So the recent buzz is that deep fried fish may be the culprit for the increased incidence rate of strokes down in the south. I can't believe my friggin eyes. This has got to be the worst epidemiological leap in human kind. Although this isn't malpractice, it is a medical mistake to believe this could be true, and it is being parroted throughout the media like it has serious weight. Speaking of weight, let's discuss some Real reasons why there is a stroke belt throughout the south.
Weight- the southern states have the greatest density of obese Americans. Please mind the puns. Fried fish being the cause? What about fried everything? You might as well say that deep fried pickles are the cause of stroke since the consumtion of these are more frequent in the stroke belt. What about chicken fried steak, chicken fried chicken, deep fried turkeys, deep fried uh fries? Fish is the healthiest thing a southerner puts in their gullet and now it is wrongly accused of causing strokes.
How about an educated discussion about medication compliance, taking ones blood pressure medication, AS PRESCRIBED?
How about lack of exercise in this demographic?
No discussion of a large African American population (I mean other than their intake of fish) and their rates of essential hypertension when removed from their native diet? This discussion cannot even be touched without someone yelling 'racist' across a lecture hall.
What about poverty in the southern states and reduced if not completely absent access to healthcare, and increased consumption of processed foods known to cause injury to blood vessels?
Fish intake? This was the variable chosen against stroke incidence? Who in their right mind approved this research? Here's some fishy variables-the inhalation of herring, or as the kids call them, cigarettes. Does that cause strokes? Is there a larger population of smokers in the stroke belt? Can I get a Hell Ya?!
Even heat, one of the most obvious factors in the stroke belt is rarely touched. Heat exposure raises blood pressure, and that's a risk factor for strokes, yet temperature and heat stress is rarely discussed.
So now the only brain food southerners consume other than peanuts will be reduced because of less than perfect research and combined it with far from perfect journalistic conclusion.
My head hurts, I'm going to deep fry some fish and then sue Captain Highliner for inducing the nations stroke and causing stupidity.
