[ShahRukh]

I just dont buy these study results...


THe only thing i'd accept is that south Asians dont emphasize on physical fitness that much...

Lack of walking/exercising on a daily bases welcomes many diseases...

Heck, I have great-grand uncles that are in their 90s, one is over a 100 now masha'Allah, they're still very healthy and walking and whatnot...and they been eating desi food all their freaking lives without any problems...all they do is walk several miles around their farms to keep things in touch..

[IbnMardhiyah]

Originally Posted by ShahRukh

Heck, I have great-grand uncles that are in their 90s, one is over a 100 now masha'Allah, they're still very healthy and walking and whatnot...and they been eating desi food all their freaking lives without any problems

Ditto.

My maternal grandfather just turned 80, and he still walks around without a cane or anything, and can still run moderately as well [for an 80 year old]. He hasn't had any hart attacks that I know of. etc etc.

And I refuse to believe he's an exception because my grandfather's brothers are also all healthy for their advanced ages and yet all of them have been eating tasty and yummy oily and greasy foods all their lives.

Or maybe we just have a natural immunity to such complications.

To all the non-desies, hold the jealousy please, thanks.

[Hanbali]

Originally Posted by ShahRukh

I just dont buy these study results...


THe only thing i'd accept is that south Asians dont emphasize on physical fitness that much...

Lack of walking/exercising on a daily bases welcomes many diseases...

Heck, I have great-grand uncles that are in their 90s, one is over a 100 now masha'Allah, they're still very healthy and walking and whatnot...and they been eating desi food all their freaking lives without any problems...all they do is walk several miles around their farms to keep things in touch..

Oh dang dude, your argument is so comprehensive! We'd better edit our medical textbooks. You have single-handedly refuted the medical studies by bringing up a whopping two examples from your family! Your argument isn't sophomoric at all! I will forward your post to the relevant medical authorities...speaking of which, I know one person who knows someone--I think his name is Fred, or Frank, or Ferdinand...I forgot what his name is..but yeah, he smokes like 20 packs of ciggs a day, and he's over 90 years old now...so I think that disproves the idea that smoking causes lung cancer.

[ShahRukh]

Originally Posted by Hanbali

Oh dang dude, your argument is so comprehensive! We'd better edit our medical textbooks. You have single-handedly refuted the medical studies by bringing up a whopping two examples from your family! Your argument isn't sophomoric at all! I will forward your post to the relevant medical authorities...speaking of which, I know one person who knows someone--I think his name is Fred, or Frank, or Ferdinand...I forgot what his name is..but yeah, he smokes like 20 packs of ciggs a day, and he's over 90 years old now...so I think that disproves the idea that smoking causes lung cancer.

You're comparing desi food with ciggarrets now? Is Desi food a cause of lung cancer? Find me one freaking study that says so.... that has to be the stupidest thing I heard from a med student...seriously LOL

You dont even have an argument to begin with...LOL

I still stand by my comment...its all about physical fitness, not about the kind of food you eat.

[Hanbali]

Originally Posted by ShahRukh

You're comparing desi food with ciggarrets now? Is Desi food a cause of lung cancer? Find me one freaking study that says so.... that has to be the stupidest thing I heard from a med student...seriously LOL

You dont even have an argument to begin with...LOL

I still stand by my comment...its all about physical fitness, not about the kind of food you eat.

Brother, I was not arguing that desi food causes lung cancer. I was using an analogy.

I was just criticizing the idea that bringing up one or two examples would refute a study.

In any case, I apologize for my harsh tone earlier. I realize that my tone was probably a reflection of our earlier 'war' on another thread. Apologies.

As for food, yes it makes a big difference in regards to health. I do not doubt for even one second that desi food is bad for health.

[ShahRukh]

Originally Posted by Hanbali

Brother, I was not arguing that desi food causes lung cancer. I was using an analogy.

I was just criticizing the idea that bringing up one or two examples would refute a study.

In any case, I apologize for my harsh tone earlier. I realize that my tone was probably a reflection of our earlier 'war' on another thread. Apologies.

As for food, yes it makes a big difference in regards to health. I do not doubt for even one second that desi food is bad for health.

A bad example doesn't validate an argument. It's good that you realized your mistake.

Studies are not sacred revelations as you're making them out to be....if one study says desi food is bad for health, i'm sure there'd be another one to counter the results a year or so later..sometimes studies come out with complete opposite results, so what do you do in that scenario?

apology accepted ....but there was no need to for it, though. As i hardly take things seriously here

[sally]

Originally Posted by ShahRukh

I still stand by my comment...its all about physical fitness, not about the kind of food you eat.

