I just wanted to chime in one more time on this very interesting thread - thanks for posting this Nancy! I think maybe most of us are in agreement that everyone has to take personal responsibility and try to be the healthiest they can be, taking into account their own physiology. But it's important to remember that, when it comes to bodies, we did not all get the same factory-issued body. So for many overweight people, it's not just a lack of willpower or laziness that keeps them overweight, it's that the struggle to lose weight is so much more difficult for them than for others. It's the same thing with many other physical/medical things - for instance, those who are alcoholics struggle tremendously much more against the impulse to drink too much than those without that particular glitch to their body chemistry - for me, one beer is plenty, I never think about the "choice" to just have one, it's easy, a no-brainer. That "choice" is so very much different for my friend who is struggling to maintain her sobriety. I think the point of the book and the article is that we should have compassion for other people's differences, and not assume we are morally superior if we happen to be thinner (or more sober, or more cancer-free, or with clearer skin, or WHATEVER, than others.)
Genes control weight
- Thread starter nancy324
- Start date
Nancy,
I hope you don't take this personally or be upset by my questions, but have you really thought about this through? Would a scientific discovery to obesity really save us all so much pain and miseries? I sometimes think that science creates more problems than it solves?
For instance, have you thought what the side effects be if these cures becomes available? No pills has ever come without side effects and sometimes it can take decades to manifest itself in our bodies. Are you willing to take that risk?
How would these cures work? Will they alter our genetic make-up? Will we become genetically modified human beings? Will the genetic change then be passed on our children and will it be permanent or will it mutate from generation to generation?
How would we take them? Will it be a one off pill or will we be dependent on them for the rest of our lives, like people with thyroid problems? I think that manufacturers will see the potential profits running into billions, therefore, I doubt that they will make it so that we can take just once in life.
Suppose the pill does work and you become thin, could you then carry eating and living the same bad habits you had previously? Or would we still have to learn to eat healthily and take exercise? Can the cure make us healthy as well as thin?
If a cure does become available I doubt (assuming that doctors are sensible) very much if they would become available for people who are considered just overweight or midly obese. It's likely that only severe cases, people who are classified as morbidly obese, would qualify. I believe that a cure should be for true illnesses like Prader Willi Syndrome.
Yen
I hope you don't take this personally or be upset by my questions, but have you really thought about this through? Would a scientific discovery to obesity really save us all so much pain and miseries? I sometimes think that science creates more problems than it solves?
For instance, have you thought what the side effects be if these cures becomes available? No pills has ever come without side effects and sometimes it can take decades to manifest itself in our bodies. Are you willing to take that risk?
How would these cures work? Will they alter our genetic make-up? Will we become genetically modified human beings? Will the genetic change then be passed on our children and will it be permanent or will it mutate from generation to generation?
How would we take them? Will it be a one off pill or will we be dependent on them for the rest of our lives, like people with thyroid problems? I think that manufacturers will see the potential profits running into billions, therefore, I doubt that they will make it so that we can take just once in life.
Suppose the pill does work and you become thin, could you then carry eating and living the same bad habits you had previously? Or would we still have to learn to eat healthily and take exercise? Can the cure make us healthy as well as thin?
If a cure does become available I doubt (assuming that doctors are sensible) very much if they would become available for people who are considered just overweight or midly obese. It's likely that only severe cases, people who are classified as morbidly obese, would qualify. I believe that a cure should be for true illnesses like Prader Willi Syndrome.
Yen
nancy324
Cathlete
>Nancy,
>
>I hope you don't take this personally or be upset by my
>questions, but have you really thought about this through?
>Would a scientific discovery to obesity really save us all so
>much pain and miseries? I sometimes think that science creates
>more problems than it solves?
>
>For instance, have you thought what the side effects be if
>these cures becomes available? No pills has ever come without
>side effects and sometimes it can take decades to manifest
>itself in our bodies. Are you willing to take that risk?
>
>How would these cures work? Will they alter our genetic
>make-up? Will we become genetically modified human beings?
>Will the genetic change then be passed on our children and
>will it be permanent or will it mutate from generation to
>generation?
>
>How would we take them? Will it be a one off pill or will we
>be dependent on them for the rest of our lives, like people
>with thyroid problems? I think that manufacturers will see the
>potential profits running into billions, therefore, I doubt
>that they will make it so that we can take just once in life.
>
>
>Suppose the pill does work and you become thin, could you then
>carry eating and living the same bad habits you had
>previously? Or would we still have to learn to eat healthily
>and take exercise? Can the cure make us healthy as well as
>thin?
>
>If a cure does become available I doubt (assuming that doctors
>are sensible) very much if they would become available for
>people who are considered just overweight or midly obese. It's
>likely that only severe cases, people who are classified as
>morbidly obese, would qualify. I believe that a cure should be
>for true illnesses like Prader Willi Syndrome.
