Chardonnay in one hand - chocolate in the other - body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO-HOO, what a ride!!"

AND......

For those of you who watch what you eat, here's the final word on nutrition and health. It's a relief to know the truth after all those conflicting nutritional studies.

1. The Japanese eat very little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than Brits.
2. The Mexicans eat a lot of fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than Brits.
3. The Chinese drink very little red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than Brits.
4. The Italians drink a lot of red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than Brits.
5. The Germans drink a lot of beer and eat lots of sausages and fats and suffer fewer heart attacks than Brits.

CONCLUSION: Eat and drink what you like. Speaking English is apparently what kills you.

[Bokchoi]

You sound so much like my third husband. I tired of his diets and wished he'd just starve to death. Today he remains alive and well and people say that leaving me took a weight off his mind. Anyway, I learned that high-triglycirides are caused by either dietary or genetic conditions. If its the latter one can only medicate & manage. If high triglycirides/bad cholesterol/fatty liver.....are the result of 'pigging out' then slowly weaning oneself off goodies + medication + moderate exercise, can help. If dieting is your kettle of fish here's something I tried with some success before kicking out hubby - I made a mental note of 2 colors which cause the problem. They are red and white. Under red comes red meats, sauces, marinades. Under white came : white rice, white bread, sugar and salt (latter two in excess).

I only used olive oil in those days of hard labor. Instead of sugar we used honey, also used brown rice and brown bread, we enjoyed a glass or two of red wine with dinner. Food which is boiled, broiled or grilled is best.

A big enemy is processed food. Check the 'trans-fat' content on packets. Sadly, in Thailand this is not easy. Overseas I look at the 'Fat breakdown'. I deduct this from 'Total Fat', The difference is the 'trans-fat' if its not been seperately listed. (Companies hate to list trans-fat as it frightens away consumers !) Where a packet does not advise 'fat content' try and find a substitute which is Heart-Smart. Drink 4 to 6 cups of green tea. Its magical.

I think a mix of all 3 ie: diet, moderate exercise, medication does work cos' my Ex remains happy and healthy. I sometimes wish I'd been more adventurous and experimented with the man, given his eagerness to try almost everything.

Finally, with medication I found Centrum twice or thrice a week (because of its nasty side-effects) together with Omega 3 fish oil (1500mg daily) helps manage triglycirides.

In deciding what makes HeartSmart Living - To do or not to do is a personal matter and what works for one person may not work for another. No point losing ones hair over it.

Edited March 14, 2013 by Bokchoi

[partington]

For those of you who watch what you eat, here's the final word on nutrition and health. It's a relief to know the truth after all those conflicting nutritional studies.

1. The Japanese eat very little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than Brits.

2. The Mexicans eat a lot of fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than Brits.

3. The Chinese drink very little red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than Brits.

4. The Italians drink a lot of red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than Brits.

5. The Germans drink a lot of beer and eat lots of sausages and fats and suffer fewer heart attacks than Brits.

CONCLUSION: Eat and drink what you like. Speaking English is apparently what kills you.

I do understand that this is meant to be funny, but I think facts are important. The above information is both completely inaccurate, and illogical.

If anyone was saying that eating fat, or drinking alcohol - that is dietary intake - is the ONLY risk factor affecting heart disease incidence, maybe it would be appropriate to base an argument on these kinds of observations.

But nobody is. There are very many different causes and risks for heart disease, including genetic predisposition, diabetes, chronic inflammatory conditions, infections, and high blood pressure. There are also many causes that have yet to be identified. So the risk of heart disease in any population will depend on the occurrence of ALL these risk factors, not just fat/alcohol consumption.

So you cannot look only at fat/alcohol consumption and say because it is higher in one population, but that population has fewer heart attacks, fat isn't important in causation. That population may be protected by having lower rates of diabetes or high blood pressure, or some factor that is not yet recognised.

What you CAN do is take that single population and show individuals within it who eat more saturated fat show increased risk of heart disease, for example.

Secondly your 'facts' are mostly incorrect: (source: http://www.worldlifeexpectancy.com/cause-of-death/coronary-heart-disease/by-country)

1. United Kingdom death rate from heart disease per 100,000: 68.8, Japan : 31.2 TRUE

2. United Kingdom death rate from heart disease per 100,000: 68.8, Mexico 87.7 FALSE

3. United Kingdom death rate from heart disease per 100,000: 68.8, China 79.7 FALSE

4. United Kingdom death rate from heart disease per 100,000: 68.8,, Italy 51.7 TRUE

5. United Kingdom death rate from heart disease per 100,000: 68.8, Germany 75.0 FALSE

Just to keep the record straight. Some people do have an interest in keeping healthy, and may get discouraged by false arguments.