Originally Posted by ShahRukh

Studies are not sacred revelations as you're making them out to be....if one study says desi food is bad for health, i'm sure there'd be another one to counter the results a year or so later..sometimes studies come out with complete opposite results, so what do you do in that scenario?

well, how much do you really know or have studied about nutrition? just wondering. because if you know a little you'd realize it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that MOST desi food is pretty unhealthy. the base of most of our foods is made up of tons of oil, whether they're saalans/'gravies' or rice dishes. parathas reek in oil..so do samosas and appetizer dishes of that nature.

anyway you can obviously make it healthy like you can eat grilled/tandoori/baked meats and stuff but even so, most desi people do not eat like that on a regular basis. in most families, rice (the non boiled variety) and rotis (which depend from household to household. some people cook them with lots of oil; some dont) anyway..those two are staples and most elders cant live without them.

[ChotooMotoo]

It's not just the fat, it's the KIND of fat. If you cook with solid fats, don't trim fat off meat before you cook it, and eat eggs every day, you are increasing your risk for problems whether or not you exercise. In Desi food, you can skim off most of the fat (think of the puddles of oil in those sauces), unlike American and European food where the fat is so intertwined in the food, you can't avoid it.

There are a lot of GOOD things about the Desi diet as well. Lentils are really good for you, and it's difficult to make them high fat. Salad is really good for you, and lots of Desi people eat salads with every meal. Whole wheat flour is commonly used to make parathas and roti.

I think the key thing is to reduce the amount of fat in cooking, and use liquid rather than solid fats.

As for the "well my family" blah blah, there are always exceptions. My grandpa smoked 4 packs of cigarettes a day, ate 4 incredibly fat laden cholesterol spiking meals, and was pretty sedentary after retirement, and he didn't have his first stroke until he was in his late 70's, never developed lung cancer (though he did suffer from emphysema) and finally died at the age of 82. On the other side there are star athletes who drop dead of heart disease in their late 20's and early 30's. You always get outliers.

[sally]

Originally Posted by ChotooMotoo

It's not just the fat, it's the KIND of fat. If you cook with solid fats, don't trim fat off meat before you cook it, and eat eggs every day, you are increasing your risk for problems whether or not you exercise. In Desi food, you can skim off most of the fat (think of the puddles of oil in those sauces), unlike American and European food where the fat is so intertwined in the food, you can't avoid it.

There are a lot of GOOD things about the Desi diet as well. Lentils are really good for you, and it's difficult to make them high fat. Salad is really good for you, and lots of Desi people eat salads with every meal. Whole wheat flour is commonly used to make parathas and roti.

I think the key thing is to reduce the amount of fat in cooking, and use liquid rather than solid fats.

As for the "well my family" blah blah, there are always exceptions. My grandpa smoked 4 packs of cigarettes a day, ate 4 incredibly fat laden cholesterol spiking meals, and was pretty sedentary after retirement, and he didn't have his first stroke until he was in his late 70's, never developed lung cancer (though he did suffer from emphysema) and finally died at the age of 82. On the other side there are star athletes who drop dead of heart disease in their late 20's and early 30's. You always get outliers.

yeah, i don't deny that desis eat the 'right' foods. it's just that they barely ever consume them without messing them up thoroughly.

and most people consider desi food without fat or oil to be bland. which is not the case.

american foods includes many different types of foods that can easily be modified and made easily healthier. the thing is that you have to have the 'tastebuds' for that kind of food. most desi elders frown on american foods, esp the 'healthy' kind. tastes bland to them.

[ChotooMotoo]

Originally Posted by sally

yeah, i don't deny that desis eat the 'right' foods. it's just that they barely ever consume them without messing them up thoroughly.

and most people consider desi food without fat or oil to be bland. which is not the case.

american foods includes many different types of foods that can easily be modified and made easily healthier. the thing is that you have to have the 'tastebuds' for that kind of food. most desi elders frown on american foods, esp the 'healthy' kind. tastes bland to them.

I guess I'm lucky that my husbands family isn't like that. Otherwise I would be even fatter than I am now!

[sally]

Originally Posted by ChotooMotoo

I guess I'm lucky that my husbands family isn't like that. Otherwise I would be even fatter than I am now!

true, i should refrain from sounding like i'm making blanket statements. but i think it might have to do with what kind of desi your husband/his family is too

[ChotooMotoo]

Originally Posted by sally

true, i should refrain from sounding like i'm making blanket statements. but i think it might have to do with what kind of desi your husband/his family is too

Yeah, probably. His family does eat a lot of meat though.

[sally]

Originally Posted by ChotooMotoo

Yeah, probably. His family does eat a lot of meat though.

where in pakistan are they from? or what kind of desi is he?

i've noticed the northern pakistani diet is much more healthy and wholesome and 'organic' than southern pakistani diets. might have to do with the fact it's not as industrialized.

[ChotooMotoo]

Originally Posted by sally

where in pakistan are they from? or what kind of desi is he?

i've noticed the northern pakistani diet is much more healthy and wholesome and 'organic' than southern pakistani diets. might have to do with the fact it's not as industrialized.

He's from NWFP.