Natural remedies for the flu and boosting immunity

Oh, come on, placidfox55—give it a rest, you’re exhausting me this late at night 😉

I was just asking a perfectly simple question:
What kind of food are they actually giving babies these days?

Linda Hernandez15 said:Honestly, I find it way cheaper to just grab kale, carrots, chard, and stuff like that at the farmer's market rather than buying pre-made meals at the store. I don't get it.

How on earth is a takeout box in Canada cheaper than a single head of kale? 😢

I live in California, but I assume it’s pretty much the same deal in Canada.

With the pace of life out here, nobody has the luxury of hitting the grocery store two or three times a week. You end up buying stuff that lasts, stays cheap, and is easy to grab.

A head of fresh kale is going to run you at least two or three bucks. Then you still have to wash it, prep it, cook it, and mix it with other ingredients.

For a buck, you can pick up a whole box of some "Hamburger Helper" type side dish that feeds five people until they're stuffed. It’s ready in fifteen minutes—no washing, no dirt, no chopping, no boiling.

Or you could just buy that same produce frozen and pre-cooked. But then you're definitely dealing with added sugar or hydrogenated oils. Without those fats, the sauce would be too thin and messy, and nobody would bother buying that brand of frozen meal anyway.

Linda Hernandez15 said:chill out, stefica, you're wearing me out this late at night 😉

I just asked a simple question:
what do people feed babies?

Sorry, it's not that late for me. 😁

But it’s true. This kind of info is boring. That's why it's easier to just swallow whatever comes in a flashy ad—you know, those scenes drenched in golden light promoting Kraft Heinz frozen meals or Coca-Cola pizzas—rather than actually quoting a dry textbook or tuning into non-commercial channels for "real information."

And honestly, I'm guilty too. I’d much rather binge some mindless sitcom than sit through the heavy news on PBS. It’s just easier to grab a coffee and rush out to work a little earlier just to scrape together an extra five bucks. Then, when we hit old age and deal with chronic issues, we'll probably just convince ourselves it was inevitable anyway...

placidfox55 said:That’s the crux of it. In Europe, we still have these memories of our grandmothers cooking traditional, wholesome meals. Because we have that foundation, it’s easy to pivot back to those old recipes once we get the right information.

But here in the States, we have a third generation growing up on nothing but processed junk. For them, "breakfast" is artificial white bread smeared with what they call peanut butter—which is really just a chemical concoction, since actual, nutritious peanut butter is surprisingly hard to find these days—or that powdered cheese nightmare you mix into pasta for mac and cheese.

When I think of spinach or kale, I think of afternoons when my mom would get home early from work and we’d eat together. That’s how they associate their mothers with these artificial foods.

Food is fundamentally tied to social experiences and childhood nostalgia. Bad habits are HARD to break. It doesn't matter how much data you throw at people.

Especially in a country where government guidance is viewed through a "Big Brother" lens, and information from private corporations is driven strictly by the bottom line.

So where is a person supposed to learn about nutrition? On some obscure public station like PBS, or in a school system where the curriculum gets watered down every year because some democratic consensus decided kids shouldn't be overwhelmed with complex info???????

That brings me to my point.
Doctors should be the ones educating parents about proper nutrition, but they simply aren't doing it.
That is what prevention looks like.

Sandra Hayes88 said:And that brings me to my main point.
Doctors should be the ones giving parents the lowdown on proper nutrition, but they just aren't doing it.
It's just preventative maintenance.

Yeah, doctors.

What can a doctor actually accomplish during a fifteen-minute annual checkup? Sure, they can give you the standard pep talk about healthy eating—and honestly, I hope they do that every single time. But is that enough to take on the massive machine of psychologists and marketing gurus constantly bombarding us through TV, news feeds, storefronts, and Hollywood blockbusters? It feels like bringing a toothpick to a tank fight.

Linda Hernandez15 said:chill out, stefica, you're exhausting me this late at night😉

I was just asking a simple question:
what do people actually feed babies?

Babies get fed jarred food, which is packed with refined sugar and preservatives, formula (that powdered "milk" stuff you mix with water), and boxed infant cereals (Nestlé, Heinz, etc.).

Sandra Hayes88 said:Babies are being fed jarred mush loaded with refined sugar and preservatives, along with formula—which is basically just powdered "milk" you mix with water—plus those boxed infant cereals from brands like Nestlé, Heinz, and the like.

Look, you see that stuff in America too, but let’s be real—moms actually cook sometimes. Or, more accurately, most of them do. Is everyone over there just completely skipping the kitchen entirely?
Honestly, reading that makes me feel like a deer in headlights—I find it hard to believe this is how the world actually functions!

