Metabolic and Mental Health
Here’s an Interesting and Meaningful Talk in the Butcher Shop.
Reflecting on perceptions of low-fat and high-fat diets portraying two extreme ends in a friendly manner
Some people believe low-fat diets are better than high-fat diets; thus, reading the discussions with an open mind might allow readers to choose what suits them better in the spectrum. This story is not a criticism of any diet. Diet is an individual matter. There is no single solution for everyone.
Life Lessons from Consequential Strangers
The queue was momentous for the meat lovers in the local butcher shop that offers organic and grass-fed meat to community members at affordable prices late this afternoon after work.
When my 70+-year-old witty butcher was serving a young and overweight man who kept demanding to trim the fat in his beef steak and lamb chops, he greeted me and asked another cashier to serve me.
A 23-year-old female cashier said they collected 3kg of animal fat cutlets from trimmed meat, free of charge for me.
When the overweight customer, who heard about the animal fat and later saw the white stuff in a bag, asked, “Mate, are you crazy?”
I smiled and said I was not crazy as far as I knew.
My witty butcher chuckled at Chuck’s comment.
Then, the funny butcher added fuel to the conversation, saying Dr. Yildiz consumed at least 200 grams of animal fat daily. Chuck seemed confused and said, “Mate, you must be out of your mind. Cholesterol will kill you!”
The amusing butcher added more fuel to the fire with a burst of big laughter, saying, “Chuck, Dr. Yildiz informed me the other day that the Cholesterol Hypothesis was dead.”
With a peal of ironic laughter, Chuck said, “You old bastards! Stop teasing me! Are you crazy? Everyone knows cholesterol causes heart attacks and kills old folks like you!”
My humorous butcher added, “not according to the findings of Dr. Yildiz. He showed me his cholesterol article on Medium”.
Chuck said probably a dodgy site with the ideas of new-age health gurus. He has been using the Internet for years and has never heard about this platform.
Butcher responded, “Dr. Yildiz is not a new-age man and not crazy. On the contrary, he is twice older than you, more experienced, and thinner by his look.”
When the cashier served me three kilos of beef liver on special ($7) today, Chuck seemed to get more confused and asked, “Yuk, do you surely eat this awful stuff, mate? Wondering what is truly wrong with you?”
I responded smilingly, “Yes, mate, I have loved beef liver as my main nutrition for many years. By the way, there is nothing wrong with me as far as I know.”
My butcher was tired of Chuck, who kept asking to trim every bit of fat in his steak. Chuck kept insisting. Some local shoppers in the queue got impatient. One of the senior ladies finally said, “enough, mate, are you fat-phobic? A few grams of good fat will not kill you!”
Chuck got offended and angry, saying, “Mind your own business, old Sheila! I am not talking to you. I am trying to protect my health. I don’t want to die from a heart attack at this young age! So I go to the gym daily to do lots of cardio to keep my form.”
Yet, looking at his plump body of Chuck, the senior lady said, “Yes, very noticeable young man. Keep up the great work, mate. Good luck to you!”
Then Chuck got a bit warmer after getting his trimmed meat, asking me, “mate, do you have a few moments to chat? I have some serious questions for you!”
I said sure, mate, I’d be delighted to converse with you.
He confirmed he would be honest with me.
It was music to my ears.
“Look, you confused me, mate. But you look like a decent man. Apparently, you are much older than me but in better shape. I understand you are also well-educated. Sorry about calling you crazy. I didn’t mean it. Please forgive my blunder.”
I said no worries, Chuck, all good from my end. No offense was taken!
He asked, “do you certainly eat this fat or give it to your pets?”
I said, “yes, I do. I have consumed at least 200 grams of fat daily in one meal for years. As far as I know, even Olympic athletes eat lots of animal fat and meat.”
He couldn’t believe I skipped breakfast and lunch and only ate dinner. He got more curious as he ate three meals daily, including three healthy snacks comprising fruits and nuts.
He got more confused when I told him I hadn’t eaten fruits and nuts for many years for health reasons. He said, “you must be eating lots of vegetables then!”
I said I hadn’t eaten any vegetables for many years. However, I was a vegan and fruitarian in my younger years, which gave me nightmares.
Chuck, laughing ironically, asked, “Which planet are you from, mate?”
I smilingly said the same planet as him. I pointed out my body was fat-adapted. The more nutritious fat I consumed the healthier I got.
“Seriously, mate, you freak me out! Never heard about the fat adopted body!” he said humorously.
My butcher couldn’t stop laughing more and added more fuel to the fire, saying, “would you believe, Chuck, Dr. Yildiz also does not consume any fiber either?”
“No way, mate! You gotta be kidding!” exclaimed Chuck.
