THE MOUSE VERSES THE GAUCHO

Cows in Pasture in Brazil, Freepic

If I hadn’t been so busy, I would have written a review of Disney World in Florida similar to what Dr. Eades wrote about Disney Land in California: http://proteinpower.com/drmike/weight-loss/disney-small-world-ride-a-casualty-of-the-obesity-epidemic/. I went there in July with the rest of the family in an effort to be a good sport. (I had been there in the summer once before and sworn I’d never do that again.) I found it to be just as he described but with 95-degree weather and 95 percent humidity. Except for the hang-glider ride (which I love!), an astonishing Cirque du Soleil, and being with my family, it was total misery.

One interesting observation–the crowds were definitely down and would have been more so were it not for several large tour groups of young people from Brazil and Argentina. I was struck by how beautiful these teenagers were. Not one of them was fat and I didn’t see a single case of acne among them. They had beautiful skin, hair, and teeth (no braces). It reminded me of Dr. Weston Price’s observations back in the 30’s about how much our modern diet damages us. That got me wondering; exactly what do they eat in Brazil?

I don’t know if it is typical of the average diet, but we went to a Brazilian restaurant in Los Angeles the last time we were there called Fogo du Chao. It was fabulous! Diners are instructed to visit an enormous self-serve appetizer buffet featuring a lavish assortment of meat, cheese, seafood, and vegetable dishes. After that, the waiters, dressed in native garb (high black boots, gaucho pants, white shirts, and red sashes), start a parade of grilled beef, chicken, pork, lamb, and game served from long sword-like skewers. Each of us was given a color-coded disk to be used to indicate when we wanted more: turned green-side-up, it meant, “more please,” red-up meant, “hold off.” There were side dishes of thin mashed potatoes, rolls make of yucca flour, and sauteed bananas, but the meat was the primary focus. And it was excellent–I’m guessing grass-fed and free-range.

Anecdotally, the wiry little man who cleaned my carpets a while back said his father had been a butcher and he grew up in Argentina eating a lot of good meat. He said that he and his wife, also from Argentina, could never put on weight even though they ate a lot and tried to gain.

Maybe next year, I should go to Brazil. It would probably be a lot cheaper than Disney World.

(C) 2009, Judy Barnes Baker

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Judy Barnes Baker

The working title for my first book was, “You’ll Never Know What You Are Missing.” It summed up my goal: to make eating for health synonymous with eating for pleasure. Once you discover the secret, you will find that the very best food for weight management, longevity, the treatment and prevention of disease, and over-all health and happiness is also the most sumptuous, satisfying, and indulgent way of eating the world has to offer. You are invited to the feast. Enjoy!
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