Edited March 14, 2013 by partington

[StreetCowboy]

^^ On the bright side, you won't die laughing

SC

[pomozki]

No time to read five pages.

However i was thinking about the OP.

Why even bother with medicine (doctors) and tests if you are in good health?

It is a limited non holistic western approach and just creates more fear worry and stress.

thanks - I am still in good health but blood tests showed my saturated fat levels had soared while in Thailand. Why wait until something serious happened? I just thought many of us might be in the same boat, thinking we were in great health but the local grub wasn't nearly as good for us as we thought

[Dancealot]

^^ On the bright side, you won't die laughing

SC

Some could die trying ^ ^.

[FritsSikkink]

For those of you who watch what you eat, here's the final word on nutrition and health. It's a relief to know the truth after all those conflicting nutritional studies.

1. The Japanese eat very little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than Brits.

2. The Mexicans eat a lot of fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than Brits.

3. The Chinese drink very little red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than Brits.

4. The Italians drink a lot of red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than Brits.

5. The Germans drink a lot of beer and eat lots of sausages and fats and suffer fewer heart attacks than Brits.

CONCLUSION: Eat and drink what you like. Speaking English is apparently what kills you.

I do understand that this is meant to be funny, but I think facts are important. The above information is both completely inaccurate, and illogical.

If anyone was saying that eating fat, or drinking alcohol - that is dietary intake - is the ONLY risk factor affecting heart disease incidence, maybe it would be appropriate to base an argument on these kinds of observations.

But nobody is. There are very many different causes and risks for heart disease, including genetic predisposition, diabetes, chronic inflammatory conditions, infections, and high blood pressure. There are also many causes that have yet to be identified. So the risk of heart disease in any population will depend on the occurrence of ALL these risk factors, not just fat/alcohol consumption.

So you cannot look only at fat/alcohol consumption and say because it is higher in one population, but that population has fewer heart attacks, fat isn't important in causation. That population may be protected by having lower rates of diabetes or high blood pressure, or some factor that is not yet recognised.

What you CAN do is take that single population and show individuals within it who eat more saturated fat show increased risk of heart disease, for example.

Secondly your 'facts' are mostly incorrect: (source: http://www.worldlifeexpectancy.com/cause-of-death/coronary-heart-disease/by-country)

1. United Kingdom death rate from heart disease per 100,000: 68.8, Japan : 31.2 TRUE

2. United Kingdom death rate from heart disease per 100,000: 68.8, Mexico 87.7 FALSE

3. United Kingdom death rate from heart disease per 100,000: 68.8, China 79.7 FALSE

4. United Kingdom death rate from heart disease per 100,000: 68.8,, Italy 51.7 TRUE

5. United Kingdom death rate from heart disease per 100,000: 68.8, Germany 75.0 FALSE

Just to keep the record straight. Some people do have an interest in keeping healthy, and may get discouraged by false arguments.

joke

n.

1. Something said or done to evoke laughter or

amusement, especially an amusing story with a punch line.

2. A mischievous trick; a prank.

3. An amusing or ludicrous incident or

situation.

4. Informal

a. Something not to be taken seriously; a triviality:

The accident was no joke.

b. An object of amusement or laughter; a

laughingstock: His loud tie was the joke of the

office.

[pomozki]

^^ On the bright side, you won't die laughing

SC

Some could die trying ^ ^.

do you know you bear a striking resemblance to Giorgio Moroder!

[pomozki]

For those of you who watch what you eat, here's the final word on nutrition and health. It's a relief to know the truth after all those conflicting nutritional studies.

1. The Japanese eat very little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than Brits.

2. The Mexicans eat a lot of fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than Brits.

3. The Chinese drink very little red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than Brits.

4. The Italians drink a lot of red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than Brits.

5. The Germans drink a lot of beer and eat lots of sausages and fats and suffer fewer heart attacks than Brits.

CONCLUSION: Eat and drink what you like. Speaking English is apparently what kills you.

I do understand that this is meant to be funny, but I think facts are important. The above information is both completely inaccurate, and illogical.

If anyone was saying that eating fat, or drinking alcohol - that is dietary intake - is the ONLY risk factor affecting heart disease incidence, maybe it would be appropriate to base an argument on these kinds of observations.

