Comments on: Stop that stretching! http://edwardwillett.com/2009/07/stop-that-stretching/ Canadian author of science fiction, fantasy and non-fiction for both adults and children. Mon, 14 May 2012 16:18:10 -0600 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: william meller http://edwardwillett.com/2009/07/stop-that-stretching/comment-page-1/#comment-1768 william meller Thu, 09 Jul 2009 00:25:29 +0000 http://edwardwillett.com/?p=9335#comment-1768 You are so right! This idea about the purported effects of a sugary diet began more than 80 years ago with a case report in the American Journal of Diseases in Children.It has only grown from there. I also have never found any science to back it up. The Straight Dope covered it very well about a year ago. http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2747/does-giving-sweets-to-kids-produce-a-sugar-rush I have also looked in the idea that milk products are "mucus forming" and traced them to a single quack doc in Southern California back in the second decade of the last Century! It is amazing how these things grow and spread. Bill You are so right! This idea about the purported effects of a sugary diet began more than 80 years ago with a case report in the American Journal of Diseases in Children.It has only grown from there. I also have never found any science to back it up. The Straight Dope covered it very well about a year ago.
http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2747/does-giving-sweets-to-kids-produce-a-sugar-rush

I have also looked in the idea that milk products are “mucus forming” and traced them to a single quack doc in Southern California back in the second decade of the last Century! It is amazing how these things grow and spread.
Bill

]]> By: Edward Willett http://edwardwillett.com/2009/07/stop-that-stretching/comment-page-1/#comment-1767 Edward Willett Wed, 08 Jul 2009 17:50:52 +0000 http://edwardwillett.com/?p=9335#comment-1767 Dr. Meller, thanks for dropping by. I suspect you're right about where the stretching meme came from originally (and that did cross my mind when I was writing this...but it's a hard thing to confirm one way or the other). The other "what everybody knows isn't necessarily right" thing I'm always trying to convince people of is that there's no scientific evidence that eating sugar makes kids "hyper." That one's more entrenched than any of them, I think! Dr. Meller, thanks for dropping by. I suspect you’re right about where the stretching meme came from originally (and that did cross my mind when I was writing this…but it’s a hard thing to confirm one way or the other).

The other “what everybody knows isn’t necessarily right” thing I’m always trying to convince people of is that there’s no scientific evidence that eating sugar makes kids “hyper.” That one’s more entrenched than any of them, I think!

]]> By: william meller http://edwardwillett.com/2009/07/stop-that-stretching/comment-page-1/#comment-1766 william meller Wed, 08 Jul 2009 16:05:39 +0000 http://edwardwillett.com/?p=9335#comment-1766 Dear Edward, This post is great coverage of an important topic. I appreciate the mention of my recent book at the end. You will find a lot more counter conventional ideas like this in Evolution Rx. I couldnt agree with you more about the process and progress of science. It is more the finding of truth by eliminating all the alternatives. In one respect though I dont think we can blame the stretching myth on researchers. I think it came out of the sports and "wellness" community and then was adopted by physical therapists, a not very research based area of medical practice. It seemed to make sense so it took a long time for researchers to get around to questioning and testing it. A lot like the specious recommendations to drink 8 glasses of water a day and to use ice and/or heat when we have a sprain. Keep up the great writing and spreading the word. Dr William Meller Dear Edward,
This post is great coverage of an important topic. I appreciate the mention of my recent book at the end. You will find a lot more counter conventional ideas like this in Evolution Rx.
I couldnt agree with you more about the process and progress of science. It is more the finding of truth by eliminating all the alternatives.
In one respect though I dont think we can blame the stretching myth on researchers. I think it came out of the sports and “wellness” community and then was adopted by physical therapists, a not very research based area of medical practice. It seemed to make sense so it took a long time for researchers to get around to questioning and testing it. A lot like the specious recommendations to drink 8 glasses of water a day and to use ice and/or heat when we have a sprain.
Keep up the great writing and spreading the word.

Dr William Meller

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