Contents
The problem of excess weight has troubled humankind for a long time. The desire to please others, to be a worthy competitor for the heart of the opposite sex were pushing men and women in all sorts of experiments on the body. What diets have been effective before, and what food was dangerous and extreme?
In ancient times, such problems as excess weight were rather meager. But after the world wars, when life became satiety and variety, appeared such a thing as completeness and obesity.
A good man must be big…
All these stories about ancient Chinese, Indian, Egyptian diet – not more than an invention of marketers. Lack of equipment and primitive living conditions led ancient people to move, walk, and constantly forage for food independently. There was not sugar – it will come later, first cane from the Caribbean Islands, and later the beet. For dessert, people eat honey and dried fruits.
And completeness in ancient times was considered more of a symbol of prosperity, wealth than some flaw. Did not exist glossy magazines with thin models, which dictate fashion. Chiefs and royals were fed and protected from physical activity.
For example, Catherine II, due to her extreme thinness, had to force herself to eat to match the status of the brides of the Emperor, and only adding a few pounds, she came to the court and married the king. And remember the Indian or the Egyptian dancers, belly, and thighs which have always been of considerable dimensions.
….but not too
Direction dietetics appeared during the time of Hippocrates, Avicenna continued. Diet and was initially part of the therapy, not to a slim body.
But diet was a way to get rid of extra pounds – not surprisingly – came to mind of a person suffering from overweight. In 1087, William the Conqueror decided instead of eating to drink alcohol to regain his weight and ride a horse again.
Only in the 19th-century dietetics began to take a greater momentum with American Laura Fraser’s light hand. Laura, a little embellishment reality, collected the facts about how our ancestors struggled with excess weight.
In 1870, William Banting, in his “Letter on corpulence,” makes a definitive statement about the dangers of food that contain a lot of sugar and starch. Following his recommendations, he refuses similar food and loses 20 pounds. The idea is spreading with great speed across the UK, and even appears the term “Banting” – weight loss through a diet restricting sugar and starch.
After 20 years, the chemist Wilbur Atwater “splits” on the food proteins, fats, and carbohydrates and measures each group’s caloric value. The public then has an idea of how much energy can carry the food and how this energy is consumed.
Engine oil, arsenic, silk – food too
In 1896, the first tools for rapid weight loss were basically laxatives and diuretics but were among them and substances such as arsenic, washing soda, strychnine, and other dangerous ingredients. Funds were widely advertised, and quickly, they have a huge demand.
In 1900, they appeared as the first signs of a raw food diet. Gerard Carrington actively promotes food, only raw fruits, and vegetables. And American chemist Russell Chittenden starts the measurement of food in calories, determining caloric intake for the average person.
In the 20th year of the 19th century, scientists noticed that the full men producing in factories, ammunition, and having close contact with substance dinitrophenol quickly lose weight. Here is a substance included in recommendations for weight loss, and despite its danger, neither doctors nor patients were confused.
In the Marion white in 1843, it was suggested that nutrition mineral oil instead of regular vegetable, since man and therefore do not digest it is not a supplier of unhealthy fats. However, because of the many side effects of the digestive system, this tool did not stick.
In 1951 appeared first sweets based on saccharin. Diet desserts Tilly Lewis – puddings, jellies, sauces, cakes have been in great demand among those who want to lose weight. A little later appears to products Jerusalemites authorship, Batista. It was used as a fat substitute fiber-artificial silk – a rather strange food additive. However, consumers in the race for harmony agree to any experiments.
The fat away!
In 1961, fatwas recognized as unnecessary and incredibly harmful. Be the first program to lose weight, which suggested Jack Lalan include the process of weight loss exercises, balanced diet, emphasis on proteins, the administration of multivitamins, and releasing motivating literature. However, after 5 years of the degree, it again shifts to the side fat necessary in each person’s diet. They say the benefits of saturated fats, which contains meat.
In 1976, Robert Lynn invented a Dietary Supplement for weight loss, prepared based on ground animal skins, tendons, bones, and other waste from artificial flavors and dyes. This tool leads to the death of losing weight in a heart attack, and the idea is a failure.
In 1980, on the shelves of shops, you can meet hundreds of books on diets that contained sometimes ridiculous recommendations from the use of large doses of alcohol to induce disorders of the chair by any means.
In the 90 years, the problem of obesity to a new level. It is recognized as a problem that requires doctors’ intervention; you can organize the reasons why people are overweight.
“Eat more, and lose weight” – it was called Dr. Dean Ornish’s book, released in 1993 year. It was based on nutrition principles: moderate consumption of fats, calorie counting, presence in the life of every person sport, and mandatory support of people suffering from such problems. The book becomes a bestseller, and, finally, the diet industry is getting on the right path.
And next year, there are supplements for losing weight based on plant components but contain in their composition andarine, which are then recognized the dangerous drugs.
The struggle with excess weight often was so absurd that today it is difficult to believe that people could use such ways to lose weight.
The most absurd diets
- The acidic diet of Lord Byron
Lord soaked food in vinegar or used acid, diluting it with water, hoping that the vinegar will break down fats. He died at the age of 36 years old, and an autopsy has determined all internal organs’ exhaustion. In the ’70s in America, this acid diet again came into Vogue – fasting was recommended to drink a few tablespoons of Apple cider vinegar to suppress appetite. Today it is proved that the water took on an empty stomach, much more effective for weight loss than the use of acid.
- Sleepy diet
Instead of eating, I had to drink a sleeping pill and go to bed because sleep bouts of hunger will not bother the person. Despite the danger, the diet was popular, and in 1976, Elvis Presley thus loses weight before concerts to get into his legendary white pants.
- Wormy diet
The effect of weight loss during infection of human parasites was adopted so–called worm-eaten, a popular diet in the first two decades of the twentieth century. I had to drink a mysterious capsule, the contents of which were kept secret, and wait for a stunning effect. The first tablet is launched in the worm’s body, the second killed him (it was supposed to drink when the desired weight has been achieved).
- Nicotine diet
In the mid-20th century, it was possible to lose weight with smoke “have a cigarette instead of a sweet.” Such a marketing move significantly increased the tobacco magnates’ profits and are still using nicotine resort wishing to lose weight.