But nobody is. There are very many different causes and risks for heart disease, including genetic predisposition, diabetes, chronic inflammatory conditions, infections, and high blood pressure. There are also many causes that have yet to be identified. So the risk of heart disease in any population will depend on the occurrence of ALL these risk factors, not just fat/alcohol consumption.

So you cannot look only at fat/alcohol consumption and say because it is higher in one population, but that population has fewer heart attacks, fat isn't important in causation. That population may be protected by having lower rates of diabetes or high blood pressure, or some factor that is not yet recognised.

What you CAN do is take that single population and show individuals within it who eat more saturated fat show increased risk of heart disease, for example.

Secondly your 'facts' are mostly incorrect: (source: http://www.worldlifeexpectancy.com/cause-of-death/coronary-heart-disease/by-country)

1. United Kingdom death rate from heart disease per 100,000: 68.8, Japan : 31.2 TRUE

2. United Kingdom death rate from heart disease per 100,000: 68.8, Mexico 87.7 FALSE

3. United Kingdom death rate from heart disease per 100,000: 68.8, China 79.7 FALSE

4. United Kingdom death rate from heart disease per 100,000: 68.8,, Italy 51.7 TRUE

5. United Kingdom death rate from heart disease per 100,000: 68.8, Germany 75.0 FALSE

Just to keep the record straight. Some people do have an interest in keeping healthy, and may get discouraged by false arguments.

joke

n.

1. Something said or done to evoke laughter or

amusement, especially an amusing story with a punch line.

2. A mischievous trick; a prank.

3. An amusing or ludicrous incident or

situation.

4. Informal

a. Something not to be taken seriously; a triviality:

The accident was no joke.

b. An object of amusement or laughter; a

laughingstock: His loud tie was the joke of the

office.

wow, did you do all that research just for this forum? impressive!

[SteeleJoe]

My only thought is thoroughly unhelpful: how the h_ll did you miss the fact that Cow Mun Gai was full of chicken fat and the rice was oily (hence the name) - even if you don't understand Thai I would have thought it obvious from the first time you saw it or ate it.

[manarak]

I have learnt that any food that tastes good is bad for health.

I think a stressful and frustrating life is more damaging for health than tasty food.

[Tolley]

I have learnt that any food that tastes good is bad for health.

I think a stressful and frustrating life is more damaging for health than tasty food.

Yes well there is the famous biblical quote 'Man does not live by bread alone' and that means that diet is not everything. Emotional health and spritual health and are also important in maintaining good health.

[StreetCowboy]

I have learnt that any food that tastes good is bad for health.

I think a stressful and frustrating life is more damaging for health than tasty food.

Yes well there is the famous biblical quote 'Man does not live by bread alone' and that means that diet is not everything. Emotional health and spritual health and are also important in maintaining good health.

I thought it was encouraging a balanced diet, not to be confused with "let them eat cake".

I think it may have been specifically meant in praise of the Roman Emperors who gave the people bread and circuses.

[pomozki]

My only thought is thoroughly unhelpful: how the h_ll did you miss the fact that Cow Mun Gai was full of chicken fat and the rice was oily (hence the name) - even if you don't understand Thai I would have thought it obvious from the first time you saw it or ate it.

hmm, how the hell could you be so smart, more like it? I told my friends about this little saga and they also didn't realise the rice was oily - it doesn't look oily, even when you look at it closely. The chicken meat is all strips of breast, unless you're talking about the soup - in that case, if it's so full of fat, why that doesn't show up after a night in the fridge like slithers of marzipan, like it usually does,?

[Tolley]

I have learnt that any food that tastes good is bad for health.

I think a stressful and frustrating life is more damaging for health than tasty food.

Yes well there is the famous biblical quote 'Man does not live by bread alone' and that means that diet is not everything. Emotional health and spritual health and are also important in maintaining good health.

I thought it was encouraging a balanced diet, not to be confused with "let them eat cake".

I think it may have been specifically meant in praise of the Roman Emperors who gave the people bread and circuses.

No I think you are confused.

Check this taken from this website. http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/243100.html

Man does not live by bread alone

Meaning

Physical nourishment is not sufficient for a healthy life; man also has spiritual needs.

Origin

From the Bible, Deuteronomy 8: 2-3 (King James Version):

And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live.

also in Matthew 4:4:

But he answered and said, it is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

and Luke 4:4:

And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, that man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.

Edited March 15, 2013 by Tolley

[Sheryl]

The Japanese eat very little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than the Americans.

