General fitness, health and nutrition · Public discussion

Junk Food Therapy

Lee Michaels · 2005-02-09T13:46:37+00:00

The military has discovered, that in some cases, that junk food is healthy. Or at least healthier than the alternative. ******************************** MORALE: Junk Food Therapy February 9, 2005: In Iraq, troops can have some of the comforts of home, at least when they are not out fighting. In a tradition that began during World War II, civilian consumer goods, especially familiar food items, are made available to the troops. During World War II, the availability of familiar snacks, especially ice cream and Coca Cola, was a big morale booster. But the goodies were not distributed equally, and it became something of a scandal that the troops in the safe rear areas had most of the goodies, at the expense of the men who were getting shot at. With each war since then, efforts increased, to get the goodies to the troops doing the most dangerous jobs. This has led to the construction of large, well equipped (and defended) base camps, places where it's safe for familiar fast food outlets to set up shop. There will soon be four dozen such outlets in Iraq, double the number currently operating. Meanwhile, even the smallest camps have at least a tent full of consumer goods, especially familiar food items. Combat is a stressful job, and the army has found that comfort food calms the mind, as it feeds the body. Sure, the stuff ain't healthy, but neither is getting shot at and dodging roadside bombs. Getting email or pictures from home is nice, but a milkshake calms you down on several levels. No one has to cite a lot of research on the subject, it just become accepted wisdom that if you bring the fast food to the front, morale goes up. When that happens, the troops perform better, and fewer of them develop the dreaded "thousand yard stare" so widely noted during World War II. Combat is very stressful, and if a box of Twinkies helps you forget the latest near-death experience, then have another one.

Started by Lee Michaels · 9 February 2005 · Last activity 13 February 2005 · 7 posts · 266 views

← Back to General fitness, health and nutrition

Thread navigation

Jump through the discussion

Go to the original post, the replies on this page, or the latest preserved contribution.

01 / Original postJunk Food TherapyLee Michaels · 9 Feb 2005 02 / This pagePosts 1–7Page 1 of 1 · chronological order 03 / Latest replyPost #7Gooserider · 13 Feb 2005

Thread details

What we know about this thread

Original section: General fitness, health and nutrition
Published: 9 February 2005
Last activity: 13 February 2005
Original author: Lee Michaels
Posts: 7
Discussion status: Public discussion
Total views: 266
Views / 30 days: 0

The navigation and discussion metadata provide context. Posts remain in their original chronological order.

Original post
Lee Michaels
Archived post

9 February 2005, 13:46 UTC #1

The military has discovered, that in some cases, that junk food is healthy.
Or at least healthier than the alternative.
********************************
MORALE: Junk Food Therapy
February 9, 2005: In Iraq, troops can have some of the comforts of home, at
least when they are not out fighting. In a tradition that began during World
War II, civilian consumer goods, especially familiar food items, are made
available to the troops. During World War II, the availability of familiar
snacks, especially ice cream and Coca Cola, was a big morale booster. But
the goodies were not distributed equally, and it became something of a
scandal that the troops in the safe rear areas had most of the goodies, at
the expense of the men who were getting shot at. With each war since then,
efforts increased, to get the goodies to the troops doing the most dangerous
jobs. This has led to the construction of large, well equipped (and
defended) base camps, places where it's safe for familiar fast food outlets
to set up shop. There will soon be four dozen such outlets in Iraq, double
the number currently operating. Meanwhile, even the smallest camps have at
least a tent full of consumer goods, especially familiar food items. Combat
is a stressful job, and the army has found that comfort food calms the mind,
as it feeds the body. Sure, the stuff ain't healthy, but neither is getting
shot at and dodging roadside bombs. Getting email or pictures from home is
nice, but a milkshake calms you down on several levels. No one has to cite a
lot of research on the subject, it just become accepted wisdom that if you
bring the fast food to the front, morale goes up. When that happens, the
troops perform better, and fewer of them develop the dreaded "thousand yard
stare" so widely noted during World War II. Combat is very stressful, and if
a box of Twinkies helps you forget the latest near-death experience, then
have another one.