>
>Yen
Yes, Yen, I have thought it through. No offense taken. I agree that sometimes science creates more problems than it solves. I think certain pesticides are a good example of that. But modern science has done so much to improve the quality of life, it's quite amazing to me. For example, I can only imagine what my life would be like without the invention of eyeglasses. My vision is so bad, I would be severely disabled. Mother Nature is not perfect. She gave me bad eyesight, and science gave me a normal life.
Also, look at all the people who would have suffered through their lives being depressed because of a slight chemical imbalance in the brain, and what SSRIs have done for them. It is truly miraculous to me. They are not "cured". They may have to be on the anti-depressants for the rest of their lives. But compare that to living a marginal existence, and it's no contest, side effects and all. People who go for that stomach-bypass surgery are desperate. Imagine if there were a pill they could take every morning which would allow them to feel satiated when they've had enough to eat, just like everyone else, without surgery. I think everyone deserves the chance at a normal life, and science has given that to so many of us, I hope it continues to find new answers.
ETA: By the way, if such a pill is invented, and a person who is 10 lbs. overweight asks her doctor for it and the doctor gives it to her, then they're both fools, and deserve whatever consequences may occur. At least until the day the pill has been prescribed for many decades, and it becomes clear, as it did with antidepressants, that the side effects are minor, and may be worth the benefit of a small weight loss.
>
>I hope you don't take this personally or be upset by my
>questions, but have you really thought about this through?
>Would a scientific discovery to obesity really save us all so
>much pain and miseries? I sometimes think that science creates
>more problems than it solves?
>
>For instance, have you thought what the side effects be if
>these cures becomes available? No pills has ever come without
>side effects and sometimes it can take decades to manifest
>itself in our bodies. Are you willing to take that risk?
>
>How would these cures work? Will they alter our genetic
>make-up? Will we become genetically modified human beings?
>Will the genetic change then be passed on our children and
>will it be permanent or will it mutate from generation to
>generation?
>
>How would we take them? Will it be a one off pill or will we
>be dependent on them for the rest of our lives, like people
>with thyroid problems? I think that manufacturers will see the
>potential profits running into billions, therefore, I doubt
>that they will make it so that we can take just once in life.
>
>
>Suppose the pill does work and you become thin, could you then
>carry eating and living the same bad habits you had
>previously? Or would we still have to learn to eat healthily
>and take exercise? Can the cure make us healthy as well as
>thin?
>
>If a cure does become available I doubt (assuming that doctors
>are sensible) very much if they would become available for
>people who are considered just overweight or midly obese. It's
>likely that only severe cases, people who are classified as
>morbidly obese, would qualify. I believe that a cure should be
>for true illnesses like Prader Willi Syndrome.
>
>Yen
Yes, Yen, I have thought it through. No offense taken. I agree that sometimes science creates more problems than it solves. I think certain pesticides are a good example of that. But modern science has done so much to improve the quality of life, it's quite amazing to me. For example, I can only imagine what my life would be like without the invention of eyeglasses. My vision is so bad, I would be severely disabled. Mother Nature is not perfect. She gave me bad eyesight, and science gave me a normal life.
Also, look at all the people who would have suffered through their lives being depressed because of a slight chemical imbalance in the brain, and what SSRIs have done for them. It is truly miraculous to me. They are not "cured". They may have to be on the anti-depressants for the rest of their lives. But compare that to living a marginal existence, and it's no contest, side effects and all. People who go for that stomach-bypass surgery are desperate. Imagine if there were a pill they could take every morning which would allow them to feel satiated when they've had enough to eat, just like everyone else, without surgery. I think everyone deserves the chance at a normal life, and science has given that to so many of us, I hope it continues to find new answers.
ETA: By the way, if such a pill is invented, and a person who is 10 lbs. overweight asks her doctor for it and the doctor gives it to her, then they're both fools, and deserve whatever consequences may occur. At least until the day the pill has been prescribed for many decades, and it becomes clear, as it did with antidepressants, that the side effects are minor, and may be worth the benefit of a small weight loss.
MSJ
Cathlete
Nancy--thanks for your support. So far I'm really enjoying the self-acceptance journey.
Gisela--You're so sweet and I agree that we can be sooo harsh on ourselves. You look great to me too. Want to trade eyeballs?
:7 :+
Diane--I'm in total agreement with your statement as well. Thanks for your perspective.
Maggie
Gisela--You're so sweet and I agree that we can be sooo harsh on ourselves. You look great to me too. Want to trade eyeballs?
:7 :+ Diane--I'm in total agreement with your statement as well. Thanks for your perspective.
Maggie