Would you like this man as your personal physician?

Think about it. If walking would be healthy, the mailman would live forever. Look how fat whales are, yet they swim, eat plankton and drink water every day.

Right after an eight week grunge at the gym for “the biggest loser”, my brother in Holland sends me an interview with Dr. Paulo Ubiratan who heads up a hospital in Porto Alegre in Brasil. I love the internet, because how else would have ever hear about this visionary in South America who has quite an original take on our efforts to eat right, do plenty of exercise and sports, expecting that all these efforts will result in a long and healthy life.
Well that is not necessarily the case says Dr. Ubiratan in the following interview.

Will cardio vascular exercise result in a longer life?

Dr.Ubiratan: A human heart is made to contract a specific number of times. Don’t waste this amount on exercises you don’t need, because it will shorten your lifespan. To force your heart to beat more will not make you live longer. Just consider this: driving a car at high speeds will not make the engine drive longer. If you want to live a long life, take a siesta regularly.

Should I stop eating red meat and instead consume more fruits and vegetables?

Dr.Ubiratan: First of all you need to know the logical efficiency of nutrition. What do cows eat? Grass and vegetables. This makes a steak the most efficient mechanism for your vegetable intake. If you like grains…eat chicken.

Should I limit my alcohol intake?

Dr.Ubiratan: Absolutely not. Wine is made from grapes, fruit that is. Brandy, sherry, port and Cognac are all made by removing the water from the grape. Only good stuff remains. Beer is made from grains and hop. Don’t limit yourself too much from healthy drinks. Stay away from diet sodas.

What would be the advantages of exercising regularly?

Dr.Ubiratan: Well my philosophy on this is quite simple. If you’re not hurting, don’t do anything. It’s a sign that everything is working properly; so why exercise?

Don’t you think that fried dishes are unhealthy?

Dr.Ubiratan: Well, these days frying is done with vegetable oils. Fried dishes are therefore impregnated with vegetable extract. Why would it be unhealthy to add more vegetable substance to a dish?

Does going to the Gym prevent obesity?

Dr.Ubiratan: Absolutely not. The only thing a muscle does if you exercise it, is grow bigger and heavier. It is well documented that muscle is heavier than bodyfat

They still say that chocolate is bad for our health?

Dr.Ubiratan: Chocolate is made from cocoa, which is proven to have happiness stamped all over it. In my opinion life can not be a one way trip to the grave with the intention to arrive there healthy, good looking and well conserved. The best way to live life is with a beer in one hand and a fried fish or chicken sandwich in the other. The best life is one that has had a lot of sex and is completely worn out and this should show by the time the body is ready to check out from here.

Are any other valuable tips you can share with us?

Dr.Ubiratan: Think about it. If walking would be great for our health, the mailman would  live forever. Look how fat whales are and yet they swim, eat fish and plankton and drink water every day. A hare runs or hops around all his life, eats vegetables by the truckload, but doesn’t get older than about 15 years. Turtles don’t walk a step more than necessary and basically don’t do anything; yet some have been known to reach 450 years of age.

If you can figure out all these discrepancies from what scientists and others teach us about good and bad eating and exercise habits, let me know. I guess until them I stick to my regimen at Club 14, simply because it makes me feel better about myself.
By the way the good doctor has a FaceBook page.