Overeating - The Old, Yet New Addiction

A recent study conducted by a team of researchers from the Brookhaven National Laboratory in Upton, New York found that overeating is really an addiction, like any other addiction to drugs, alcohol etc. It has been known for a long time now that many people may develop an addiction to eating, eating disorders and poor eating habits. But the new study is important, because it shows that there is a close connection between stomach and the brain. More exactly, the stomach of those addicted to overeating is linked to the hippocampus area of the brain, the same neural region which is involved in drug addiction.

The hippocampus is the area of the brain mostly concerned with the memory and emotions. Besides the hippocampus, overeating also stimulates the frontal cortex region of the brain. "We found that areas of the brain that received signals were the hippocampus, which is involved in memory and emotion, and also the frontal cortex," wrote Dr. Gene-Jack Wang and his team in the report published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. He added that "similar brain circuits underlie the enhanced motivational drive for food and drugs seen in obese and drug-addicted subjects, respectively."

The team explained that signals from the stomach to the hippocampus region of the brain are the key-factor which triggers overeating and obesity. Researchers also cautioned that even if one who used to be overweight and obese lost weight and has a normal BMI, he is still at the risk of gaining weight again, as the link between the hippocampus and stomach preserves within his body. "An obese person, even if he becomes lean, still has the signals in the area of the hippocampus, so there is a high likelihood that he will relapse," explained Dr. Wang.

However, things are not that tragic and pessimistic as they may seem at a first view. Dr. Mark Gold, Professor of Psychiatry and Neuroscience at the University of Florida's McKnight Brain Institute pinpointed the fact that knowing which bodily mechanism triggers overeating and eating disorders is very useful for medical experts, as it may help in the development of new ways to combat obesity. "The advantage of having a novel hypothesis means that we might be able to develop new treatments for obesity similar to those for drugs of abuse. This opens a whole range of treatment possibilities," he said.

The only question which still remains unanswered until further research - the most difficult question, in fact - is how the information can be used in order to efficiently fight against obesity. Dr. Wang suggested that new methods of treating obesity and overeating may be linked to emotions, like in the case of drug addicts. "That is the million-dollar question. We must study to learn more about how the signal is transmitted and how to treat obesity. As with drug addiction, we might also have to treat the emotions," the leader of the study said.

Source:

Softpedia News

http://news.softpedia.com/

Best Pig The Philippines

( When TIME started the Best of Asia in 2004, we conceived the section as an anthology of the region's hidden marvels and wondrous secrets. But since then, we've come to see that in Asia the extraordinary is all around us. Remarkable experiences for the mind, body and soul are everywhere. That's the best thing about the Best of Asia. )

When itinerant TV chef Anthony Bourdain — whose love of all things porcine is famous — visited the Philippine island of Cebu with his show No Reservations and declared that he had found the "best pig ever," many viewers were as surprised by the hyperbole as by the country he situated it in. But not Filipinos, among whom the zenith of porky perfection is an indisputable fact. It was just a matter of time before the rest of the world found out.

The pig that made Bourdain smack his lips with glee was lechón, or slow-roasted suckling pig, perhaps the Philippines' most beloved dish. Usually reserved for fiestas, it has long been a source of fanatical adulation; it's not uncommon for a whole lechón, still hot and fresh from roasting, to be flown across the country for special occasions. Though varieties differ regionally — stuffing can include any combination of lemongrass, tamarind, star anise, garlic, green onions and chili leaves, while condiments range from a light vinegary dipping sauce to a thick liver-based gravy — the basic concept remains the same. A pig is roasted for hours over a fire of open coals, slowly rotated on a bamboo spit, lovingly basted and meticulously supervised until its flesh is so tender, moist and succulent that it can be sliced with the edge of a plate, and its skin so crisp it can be punctured with the tap of a finger. You could call it the Platonic ideal of a pig, but it's doubtful if Plato, or even an entire faculty of philosophers, could have imagined anything so exquisite.

 Source:

TIME MAGAZINE

http://www.time.com/

Lechon for All Seasons

Lechon is a Filipino delicacy found in fiestas, weddings, birthdays, or whatever occasion there is. It is always the center of attraction on the buffet table. Lechon is the Tagalog translation of roast pork.

After it gets roasted, the pig’s skin becomes so crispy that it produces a crackling sound while being munched. The taste is enhanced when it is dipped with a gravy-like sauce, which is collectively known as “Mang Tomas,” even though “Mang Tomas” is just a brand of the gravy-like sauce that is specifically made for roasted pigs and chickens. To many Lechon lovers, the skin is the tastiest and most delicious part. In parties, the meat and fats are often left out because of the bland taste.

The delicacy is believed to originate from the China. After generations of tweaks from the original recipe, Lechon became a lot different from the recipe that the Chinese introduced to us many centuries ago.

Roasting a pig is an easy but long process. After all of the pig’s internal organs are removed, it is stuffed with either Sampaloc, Tanglad or Onion leaves to provide aroma and a little sour after taste. Then a bamboo stick is pierced in its mouth until it passes through the anus. The bamboo stick serves as the pig’s holder while it is being roasted under the charcoal. The bamboo stick is then rotated continuously for three hours or more – depending on the size of the pig that is being roasted, so it will have an even brown color. The brown color signifies that the pig is already roasted. At what shade of brown will one know that the roasting process is finished is upon the discretion of the one roasting the pig.

No cooking oil is required. The pig’s body fat, which boils in the process of roasting, serves as the oil. Its body fat is also the reason why the pig’s skin becomes very crunchy after it gets roasted.

A lechon makes any Filipino celebration a real feast!  It is even better served as the perfect complement to other traditional dishes such as pansit, pinakbet, kare-kare, crispy pata, fruit salad and ube macapuno. 

 

 

 Source:

Global Pinoy

First Posted by Carrie B. Yan on 12/28/2010 03:48 PM