Nothing Funny About Chapter 3 – Master Your Metabolism #3
This chapter made me more sad than scared. Before I write about it, I have to say that the one thing that really bugs about this book is that Jillian (or her editor) chose not to properly cite sources. The “selected” bibliography might be extensive, but it’s often impossible to know whether the specific piece of information was taken from a newspaper article or from an actual study. The citations are divided by chapter – and Chapter 3 is heavy on academic journals – but there are no proper end notes. I suspect that this was done to make the book more readable and less “academic,” but it opens the door for doubt – a big problem for a book about health. I have read enough of the environmental literature to believe what she is saying in this chapter, but I can’t help but feel like it might be worth my time to fact check, just in case.
Chapter 3 makes some pretty serious claims, and, while many of them are backed by specific studies (she usually gives credit to the university without naming either article or study), it’s really impossible to tell whether they all are. It’s too bad, because the general public SHOULD know about the dangers of environmental toxins, especially the ones we voluntarily bring into our homes.
If you don’t intend to buy/borrow this book, you probably owe it to yourself to at least skim Chapter 3 in the bookstore (don’t tell them I sent you) and then check out some of the most interesting information at a university library, or even through Google Scholar, if that’s all you have access too.
Here are some highlights (NOT fact checked by me, so buyer beware):
- Many major municipal water supplies have been found to have detectable levels of pharmaceuticals, including antibiotics, sex hormones, and mood stabilizers. Guess how they got into to water supply – through our toilets.
- Those flame retardants sprayed on baby pajamas contain toxins, but so do the fragrances in fabric softeners (which are not to be used on baby pajamas, because they remove the flame retardant).
- Toxins known to have a negative effect on hormones added to perfumes and fragrances to make them last longer (and we spray them on ourselves).
- High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is very bad (regardless of what the corn industry tells us in their current PR campaign), but it’s not the only terrible food additive.
Okay. I have to stop now. I thought this book was just going to tell me how to eat so that my metabolism would start zooming like a teenager’s. There is more it then that, obviously (which I knew, but it’s much easier to have a fitness guru tell you how to eat, no?). I could start a discussion about Big Business and how regular people – but especially the poor – get screwed in the quest for the almighty dollar. It’s more sad than scary, especially because we end up supporting this behavior despite our best interests. And now I really do have to stop, go drink some (possibly toxin-laden) water, wash some laundry (maybe I’ll skip the fabric softener), and check my fridge for food additives. 
Scroll down for other posts about Master Your Metabolism:
Other posts about Master Your Metabolism:
Review
Part 1: So Long, Chocolate, Old Friend
Part 2: I KNEW It – My Hormones are Out of Whack!
Part 3: Nothing Funny About Chapter 3
Part 4: “There’s No Food in Your Food”
Part 5: Artificial Sweetener Can Mess Up Your Brain?
Part 6: “Okay, I’ll Admit it. Organics Can Be Pricey.”
Part 7: Ice Cream and Chocolate are Allowed!!!
Part 8: Really, Jillian, I Just Wanted a Cute Butt
Part 9: Protein! I Need You Protein
Part 10: Now, Off to the Market
Diet/Fitness, Nutrition
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diet, environmental toxins, hormones, Jillian Michaels, Master Your Metabolism
[...] Review Part 1: So Long, Chocolate, Old Friend Part 2: I KNEW It – My Hormones are Out of Whack! Part 3: Nothing Funny About Chapter 3 Part 4: “There’s No Food in Your Food” Part 5: Artificial Sweetener Can Mess Up Your Brain? [...]
[...] Review Part 1: So Long, Chocolate, Old Friend Part 2: I KNEW It – My Hormones are Out of Whack! Part 3: Nothing Funny About Chapter 3 Part 4: “There’s No Food in Your Food” Part 5: Artificial Sweetener Can Mess Up Your Brain? [...]
[...] Review Part 1: So Long, Chocolate, Old Friend Part 2: I KNEW It – My Hormones are Out of Whack! Part 3: Nothing Funny About Chapter 3 Part 4: “There’s No Food in Your Food” Part 5: Artificial Sweetener Can Mess Up Your Brain? [...]
[...] Review Part 1: So Long, Chocolate, Old Friend Part 2: I KNEW It – My Hormones are Out of Whack! Part 3: Nothing Funny About Chapter 3 Part 4: “There’s No Food in Your Food” Part 5: Artificial Sweetener Can Mess Up Your Brain? [...]
[...] Review Part 1: So Long, Chocolate, Old Friend Part 2: I KNEW It – My Hormones are Out of Whack! Part 3: Nothing Funny About Chapter 3 Part 4: “There’s No Food in Your Food” Part 5: Artificial Sweetener Can Mess Up Your Brain? [...]
[...] Review Part 1: So Long, Chocolate, Old Friend Part 2: I KNEW It – My Hormones are Out of Whack! Part 3: Nothing Funny About Chapter 3 Part 4: “There’s No Food in Your Food” Part 5: Artificial Sweetener Can Mess Up Your Brain? [...]