Report
elzinator
Archived post

9 February 2005, 18:06 UTC #2

Lee Michaels said:
The military has discovered, that in some cases, that junk food is

healthy.
Quoted message said:
Or at least healthier than the alternative.
********************************
MORALE: Junk Food Therapy
February 9, 2005: In Iraq, troops can have some of the comforts of

home, at
Quoted message said:
least when they are not out fighting. In a tradition that began

during World
Quoted message said:
War II, civilian consumer goods, especially familiar food items, are

made
Quoted message said:
available to the troops. During World War II, the availability of

familiar
Quoted message said:
snacks, especially ice cream and Coca Cola, was a big morale booster.
<snip>
Quoted message said:
Combat is very stressful, and if
a box of Twinkies helps you forget the latest near-death experience,

then
Quoted message said:
have another one.
The fact that food, especially junk food (high fat and sugar content)
'comforts' has been long recognized. Hence the term 'comfort food.'
Maybe that accounts for the high % of obesity in this country; we are
all depressed.

Report
Lee Michaels
Archived post

9 February 2005, 18:22 UTC #3

"elzinator" wrote
Quoted message said:

Lee Michaels said:
The military has discovered, that in some cases, that junk food is

healthy.
Quoted message said:
Or at least healthier than the alternative.
********************************
MORALE: Junk Food Therapy
February 9, 2005: In Iraq, troops can have some of the comforts of

home, at
Quoted message said:
least when they are not out fighting. In a tradition that began

during World
Quoted message said:
War II, civilian consumer goods, especially familiar food items, are

made
Quoted message said:
available to the troops. During World War II, the availability of

familiar
Quoted message said:
snacks, especially ice cream and Coca Cola, was a big morale booster.
<snip>
Quoted message said:
Combat is very stressful, and if
a box of Twinkies helps you forget the latest near-death experience,

then
Quoted message said:
have another one.
The fact that food, especially junk food (high fat and sugar content)
'comforts' has been long recognized. Hence the term 'comfort food.'
Maybe that accounts for the high % of obesity in this country; we are
all depressed.
I wonder if the effects of these "comfort foods" are pronounced on somebody
who has experienced a very stressfull situation. I mean, if you just got
back from a combat patrol that was dangerous and you had some of those
stress chemicals running around in your system, what would the effect of a
grease burger or pizza be? It probably has more effect that we can test
for. It would be difficult to run a study that would give you the same level
of stress as actual combat.
My take on it is that it is a short term solution with long range
implications. But combat is all about using up people's lives. And not just
lives or wounding either. Many veterans do age a lot in a year. I remember a
close friend of mine who went to veitnam as a 19 year old and came back as a
thirty year old. His appearance, demeanor and personality aged at least ten
years in that one year. I imagine that if they didn't, he may not have
survived that year.
The other thing I am curious about from a business perspective. What would
it be like to open up a hamburger joint in one of these military bases?? I
would be curious as to the business details. And why the various fast food
operations are anxious to do it. I just have never seen a discussion of
these facts. I know I would not be anxious to open up a business in a
location that may be subject to mortar or rocket fire.

Report
elzinator
Archived post

9 February 2005, 20:02 UTC #4

Lee Michaels said:
"elzinator" wrote
Quoted message said:

Lee Michaels said:
The military has discovered, that in some cases, that junk food is

healthy.
Quoted message said:
Or at least healthier than the alternative.
********************************
MORALE: Junk Food Therapy
February 9, 2005: In Iraq, troops can have some of the comforts of

home, at
Quoted message said:
least when they are not out fighting. In a tradition that began

during World
Quoted message said:
War II, civilian consumer goods, especially familiar food items,

are
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
made
Quoted message said:
available to the troops. During World War II, the availability of

familiar
Quoted message said:
snacks, especially ice cream and Coca Cola, was a big morale

booster.
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:

