Pet:
>Not to belabor the point: where I lost you is where all dieters
>lose themselves, their 'ruthless self-examination' always seeming to
>be of a previous ignorant munching, not their current sensible craze.

If despite our self-scrutinizing soul-searching the dietary changes we make
do not improve our health, I agree that we are only re-arranging the deck
chairs on the Titanic.

>But 'unique nutritional needs' form yet another trap.
>An anthropologist in Canada working with young Indians (Cree?)
>called potato chips and beer 'Indian food.'

As chips and beer are obviously not traditional Indian foods, the
anthropologist was probably just making a social commentary.

>It's amazing how all the unique individuals ever conform to fashion, and
need
>support to resist it.  "My dear, that dress is YOU!" puts the buyer again
on the
>rack.... so with cars, diets, philosophies...

Your faith in humanity is heart-warming. ;-)  We are all guilty of some of
the above,  but as long as we choose to remain open to our human frailties
& vanities that you are so good at pointing out for us, I think we by
supporting each other and continuing the dialogue in forums such as this,
depending on the priority we feel it is appropriate to give these issues in
our lives, eventually will connect to the level of health we are aspiring
to.  It might help to keep in perspective that human health and nutrition
are still pretty unchartered scientific waters and that at the speed
information is being processed and exchanged these days, this will most
likely soon be of the past.

>And at last comes the cleverest (because spiritual) trap, when the
>'number is called' by Nobodaddy, and it's zero.  Once again Omar the
>Tentmaker, King of the Wise, proves himself this age's prophet,
>using food and drink to mock human certainties on caravan to the
>"Nothing.you set out from."

Maybe you could re-phrase this paragraph?  Whatever you are trying to bring
across, it sure sounds intriguing.

Best, Peter
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