Tuesday 16 October 2012

Stand Up For Stanley!

According to the BBC website, researchers at Leicester and Loughborough Universities have discovered that “Too much sitting is bad for your health” [You have to hand it to them, if you hear of any Universities doing whacky research, they are quite likely to be the ones here in the East Midlands]

the protein man, Stanley_Green,_Oxford_Street,_1977Those of us who are older are wondering why it took them so long to investigate this – we remember Stanley Green “The Protein Man” who patrolled Oxford Street for many years, with his handmade placard, declaring that we need less protein and less sitting, if we are to remain healthy and reduce our lustful urges! Peter Ackroyd, in his book, London - the Biography,  said "Stanley Green… walked up and down Oxford Street for many years, parading the same dietary message. He was commonly ignored by the great tide of people who washed around him, and thus became a poignant symbol of the city's incuriosity and forgetfulness."

9 comments:

  1. My college was in Oxford Street and then I worked just round the corner and I used to see Stanley in the sixties and early seventies!
    I wonder what he would think of our lifestyles today?!

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  2. ...so that's where I'm going wrong...I just thought cheese before bedtime gave you nightmares.

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  3. I remember him too. I used to rush up to London at weekends in the very early sixties.
    Do you think one could study for a Degree in sitting since so much research is taking place?

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  4. There's an interesting article on his placard and booklets, which are now in the Museum of London here: www.culture24.org.uk/history%20%26%20heritage/art79272 - turns out, he didn't like The Archers!

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    1. Thanks for reminding me of the museum of London Exhibit, Liz. [and whilst I accept that not everyone is an Ambridge Addict, I think that for him to describe the programme as 'great purveyor of filth' is a bit extreme!!]

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  5. Some of these studies do make me laugh! I've never heard of that man before!

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  6. He would not have liked the Atkins diet! (But Michael Pollan's motto would probably have suited him quite well: "Eat real food, not too much, mostly plants.")

    This is a timely post, as a co-worker and I were only yesterday comparing notes on sore feet (our jobs require us to stand). We decided we'd rather have tired feet than "office butt". :)

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