This post has been provided by Dick Schaefer of the Low Carb Golfer.

Not too long ago I read an interesting article by Seth Borenstein of the Associated Press that appeared in the Arizona Republic newspaper suggesting “maybe it’s germs that make you fat.” Boy, wouldn’t it be great if we could blame something besides ourselves for weight gain?

Well, I wouldn’t hold my breath but according to information provided in the article researchers found a strong connection between obesity and the levels of certain types of bacteria in the gut. Borensteins projection was that someday there will be new ways of treating obesity that will go beyond diet and excercise.

Golfers will appreciate a couple of studies that are underway that suggest that there are more of one bacteria and less of another kind in both obese humans and mice (nice to know we won’t suffer alone) and that if you can change the type of bacteria in the intestines and stomach this might be a way to fight obesity.

You see, there are two types of bacteria we are talking about here, without getting too technical about it, the good one is called Bacteroidetes and the bad one is Firmicutes, although it would make more sense for the good one to be called FIRMicutes. Researchers still are not sure that more of the Firmicutes make you fat or if obese folks grow more of that kind of bacteria.

This story made me think about those annoying little “filler” sound bytes that come at the tail end of the TV news about new drugs that are being tested, creating this breathless buzz with the talking heads about what scientists or researchers THINK that this new drug will accomplish.

After they get us all excited about it they close the story with the big let-down, it will be another TEN years before it’s introduced to the public. Personally, I would rather not know about it until it’s out and ready to be consumed! Our researchers in this case are guilty of the same crime - the big build-up - earth shattering news that “a microbial component APPEARS to contribute to obesity.”

Followed by the big let-down - saying that “growing evidence of this link gives scientists a potentially new and STILL DISTANT (another decade or so) way of fighting obesity.” Then they have the nerve to suggest that the current regimen of diet and excercise “is like treating all fevers with one aspirin.” Give me a break, what are we supposed to do in the meantime, nothing? That’s what got us in this mess in the first place!

Bottom line here is that diet and excercise, especially the kind my friend Mike Pederson advocates is still the best way to get rid of those unwanted pounds and get in shape for the golf season. I don’t care how old you are or what kind of shape you are in there are things you can do that will have a marked impact on your game.

I would be willing to bet that there is a distinct correlation between losing weight and getting better at golf. I would even go further and say that you could lower your handicap by a stroke for each five pound weight loss!

Unlike these smart guys that sit around and guess what will work for you, sometime in the next TEN years - Mike’s program is designed to work NOW.

If you want to learn more about nutrition for golf, visit the Low Carb Golfer !

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Tags: Nutrition, Weight Loss

What do you think?