The Quest for Thin…
But I wonder in our quest to fight
obesity, if we haven’t become hysterically driven toward the lean side of life.
Certainly weight loss products cram the
market these days…all promising amazing results.
When I was growing up, the rage for
weight control was a little caramel-like candy called AYDS.
Ayds, not to be confused with the disease, was an appetite-suppressant
candy which enjoyed strong sales in the 1970s and early 1980s. It was available
in chocolate, chocolate mint, butterscotch or caramel flavors, and later peanut
butter. The active ingredient was originally benzocaine, a local anesthetic used
as topical pain reliever, also found in cough drops. Bezocaine supposedly
suppressed the taste buds thus
reducing the urge to eat. Later, the company changed the active ingredient to
phemylopropanolamine (PPA), a stimulant often found in decongestants as well as
treatment for urinary incontinence in dogs. In the USA, PPA is no longer sold without a prescription due
to the increased risk of stroke in younger women.
I remember the old Slimfast commercials, some
featuring aging athletes, and how easy it would be to lose weight with Slimfast
products, like this commercial.
When I was in grade school,
I remember my family doctor giving my mother advice on weight management. It’s
simple arithmetic. You have to burn more calories than you consume. End of
story. Just eat sensibly and exercise more.”
Now why can’t I do that?
