Thursday, January 19, 2012

     Paula Deen, celebrity chef has created a firestorm of controversy since announcing that she has Type 2 Diabetes.  For years, with her folksy style, she has entertained a large audience with her southern cooking.  I haven't been  one of her regular viewers, but have seen her show on occasion.  One thing that I'm pretty sure of, though..........she never touted her fare as health food.  Deep fried, lots of butter and cream, sugar, salt, you name it, the dishes she created were fattening, for sure.........IF YOU EAT TOO MUCH OF THE STUFF!


     If you got fat and developed Type 2 Diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, etc., it didn't happen because Paula Deen, or anybody else for that matter, forced you.  Grow up.  Let's face it.  Fried chicken mashed potatoes and gravy, biscuits with butter, and pecan pie TASTE GOOD.  If you eat that stuff once in a while, and in moderation (great concept, huh?), it probably won't hurt you.  You have to have an otherwise healthy lifestyle, though.  Everyone seems to be slamming this lady like she was selling meth to elementary school kids.  Well............she wasn't.  She didn't ever tell you to eat that kind of food day in and day out.  She didn't say "Hush Puppies are good for you!"  or "Eat 5 biscuits with butter for dinner tonight!" She said the stuff that she makes is delicious.  No lies there that I can see.

     It's like blaming GM when you get hurt in an accident because you drove your Corvette around a corner too fast, or blaming Apple because you walked into an open manhole while you were texting on your I Phone..  Take some personal responsibility here.  Paula Deen, or Krispy Kreme, or MacDonald's, or anybody else, for that matter, didn't hurt you.   They didn't cause your health problems.  If you ate too much unhealthy food, didn't exercise, and got fat and sick, it's nobody else's fault.

     Ms. Deen is partnered now with a drug manufacturer, and will be touting its benefits for Type 2 Diabetes.  That's her personal decision, and you don't have to keep eating too much so you can try the drug for yourself.  Being healthy is about personal decisions, rational choices, and, yes, some sacrifice.  You can't eat all that you want of everything that might taste good, if you want to be healthy.     I think I'm going to go have some fried chicken, then go for a run.

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