I don't want to go overboard by painting all Americans with the same brush.

I’ve seen plenty of wealthy, well-informed people here who eat incredibly strictly. No mindless scoops of ice cream, no bags of chips in hand.

To be honest, I’ve even started forming my own little stereotype... when I see a woman at work snacking on a bag of chips during her break, I just assume she comes from a lower-income, less health-conscious demographic.

Meanwhile, you see the wealthiest ones in tight athletic gear, diving into fresh salads. And they're often working the exact same jobs.

There’s definitely a whole ecosystem of health food stores and restaurants out there. Even for kids—if they want healthy options, they can get them.

In fact, even federal programs like WIC, which help parents and kids access basic groceries, take certain things into account regarding what kind of foods they offer to their low-income clients.

Linda Hernandez15 said:Sure, you see that here in America too, but moms still cook sometimes. Or rather, they mostly cook. Is it true that over there they just never cook at all?
After reading that, I honestly feel like a deer in headlights. I can't believe people actually live like that!

Basically, they don't cook because they aren't thinking about it the way you do, since you grew up with it at home.
I mean, come on—some of these people don't even know how to make actual homemade fries from scratch.😁
Not trying to insult anyone, but it’s an interesting observation.

placidfox55 said:I don't think we should go overboard with the anti-American rhetoric.

I've seen plenty of people here—wealthy, well-informed types—who eat incredibly strictly. No massive scoops of ice cream, no bags of chips in hand.

Honestly, I've even started forming my own stereotypes... if I see a woman at work snacking on a bag of chips during her break, I just assume she comes from a lower-income, less health-conscious social group.

Meanwhile, you see the wealthiest ones in their tight athleisure, constantly devouring fresh salads. And they’re working the exact same jobs.

There's definitely an entire industry of healthy food stores and restaurants out there. Even for kids, if that's what you want, you can find it.

In fact, even federal programs designed to help parents and kids get basic groceries (like WIC) take certain dietary considerations into account when deciding what to offer their low-income clients.

Agreed.
I suppose a big reason why we pay more attention to nutrition—even if some users from overseas try to mock us for it😉—is simply because we live in North America and have seen all these issues unfold right before our eyes.👋

The biggest issue, obviously, is this consumerist society and aggressive marketing. It's why diet is such a major factor in children developing adult-onset diseases.👎

But then again, doctors are handing out pills left and right, prescribing incredibly heavy medication for ADD to small children.😲

Just a quick side note since we're discussing diabetes—both Type 1 and Type 2...

I agree, diet is obviously huge, but there’s another equally critical factor being overlooked here: genetics.

In people living with diabetes, researchers have identified more frequent mutations in various genes responsible for glucose metabolism and insulin response. This is exactly why having family members with the condition puts you in a high-risk group; you share a significant portion of that genetic blueprint.

And this applies to Type 2 diabetes as well—even though it's often dismissed as just a byproduct of poor diet and obesity...

placidfox55 said:Sorry, it doesn't feel that late to me. 😁

But it's true—this kind of info is just plain boring. That’s why it’s way easier to soak up information from some gorgeous commercial, all bathed in that warm orange glow for Kraft Heinz ready meals and Coca-Cola pizzas, rather than digging through a dry book or tuning into non-commercial channels for "real facts."

And honestly, I'm guilty too. I’d much rather binge a mindless, relaxing show than sit through an hour of serious news on PBS. It’s just easier to grab a quick coffee and rush out the door a little earlier to make that extra five bucks. Then, when we eventually hit those years with chronic health issues, we'll probably just tell ourselves it was bound to happen anyway...

placidfox55, that's exactly what I mean when I talk about things here in the States—everyone wants simplicity and efficiency, but even the "classic" way of prepping and buying food has become so complicated.

It’s all pretty solvable if you actually know how to whip up a simple, healthy breakfast that hits all the nutrient marks our bodies need... without leaving us starving an hour later. Once those illnesses start showing up (like you mentioned), we’ll suddenly find ourselves looking for all the information we ignored when we didn't need it.

Sandra Hayes88 said:That’s exactly where I’m coming from.
Doctors should be the ones educating parents about healthy eating habits—but they just aren't doing it.
It’s all about prevention.

The reality is, doctors can't really help there because they aren't actually trained for it—it's not even covered in a single course at medical school.

So, people end up looking for advice from the wrong sources, or those "experts" are basically being steered toward prescribing medication instead.

placidfox55 said:I don't think we should go overboard by bashing Americans.

