THE UNBALANCED DIET

The principle of moderation has been espoused by nearly every religion and philosophy, but it's most often associated with the ancient Greeks.  The temple at Delphi was adorned with the inscription, "Nothing in Excess," and I doubt many people would disagree with that sentiment today.  It makes sense, right?  Yet in the convoluted world of food and dieting, this simple concept has been overshadowed by theories of fanatical abstinence as well as their polar opposite, the embrace of gross indulgence.

On the "less is more" side is the CRON or Calorie Restriction with Optimal Nutrition diet.  Based on scientific studies, this theory holds that a reduction of caloric intake by as much as 30% from the average western diet can lead to longer life and minimize the effects of aging.  According to various CRON websites, the studies that support this contention were carried out on monkeys, cows, rats, mice, fish, worms, and various insects.  One website (www.cron-web.org/) provides a colorful chart that lists the extended lifespan of various species on restricted intake.  White rats top the list with up to 14 months extra life, guppies get an additional 13 months, bowl and doily spiders pick up 49 days, and protozoa, 12 days.

This is wonderful news for anyone who has ever felt the pain of reduced rat longevity or lamented how badly bowl and doily spiders were aging.  Another article1 gushes about test results showing that mice "retain a youthful appearance much longer."  I'm sure this is a great comfort to my wife whose blood-curdling screams last winter might have been mitigated if only our rodent intruder had looked more youthful.  And remember, all you kids out there:  Withholding a few extra grains from the top of the fish tank might keep your beloved pets a few precious days further from their Viking funeral in the family commode.

Most importantly, we all laud the tremendous strides made in solving the protozoan obesity crisis.  What exactly scientists withheld to keep them svelte remains a mystery.

So much for creatures small and microscopic, what about humans?  The optimal.org website lists the following potential drawbacks to CRON:

- Feeling cold

- Having difficulty sitting comfortably

- Reduced libido

- Hating it

So not only does this diet severely restrict the amount and type of food you can eat, it also makes you cold, uncomfortable, sexless, and angry.  You've got to wonder why it isn't more popular.

On the "more is more" side, one need only consider the oft-reported expansion of the national waistline to realize that the world's largest consumer society is largely consuming too much.  Clues to the blubbering of America are not hard to find.

7-Eleven has done its part with its "Gulp" line of soft drinks.  These are fountain drinks served in cups with straws, not bottles meant for storage and consumption over time.  The Big Gulp holds a mere quart, the Super Big Gulp, 44 oz., and the Double Gulp, a full half-gallon.  A Double Gulp of Coca Cola has 744 calories and 186 grams of sugar - enough, I imagine, to bring on diabetes in a blue whale.  It's only a matter of time before 7-Eleven markets the Super Double Big Gulp, 44 gallons of your favorite soda served in a standard oil barrel.  It'll come with a straw, but you'll have to bring your own forklift.

McDonald's is also in an inflationary mood, moving beyond the Quarter Pounder to the new Angus Third Pounder.  I'm guessing we're about two years away from the Five Pounder which will be packaged in a disposable bowling bag.

Not only are we not ashamed of this excess, we exalt it.  Eating competitions, such as Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest, continue to proliferate and attract media attention.  There is even a governing body for the "sport," the IFOCE (International Federation of Competitive Eating) which supervises and regulates contests, and also awards the coveted Mustard Yellow Belt to the Nathan's winner.  I can think of nothing that would make a parent more proud.

The apotheosis of this trend is the Travel Channel's remarkable show, Man v. Food.  A burly New York food maven, Adam Richman, travels the country and takes on insane eating challenges, including a twelve egg omelet, a thirteen pound pizza, and a seventy-two ounce steak.  The show website refers to him as an "ambassador to all things delicious," but this hardly describes his noble stature.  He is a lone warrior in the tradition of the Homeric heroes, knights-errant and samurai, an Achilles for our gluttonous times who battles burritos and chicken wings instead of Trojans.  I love this guy and I love the show, but it may not present the best blueprint for rational diet and nutrition.

Can someone tell me how I get to Delphi?

1www.brighthub.com/health/dietnutrition/articles/23680.aspx#ixzz0PsApxdSz