<snip>
Quoted message said:
Combat is very stressful, and if
a box of Twinkies helps you forget the latest near-death

experience,
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
then
Quoted message said:
have another one.
The fact that food, especially junk food (high fat and sugar

content)
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
'comforts' has been long recognized. Hence the term 'comfort food.'
Maybe that accounts for the high % of obesity in this country; we

are
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
all depressed.
I wonder if the effects of these "comfort foods" are pronounced on

somebody
Quoted message said:
who has experienced a very stressfull situation. I mean, if you just

got
Quoted message said:
back from a combat patrol that was dangerous and you had some of

those
Quoted message said:
stress chemicals running around in your system, what would the effect

of a
Quoted message said:
grease burger or pizza be? It probably has more effect that we can

test
Quoted message said:
for. It would be difficult to run a study that would give you the

same level
Quoted message said:
of stress as actual combat.
Part of that is related to basic human nature. During times of stress,
people are comforted with what they are familiar with. So food,
clothing, books, personal pictures and letters, etc from their homes
provide a sense of comfort and helps them cope with stress.
Depression is often a response to stress, no matter what environment a
person is in; at home or elsewhere. Comfort food is easily accessible
and cheap here. Not so much in the soldeirs' environment overseas, but
it's still has the same positive response. Nevertheless, comfort food,
too much and too often, can have negative implications as this country
exemplifies.
On the other hand, some people respond to stress differently by losing
appetite (I'm one of those). So there appears to be a dichotomy of
response.
Quoted message said:
My take on it is that it is a short term solution with long range
implications. But combat is all about using up people's lives. And

not just
Quoted message said:
lives or wounding either. Many veterans do age a lot in a year. I

remember a
Quoted message said:
close friend of mine who went to veitnam as a 19 year old and came

back as a
Quoted message said:
thirty year old. His appearance, demeanor and personality aged at

least ten
Quoted message said:
years in that one year. I imagine that if they didn't, he may not

have
Quoted message said:
survived that year.
My ex was a Vietnam vet, and a near casualty, too. He didn't talk about
the war much, but I was told by his close childhood friends that he too
aged, especially since he was nearly killed (and was told not to expect
to live past 30 years of age). But each individual is different and
responds to stress differently.
War is not pleasant, nor does anyone really win. Except for veterans of
the international wars, people in this country have no comprehension of
what war is and what it does.
Quoted message said:
The other thing I am curious about from a business perspective. What

would
Quoted message said:
it be like to open up a hamburger joint in one of these military

bases?? I
Quoted message said:
would be curious as to the business details. And why the various

fast food
Quoted message said:
operations are anxious to do it. I just have never seen a discussion

of
Quoted message said:
these facts. I know I would not be anxious to open up a business in

a
Quoted message said:
location that may be subject to mortar or rocket fire.
People in the Middle East have lived with that in their daily lives for
generations. They still go about their business, but their attitudes
about things are very different than ours.

Report
elzinator
Archived post

9 February 2005, 20:03 UTC #5

DZ said:
elzinator said:
The fact that food, especially junk food (high fat and sugar
content) 'comforts' has been long recognized. Hence the term
'comfort food.' Maybe that accounts for the high % of obesity in
this country; we are all depressed.
But not as depressed as Western Europeans. French eat Paxil for
breakfast.
And they eat Prozac here for dinner, so what's the difference?

Report
Gooserider
Archived post

13 February 2005, 02:01 UTC #6

"Lee Michaels" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
The military has discovered, that in some cases, that junk food is

healthy.
Quoted message said:
Or at least healthier than the alternative.

Geez, in Viet Nam the grunts just smoked lots and lots of weed. I guess
Twinkies are just as calming...

Report
Gooserider
Archived post

13 February 2005, 02:02 UTC #7

"DZ" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
elzinator said:
The fact that food, especially junk food (high fat and sugar
content) 'comforts' has been long recognized. Hence the term
'comfort food.' Maybe that accounts for the high % of obesity in
this country; we are all depressed.
But not as depressed as Western Europeans. French eat Paxil for
breakfast.
It must be depressing to be French, to see that one's country is rapidly
becoming non-European. Will France be France once the majority of the
population is Muslim/African?

Report

Active in the last 60 minutes

Active in this thread

0 users · 0 guests ·0 bots ·0 total

No signed-in users are active right now.

No known search crawlers active right now.

Jump through the discussion

What we know about this thread

Continue through CyclingForums

Active in this thread