Around here—among the wealthy, well-informed crowd—I see people eating incredibly strictly. No mindless ice cream scoops, no bags of chips constantly in hand.

Honestly, I’ve even started forming my own little stereotype... when I see a woman at work snacking on a bag of chips during her break, I just assume she comes from a lower-income, perhaps less health-conscious background.

Meanwhile, you see the wealthiest women in fitted tops, just powering through fresh salads—even if they're working the exact same job.

There’s definitely a massive whole industry of healthy grocery stores and restaurants now. And there's plenty of options for kids, too, if that's what they're into.

In fact, even federal programs designed to help parents and children access basic groceries (like WIC) take certain nutritional guidelines into account when deciding what to offer their clients.

I agree with you, but when you see how much things get overgeneralized here in America—and how "uninformed" people can be about their own health—it’s no wonder everyone thinks someone else is always the villain, or that we're all somehow "smarter" than the rest.😉

It's actually quite refreshing to hear firsthand accounts from the States—since people can be a bit narrow-minded (or just slow to catch on) regarding global events, making most opinions more about personal perspective than actual facts.

I always say that whoever hits a wall first is usually the one to find the way out—which seems to be the case with the US. We all know pretty well when fitness and wellness centers started popping up everywhere over there compared to when they arrived here.

It used to be that being a bit overweight was seen as a sign of wealth, but today it's become synonymous with poverty because healthy food has become so much more expensive than the junk. It all makes sense, really.

crimsonorca12 said:Just a quick side note since we're talking about diabetes (Type 1 and Type 2)

I definitely agree that diet is huge, but—and this is just as vital—we can't overlook genetics.

Researchers have found more frequent mutations in various genes related to glucose metabolism and insulin response in people with diabetes. That's why having family members with the condition puts you at higher risk—you're essentially working with similar genetic material.

And yeah, this applies to Type 2 diabetes too, even though most people assume it’s just down to poor diet and obesity.

Now, if we were strictly talking about Type 1, I might be on board with you, but for Type 2? Genetics often boils down to whatever is sitting on the kitchen table—basically, the same unhealthy food and habits passed down from parents to kids, whether they realize they're doing it or not.
We can lecture our kids all day long, but let's face it—they're watching us. They do what we do, so the only way we actually teach them anything is by setting the right example ourselves.

It's the same deal with pregnancy—if a mother isn't eating well, it’s going to affect the baby. On the flip side, eating healthy during pregnancy can really shape a child's development both in the womb and later in life.

Sure, there are cases where someone might have a genetic predisposition—a higher likelihood of getting sick—but that doesn't have to trigger anything if we eat well and keep our bodies in balance. It really comes down to staying hydrated and getting enough nutrients to actually feed our cells... because, honestly, the goal should be nourishing our bodies, not just filling our stomachs.

placidfox55 said:Yeah, doctors.

What can a doctor actually accomplish in a quick fifteen-minute annual checkup? Sure, they can give you a nudge about basic healthy eating habits—which, honestly, I hope happens every single time—but is that really enough? It feels like a losing battle against the massive machine of psychologists and marketing gurus who are constantly hitting us from every angle, whether it's through TV ads, newspapers, storefronts, or those big Hollywood blockbusters...

About 64% of Americans—and roughly half of people over in Europe—are struggling with being overweight, dealing with health issues, and just feeling generally unwell. A lot of folks feel pretty hopeless about it all, too—like they don't even know where to turn for actual help.

This issue has grown by about 10% compared to back in the mid-to-late nineties—and honestly, the thickness part has just doubled since 1970.

Take a second to think about this from the perspective of human suffering. In the US, around 77 million people are clinically obese, and another 184 million are overweight and struggling with their health—mostly because they lack the information or the drive to prioritize their own well-being. When someone is dealing with obesity, it makes everything harder—finding a job, building relationships, even just finding the energy to get through a normal day.

It feels like we’re all caught in this kind of squeeze right now—trapped between big consumer food brands and the pharmaceutical giants. They basically team up to create this massive "sickness industry."

The consumer goods industry—we're talking a massive $1 trillion a year here—pretty much follows that classic market rule: it’s way easier to upsell your regulars than to go out and hunt for new customers!

It feels like we're constantly being bombarded with propaganda—just endless ads telling us to buy more of their stuff just so they can pad their bottom lines.

Food products are chemically engineered to make us eat way more than we actually need—it’s kind of wild when you think about it.
If you find yourself eating a ton of bananas, apples, or just generally sticking to whole foods—it’s probably just your body using your taste buds to signal that it’s time to switch things up.
So, why doesn't this happen with chocolate bars, french fries, or that fast food you grab at McDonald's? Why is it that the more you eat that stuff—it's almost like a cycle—the more you just crave it?

