Our Motivation- Frustration with "Food"

     Industrial food not only contains artificial and harmful ingredients, the process by which the "food" is produced is detrimental to the environment.  Too many people have fallen victim to convenient, processed foods which line the grocery store shelves.  Well, one can only claim to be a "victim" for so long. 

     Food is one of the most important things in our lives.  Its purpose is to nourish us- give our bodies what they need to work, grow strong, and stay healthy.  Without food, our bodies would starve and eventually we would die.  Well, if food is so important, how did we become so disconnected from it?  Better yet, why do people DECLINE to be informed about what is in their food or how it was raised? 

     At this point, one is no longer a "victim", but instead chooses to remain ignorant- and at what cost?  Heart disease, obesity, and diabetes continue to be on the rise, and yet many people still turn a blind eye to the main cause (the Western diet).  Instead, they shop for the new food trend- items claiming to be "whole grain", "all natural", "high in omega 3's", "with DHA added", or "gluten free".  Many people don't even know what these claims mean, instead just assume they mean the items are healthier for them.  The claims would be perceived differently if the packaging read:
  • "pumped full of artificial nutrients because this item was not very healthy to start with"
  • "we added some extra things/ removed some things (as in the case of "gluten free")  just to get you to buy this product and pay more for it"
  • "since we destroyed the nutrients using poor farming practices and/or over processing using non-food items, we have now added some nutrients back in an artificial way." 

     Saddest part is, food trends come and go because they are eventually disproved by further research and the continued deterioration of health in this country, for example, the "low carb" fad, or the replace butter with margarine (then watch heart disease skyrocket) fad.  Even the USDA cannot commit to what kind of diet makes people healthy, so they continue to make changes to the food pyramid.  Perhaps we need to be realistic and recognize that people are not all the same; therefore it does not make sense that all people should follow the same diet. 

     Why don't we demand a healthier food system overall?  This doesn't happen because people want to keep up the illusion of cheap food.  I say it is an "illusion" because the processed, cheap food has been subsidized by our tax dollars (so in reality we have already paid for a portion of it) and health care costs are on the rise.  Can you really put a price on your health? 

     To grow/raise your own food is to take responsibility for your own health along with being faced with an opportunity to improve your environment.  If it is not possible for you to start a garden or raise any animals, the next best thing is to find a local farmer who follows responsible farming practices and is a true steward of the land.  Buy from him or her.  Choose to be informed and stay informed.  Refuse the food-like substances lining the grocery store shelves and get back to REAL cooking.  In other words, vote with your most powerful tool in this consumer driven society- your wallet

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