But I do ignore the medical literature in some areas. I know coconut oil is high in cholesterol - but there is no way I will give up Thai food. Since coconuts aren't an animal source of cholesterol, I'm counting on future researchers finding out that it has different properties from animal fat cholesterol, and may even prolong life.
But the other advice I ignore big time is to stay out of the sun. Having grown up at Southern California beaches, I had no choice but to think of a sun tan as desirable and any chance I get to lie out in the sun, I take. I've learned, of course, growing up in the sun, how to slowly roast my skin so it gets just red enough that it will turn brown overnight without burning. I do use sunscreen when I know I'm past that safe point. And I wear hats to keep my bald head from burning. But sunlight is essential for Vitamin D. And this addiction to the sun helps me understand how cigarette smokers and alcoholics can rationalize their addictions. We can all feel superior to people with weaknesses we don't have, but it is the weaknesses we do have that help us empathize with others who aren't perfect either.
So today was one of the few times this summer (as you can tell from the picture, though the sunny parts of the picture are also badly overexposed) that I could indulge and I did. :)
Many years ago when my 12 year old was still gestating and I was six months pregnant, I visited my best friend in San Diego. It was -40 up here and it was +72 down there. I wore a one piece bathing suit but went out to the beach and soaked up as much sun as I could and splashed around in the water, feeling like a beached whale but loving it. People were going up to my friend asking her if I knew it was cold and she was laughing and explaining, "She's from Alaska!" Then people were asking her, "Does she know how white she is? Do they have tanning beds up there?" We have pictures that she likes to show my kids-- my legs were BRIGHT WHITE and reflecting the sun! I gobbled up everything at the Olive Garden and an Asian all-you-can eat place, and I picked lemons from the trees!
ReplyDeleteEnjoy every bit of sun that you can-- too much is bad for you, but too little gives you too little vitamin D and you can get sick!
I think that Thai people are quite beautiful-- if coconut oil is their secret, we need to grow more coconut trees and get a northern hybrid of them. . .