Chemical processing basically tricks you into eating more—it leads to overconsumption just so companies can pad their profits at the consumer's expense.

The industry basically just churns out the same stuff in different packaging—it’s all so repetitive. That lack of variety leads to terrible diets, which eventually just fuels obesity and all those other health issues.

It seems like cigarette companies have tweaked their tobacco formulas just to make them even more addictive—kind of a shady move, isn't it?
Back in 2001, Philip Morris picked up some of the biggest names in baby food—we're talking brands like Ritz and Philadelphia—which basically turned them into the second-largest food giant on the planet, right behind Nestlé.

So, the bottom line is that about 61% of people in the US—that’s roughly 184 million folks—are overweight, while over in Europe, it's around 50% (about 175 million). On top of that, 27%—or 77 million people—fall into the clinically obese category. Quite a lot to wrap your head around, really.

According to the World Health Organization—it's a pretty staggering stat—about 7 out of every 10 doctor visits are actually for issues caused by poor diet.

It’s exactly because of all these illnesses that people are turning toward another massive industry—big pharma.

When people head to the doctor, they’re usually looking for a quick fix for whatever's bugging them—but unfortunately, things rarely work out that smoothly.

Being a pharmacist is actually a massive business—pharmaceutical companies use all these high-end, pricey marketing tactics like targeted ads, incentive trips, and detailed clinical guides...

All that wasted money could have gone toward R&D—you know, actually finding more effective medicines and streamlining production processes.

Marketing pressure pushes doctors—and consequently patients—toward big-name brands, even though those drugs are often no better than cheaper generics (which, unfortunately, don't get nearly as much ad time)!

That’s why medication costs are through the roof—in the US, over 20% of prescriptions are so expensive they're basically out of reach for most people.

To the pharmaceutical industry, a patient is just a customer to be milked for profit. Sadly, from their perspective, a cured patient is a lost customer!

Most drugs on the market are designed to manage symptoms rather than actually treating the illness—let alone addressing the underlying cause.
That approach guarantees these companies a steady stream of customers (and patients) for life!

The numbers speak for themselves: between 1996 and 2000, pharma industry revenue jumped from $1 trillion to $1.5 trillion.

From a sociological standpoint, it's interesting how views have shifted—while being overweight used to be seen as a sign of wealth and prosperity, today it's increasingly viewed as a marker of ignorance or poverty.

Back in the late '50s, J.I. Rodale—one of the early pioneers of preventative health—explained that "eating too much red meat and dairy significantly increases heart risks, while physical exercise lowers the chance of a heart attack," and he even wrote a book called "How to Eat for a Healthy Heart."

But look at the irony—right there in the '50s, millions were being spent to promote red meat and dairy consumption! The clash between his ideas and the powerful lobbies of that era caused massive trouble. No publisher would touch his book. When he decided to go it alone, bookstores refused to carry it. He tried selling via mail order, but newspapers were forced to reject his ads.
All the medical authorities at the time teamed up against him, and corrupt government officials did everything possible to shut him down.
It was a massive legal and moral battle that lasted over two decades—eventually, his opponents fell one by one until he achieved a total victory, officially paving the way for the modern wellness movement in the West.

The magic is back—wellness is here!!! 👍

I'm just totally wiped out...

Rachel Brooks63 said:he just doesn't get tired...

My wife says the exact same thing... 🙂 😁

Angela Rodriguez2 said:Look, if we were talking about Type 1 diabetes, sure, maybe I'd see your point... but when it comes to Type 2 prediabetes? Genetics is everything. It all boils down to what’s sitting on the kitchen table—what the parents are eating and passing down to the kids. It's those same crappy food habits being drilled into them, whether they realize they're doing it or not.

Nah, I've gotta disagree there... heredity plays a massive role in Type 2. If it was just about lifestyle, then every single overweight person out there would be diabetic by now, and we both know that's just not how it works in reality.

rustymoose54 said:you're missing the point—genetics play a massive role in type 2 diabetes. if that weren't true, every overweight person would have it, but we all know that’s just not how it works in reality.

So you're saying "overweight"?

Even if someone has a genetic predisposition, it doesn't mean they're destined to get sick... the real trigger is whether they actually gain weight or not. Once that happens, everyone starts blaming genetics when it's usually just lifestyle and poor diet choices—I think most people realize that if someone is struggling with weight, there's probably something else going on.😢

It's kind of like when someone claims their left leg hurts just because they're getting older... meanwhile, their right leg is the exact same age and feels perfectly fine. 😁