Health Myths

Myth, double-feature: Eggs are bad for you. Truth: Eggs contain a variety of extremely beneficial nutrients. The contain cholesterol, which is a potent antioxidant. No one seems to tell anyone else that cholesterol is an extremely potent antioxidant, but it's true. Also, the cholesterol in eggs will not increase the cholesterol in your body. Dietary cholesterol does not affect serum cholesterol. Serum cholesterol--that is, cholesterol in your blood--is made from fat. Not dietary cholesterol. Most of the cholesterol is in the yolk; most of the vitamins are in the yolk. Without the yolk, a 70-calorie large egg is only about 20 calories. The albumen, the egg white, is mostly devoid of micronutritional content, though it is a good source of fiber. Don't listen to anyone who tells you to make an omelete without the yolks. Dropping a yolk or two is fine, if you like it like that, but to completely remove the yolks is a sin against your own body. By removing all the yolks, you are actually causing a nutritional imbalance in your body that will deplete your levels of biotin. Also, about half of the protein in the egg is in the yolk. There is no, I repeat, no good reason to not eat eggs, or to not eat the yolks. Eat the whole egg, or not at all, if you're worried about your heart. Eggs are cheap, filling, tasty, and very versatile. Organic eggs, which have a slightly keener fat ratio, are also cheap, though slightly less so, filling, tasty, and also versatile. As cheap as eggs are, organic eggs can probably be afforded without much of a problem.

Myth: Low-fat yogurt is good for you. Truth: Low-fat yogurt is typically sweetened with an artificial sweetener like Splenda, aspartame, acesulfame-K, also known as acesulfame potassium. And if it doesn't contain an artificial sweetener, it contains the real thing. Sugar. There is no winning with low-fat yogurt. When you take out the fat from dairy products, you're killing the flavor. Your brain actually does not react the same way to low-fat yogurt as it does to yogurt with all the fat in it. Splenda and aspartame have been known to cause headaches in people who eat them. Aspartame breaks down into formaldehyde in the digestive tract, and has been linked to headaches, blurry vision, immune problems, gastrointestinal distress, and more. Acesulfame potassium or acesulfame-K is a known carcinogen that is actually banned in some places. Sugar is equally bad, though in different ways. Where they took out fat they added sweet, so you still get your fix for either fatty things or sugary things. Sugar is the most addictive substance on the planet. Don't believe me? Go a month without eating any refined sugar, high fructose corn syrup, or anything like that. You will get cravings, horrible cravings, and you likely will not make it to the month and a half mark.

Myth: Fat-free things are good for you. Truth: This flows right in from the last myth. It's simply not true. Your body needs fat in order to function. Fats from the diet are responsible for making hormones, healthy endocrine function, especially sex hormones, the repair and creation of cell membranes, neurological function, and more. Don't let anyone tell you that fat is bad for you. They are simply wrong.

Myth: Sugar-substitutes are okay. Truth: Sugar substitutes are not okay. They tend to be carcinogenic or bad for you in other ways. Stevia is a natural sweetener that has no carcinogenic effects and is actually several times sweeter than sugar. You could use stevia...if it weren't illegal in the United States. Seems like Big Sugar's fat and happy being on top, and has no intention of letting anything get in its way, especially something that doesn't have addictive properties and can be bought in small amounts at a time and last for years for cheap.

Myth: Long-distance running is a good idea. Truth: It's not. Long-distance running causes the body to catabolize muscle tissue, and inhibits strength development by breaking down heavy chain myocin. Long-distance running also teaches the body to store fat, because long-distance running tends to burn fat as a primary fuel after reaching a certain point of oxidation.