Dr Hector Perera UK

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ When you are shopping in Colombo, Bambalapitiya or even in Kandy or Kurunegala, I am sure you would notice plenty of fast food outlets. Has the pearl of the Indian Ocean changed completely, huge glass fronted doors displaying the crowd inside the take away buildings, carrying trays full of food and drinks up the stairs or sometimes on escalators is a temptation for you to join the happy crowd. Unlike a few years ago now wherever you look; you see large boards with famous names, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…—— Chicken, ——- Beef burgersƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ and many more. In the past they were limited only to Western World but now itƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s at your door step. You may be reading this from a country far away from Sri Lanka butƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ when you read the names of these towns, sure you are already feeling home sick, your minds and soles take youƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ home sweet homeƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Sri Lanka where you get the, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Taste ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ParadiseƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ thatƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s quiteƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ natural.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The question is when you are out shopping, you feel the time is tight so where else to eat, not home cooked food but fast food. You have no choice but why should you avoid fast food? Once you are accustomed to the habit of eating them, believe me it cannot be stopped immediately unless you have a strong will power. This may be some what similar to addiction to smoking or drinking, you need more and more.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Reluctantly you are forced to eat some fast food then carry on shopping. As food for thought, itƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s worthwhile to think about the after effects of fast food. I am sure occasional quick, small snack wouldnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t do much harm but the question is on regulars who consume in excessive quantities.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

The temptations to eat more food are because of the incentives given by these fast food outlets or in restaurants. Some display the boards and say,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-eat as much as you likeƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ for a fixed price. If you are visiting Sri Lanka after a while, you would compare the prices and work out that the prices over here at home are very cheap than abroad, you may chuckle to yourself, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-itƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s a bargainƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ so you are already tempted.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Somedisplay boards say buffet is this much. Then again you compare the prices from abroad and realize itƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s quite cheap, a give away, the clever advertising has worked. In some places one can have a preview of actual food on display, not the price list with tiny letters and prices. You would think, after all you havenƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t tried this so you would go for it with an excuse. May be in your conscience you feel guilty to eat this kind of oil, fat and salt added food or you may be thinking how lucky to have this food for that kind of prices. The customers donƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t think twice about the health, hypertension, cholesterol or added sugars but justƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ food, nothing but food, quality, quantity and cheap prices.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Is this clever marketing? When they go in, they want to eat or try as much verities in huge quantities becauseƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ itƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s one priceƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ and donƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t get this opportunity frequently, so they dump in more than they normally eat.

You are too confused to check the starters, main course then the desserts. The list of food is too much to write it here but a few are, fried rice, yellow rice, chicken curry, beef and mutton curry, pork curry, king prawns fried and curry, also fried king fish in huge slices. It doesnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t stop you there, hot potato curry, cooked fresh cashew, bread fruits and young jack fruit curries or polas curry, seeni sambol, brinjol modu, tomato salad, not forgetting pickled onions and chilies then papadums then mango and amberalla chutney. Were there any cutlets and patties, mutton rolls, how many went pass Portsmouth? There are many things to eat as desserts, ice cream with fruit salad, watallapum, curd and trickle from down south. What would be next, a whole list of sweets, milk toffee but too many to list them here?

You may be alone, or with some friends or with the family, they all happily enjoy this meal. Then drinks may be extra but they think; if they paid to take a drink or two they think it compensate from the money that would have spent for food. So they eat a lot then dilute it with fizzy drinks and expect to be healthy as well? The gases in the fizzy drinks puff up the food, churns, turns and rumble in the stomach and sometimes, gases come out, find the way out through the mouth or nose or both, then you wouldnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t forget to say, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Pardon meƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚. How about a fresh mango and pineapple drink or a passion fruit drink chilled with ice, tastes too sweet but you have an excuse, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-not alwaysƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚. Some places offer free tea and coffee as well then the customers think, itƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s good to have a tea or coffee for digestion then the process of digestion making a bigger mess by adding a dose of caffeine. The more time they spent in the place, more food and drink find the way in then the time for them to find the way out. You have already paid for the food and drinks but as a good gesture you feel like giving a tip for the waiter or waitress to admit you had good food.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Again you compare with what you pay there, itƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s not much for you but itƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s a lot for them.

As a health issue most place are not permitted to smoke in the premises so when they go out get the chance to smoke a cigarette or two. Just worth looking back and see, was it a real happy experience or a disastrous experience?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

You know this cholesterol, fast, oils, too much salt and sugar eventually contribute to cardio vascular diseases then smoke and alcohol to pulmonary diseases but when you are in a fast food outlet or eat as much as you like restaurants at bargain or give away prices of food, which comes first, money, food or health? I am sure you know the answer.

This is a matter of opinion, in my opinion, you cannot have one without the other, and we all need food but in moderate quantity but not to eat and drink as much as you can.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

Happy Shopping!