The comical butcher added:
“Fair dinkum, mate! Dr. Yildiz even dreams about the 33rd century with ketosis in his blood created by the fat you donate to him. By the way, he also holds a hell of chunks of BDNF in his young brain. I read his fancy words in the dodgy site that you refer.”
Chuck had never heard about ketosis and BDNF. He found himself in the middle of a culture shock with a childhood curiosity unintentionally aggravating the impatient customers.
He smilingly, affectionally, and with interchanging looks at butcher and me and said, “Stop pulling my legs, you old bastards! But, seriously, Dr. Yildiz, how do you burn the calories from fat? You must be going to the gym every day.”
I replied, “I go to the gym occasionally to try heavy weights that I don’t have at home. But I do calisthenics daily.”
He was curious how I burned my calories from 200 grams of fat. I told Chuck that “fat loss has nothing to do with calories. Our hormones determine the outcome.”
He said, “bullshit, mate; science proved the importance of calories. Hormones have nothing to do with weight gain. I have good hormones as I always eat low-fat food with no cholesterol. I don’t even eat eggs anymore, replacing them with more vegetables and fruits.”
Chuck seemed to have no hormonal intelligence yet. Most likely, his body was insulin resistant with leptin signaling defects. He needed tips to melt his visceral fat.
I wished I was able to share my nightmares of low-fat diets in my younger years with Chuck. Hopefully, one day I will get the opportunity to share the seven fat-loss mistakes to avoid with him.
He got more confused when I told him I had worked as a cognitive scientist for decades reviewing the nutrition literature as a hobby and did not see a single study highlighting the importance of calories over hormones.
The senior lady said, “listen to this healthy man and learn the tricks, Chuck. Fatphobia will not take you anywhere except to the cemetery! I eat as much fat as Dr. Yildiz in this old age. I do three hours of planks daily at the age of 78. I wonder if you can do any!”
Chuck got deeply offended and furious with the cogent comment of the senior lady and said:
“Shut the F up, old Sheila, mind your own business. I don’t care about your planks. I am trying to make sense of this old freak’s strange and abnormal lifestyle!”
My butcher said, “Chuck, watch your tongue, mate. Mrs. Audrey is a valuable customer. Pleasant humor is fine, but we don’t tolerate rudeness in this shop! Dr. Yildiz is tolerant and generous, respecting anyone, and can illuminate you if you could stay in touch with him.”
Chuck apologized to 78-year-old Mrs. Audrey and me once more.
We both confirmed, saying no worries, mate. He relieved.
Then Chuck asked for my email address showing interest in touching base with me. He invited me to his dessert shop, saying he would offer me fresh donuts and homemade pavlova.
I accepted his kind offer to visit his dessert shop. I also pointed out I did not consume any sugary products.
When I mentioned the sugar paradox, he said, “Enough mate, I don’t believe you are from this planet! But I am happy to entertain an alien in my shop. You are most welcome to visit!”
He asked what he could offer me in the shop. Then, he prompted, “what about freshly brewed coffee or exotic tea?”
I said a bottle of pure water would do, adding, “I don’t consume coffee or tea anymore.”
When Chuck said how I got satisfaction from life with no sugar, no carbs, no vegetables, no fruits, no fiber, no coffee, and no tea, I said there was more than food and drinks to life.
He wanted to learn more. I plan to share my possible conversation with Chuck that might take in his dessert shop in another story. I believe it will be engaging and illuminating. So, stay tuned!
Chuck wanted to know more about my profession, writing engagements, and hobbies but we didn’t have time to discuss the details.
After taking my beef liver, a few kilos of fatty meat, and free fat cutlets, I said goodbye to my butcher, young cashier, Mrs. Audrey, and confused Chuck, who waved with friendly affection.
I was happy to make another consequential stranger (like Melinda Blau), a new friend in my butcher shop who shook my hand with authentic Australian warmth and left with a confused yet intrigued mind.
Here is another consequential stranger whom I met in the local shop before.
If you enjoyed this story and have time, you might also check my experience on other topics in the original stories that made an impact on my readers.
Sugar Paradox: Key to Solve Metabolic and Mental Health Disorders
Cholesterol Paradox and How It Impacted My Health Positively
I wish I had Gone Self-Employed 40 Years Ago for Three Reasons.
Ten Hobbies Enhanced the Quality of My Life over the Past Five Decades
What Would Happen if We Set Healthy Boundaries for Emotional Maturity?
Thank you for reading my perspectives. I wish you a healthy and happy life.
As a new reader, please check my holistic health and well-being stories reflecting my reviews, observations, and decades of experiments optimizing my hormones and neurotransmitters. I write about health as it matters. I believe health is all about homeostasis.
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