Mexcian Living: Traditional Mexican Eating

I have been a little preoccupied lately with my diet. The reason being is that I am too fat! The doctor told me that I am now Señor Tubby and I need to lose some weight. I am suffering from some blood sugar issues and this is, as you know, not good.

Therefore, I have been looking at my diet and have been doing so in the context of Mexico where my wife and I live. What I mean is that when you travel around this great country you can see a wide range of fit to unfit Mexicans.

For example, here in Guanajuato where there are fewer car owners (it is my theory that cars make you fat), there are more walkers and thus thinner, fitter Mexicans. There are some fat-butts but there are fewer than you would see in Leon or Guadalajara where there are more car owners, fewer walkers, and a Burger King on every corner.

Here's what I am thinking:

· You take massive car ownership where driving stresses you out to no end.

· This makes you want to eat to soothe your stress.

· You see on each street corner an American (note I said American) fast-food chains, all you can stuff down your gullet buffets.

· And there you have the formula for a bunch of diabetics in the making!

I know, if you've been following my columns, you must think I am an anti-American malcontent. Well, listen very carefully to what I am about to say: I am an anti-American malcontent! Let me explain why.

Here is just one good example about America with which I am malcontented:

Everyone goes along in their humdrum existences pretending there is nothing wrong with America. When the truth is Americans are dropping dead by the lard bucket loads because of American businesses that could care less that you weigh 450 pounds as the result of eating at their coronary-inducing food establishments.

Am I right here? Am I on the right track?

Do you think for one moment that these American fast-food chains look at a Mr. Blimpy (like me) who comes through the door topping the scales at about 580 (I am really 280) and think to themselves,

"Well gosh, maybe we should say something to this guy. He doesn't look like he needs to be eating our triple-decker 100% fatty meat, four pounds of cheese, sandwich?"

No they don't! Their "bottom line" is not the healthy well- being of their customers. It is how much food they can convince you to buy. That is their bottom line. They care not about you but your pocketbook.

These fat-makers are now in Mexico and are here to stay. They have hooked Mexicans just as they have Americans and it is showing in the Mexican women's breasts.

"The study published in the August 2004 issue of the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention clearly reported more breast cancer in women who ate more calories, protein, total carbohydrates, sucrose, and fructose. Sucrose is table sugar and fructose is the primary sugar found in soft drinks (sodas); usually reported as high fructose corn syrup. Eating more fiber and starch (often referred to as complex carbohydrates), both only found in plant foods, meant less breast cancer according to the study." [1]

The traditional Mexican diet, one of corn (tortillas), beans, fruits and vegetables, has been associated with lower incidents of not only breast cancers but of other diseases of Western Civilization. Let me ask you this: Do you think these American fast-food chains are offering a traditional Mexican diet?

Breast cancer is on the rise with younger Mexican women who are the targets of the slick advertising of these American food chains. These women are the prey of the American marketing predators!

So for your humble but Blimpy columnist it is more corn (tortillas), beans, fruits and vegetables, and getting off my pompi (this is buttock in Spanish).

See what you can learn from reading my column?

[1] McDougall Wellness Center; http://www.drmcdougall.com/news/high_carb_cancer_myth.html

Doug Bower is a freelance writer and book author. His most recent writing credits include The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Houston Chronicle, and The Philadelphia Inquirer, and Transitions Abroad. He lives with his wife in Guanajuato, Mexico.

His new book Mexican Living: Blogging it from a Third World Country can be seen at http://www.lulu.com/content/126241