The Mexicans eat a lot of fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than the Americans.

The Japanese drink very little red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than the Americans.

The French drink excessive amounts of red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than the Americans.

The Germans drink a lot of beer and eat lots of sausages and fats and suffer fewer heart attacks than the Americans.

CONCLUSION: Eat and drink what you like. Speaking English is apparently what kills you.

attribution http://www.citehr.com/10746-speaking-english-apparently-what-kills-you.html#ixzz2Nap0OkUE

(just kidding!)

[infinity11]

No time to read five pages.

However i was thinking about the OP.

Why even bother with medicine (doctors) and tests if you are in good health?

It is a limited non holistic western approach and just creates more fear worry and stress.

You should probably make time to read something of a mildly educational nature, though.

Many diseases give you no indication that they are present until it is too late. In other words : you do not know if you are in good health without tests and doctors.

Cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes for example can be completely silent until they have done considerable harm. Checkups can alert people in time for successful treatment.

All responsible health care systems encourage preventative medicine measures.

At the risk of sounding extreme, i will play devils advocate for conversation purposes.

We all must go sooner or later, unless you have kids/a family, why postpone it with medicine and tests and stuff, is that not ego and self importance? embrace the inevitable? ok go ahead and shoot this down if you must...

[StreetCowboy]

No time to read five pages.

However i was thinking about the OP.

Why even bother with medicine (doctors) and tests if you are in good health?

It is a limited non holistic western approach and just creates more fear worry and stress.

You should probably make time to read something of a mildly educational nature, though.

Many diseases give you no indication that they are present until it is too late. In other words : you do not know if you are in good health without tests and doctors.

Cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes for example can be completely silent until they have done considerable harm. Checkups can alert people in time for successful treatment.

All responsible health care systems encourage preventative medicine measures.

At the risk of sounding extreme, i will play devils advocate for conversation purposes.

We all must go sooner or later, unless you have kids/a family, why postpone it with medicine and tests and stuff, is that not ego and self importance? embrace the inevitable? ok go ahead and shoot this down if you must...

You should've read the last five pages.

It's not about living or dying, it's about having a debilitating stroke or heart attack or whatever twenty years before your due date, and having to while away the last twenty years of your life watching your kids grow up from a wheelchair.

It's not about dying young, it's about getting old young.

SC

Edited March 15, 2013 by StreetCowboy

[SteeleJoe]

hmm, how the hell could you be so smart, more like it?

I don't know - good genes I guess. And a certain amount of critical/ analytical thinking and observation.

I can't account for your friends or comparisons to Marzipan.

Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa ap

Edited March 15, 2013 by SteeleJoe

[pomozki]

hmm, how the hell could you be so smart, more like it?

I don't know - good genes I guess. And a certain amount of critical/ analytical thinking and observation.

I can't account for your friends or comparisons to Marzipan.

Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa ap

"good genes I guess. And a certain amount of critical/ analytical thinking and observation."

or delusional pomposity! not knowing that chicken breast and rice in broth is bad for you is not so dumb - especially since if you always have the meat and rice inside the soup - but you wouldn't know that since you immediately jumped to your own conclusion

suggestion: think before you scorn, might make you less of a knowall and a little more humble!

[SteeleJoe]

hmm, how the hell could you be so smart, more like it?

I don't know - good genes I guess. And a certain amount of critical/ analytical thinking and observation.

I can't account for your friends or comparisons to Marzipan.

Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa ap

"good genes I guess. And a certain amount of critical/ analytical thinking and observation."

or delusional pomposity! not knowing that chicken breast and rice in broth is bad for you is not so dumb - especially since if you always have the meat and rice inside the soup - but you wouldn't know that since you immediately jumped to your own conclusion

suggestion: think before you scorn, might make you less of a knowall and a little more humble!

* Delusional pomposity! Yikes! So you mean you don't really think I'm smart? What a crushing blow...

* I didn't call anyone dumb and I didn't mention not knowing that chicken breast and rice in broth is bad for you - it certainly never occurred to me (though I never thought about it).

* Not sure which conclusion I am supposed to have jumped to...care to tell me?

* I prefer being a know it all, thanks. But I'm actually fairly humble too.

Sorry you've taken this so hard. It wasn't meant to be so serious an issue - I just thought with the name of the food, the way it's made, the way it appears, the way it tastes, and its texture that the presences of chicken fat and oil was obvious. Apparently not.

Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa ap

[Sheryl]

Time to tone it down. No need for personal jibes.