I must admit that sometimes I get discouraged about all the scary information I keep uncovering about our food supply. I feel an obligation to share it with people -- and that's why I started this blog -- but I hate to be a Debbie Downer all the time. You may not believe this from my apocalyptic blog posts, but I actually think of myself as a “half glass full” type of gal.
Thankfully, I continue to get inspired by people who are doing amazing things to help us stay healthy and fit. For instance, I recently finished reading a book titled “The Unhealthy Truth.” It is written by Robyn O’Brien, a full-time mom. After her youngest daughter had a violent reaction to eggs, she decided to dig and do some research about what was happening to her daughter's body. She became a true expert about the toxins in America’s food supply. Her initial search for answers about kids’ food allergies led her to an even scarier reality: whether you are dealing with acute allergic reactions or a semi-tired, cranky, “blah” feeling, it is our very own food supply that is most likely the culprit. Our food is literally making millions of us sick.
Robyn O’Brien is just like me and you. She started her journey looking for answers for her own family, having no idea where it would lead her. She could have kept it to herself once she found those answers and done pretty well just to improve the health of her own children. Instead, she is now taking a much different path. Like any new convert to any important cause, she is following a calling of sorts to help our children get healthy. She is not simply telling us to eat our fruits and veggies…We already know that and what good is it doing? American kids, along with their parents, are facing epidemic levels of allergies, diabetes, behavioral problems, diseases and more. Instead, Ms, O’Brien is taking on the BIG food companies and the BIG money behind them. She is not afraid of the long odds stacked against her, because she believes in what she is doing and she knows her cause is right and just.
It certainly helps me to know I am not the only one who is incensed about what is being passed off as nutritious food in America. I am inspired by Robyn O’Brien’s perseverance and I hope I can be just as brave as I try to share my new found knowledge. You probably think I am being overly dramatic, but this is David vs. Goliath stuff we are talking about!
There are many insights I gleaned from Ms. O’Brien’s book. One was a way to talk about this heavy subject with friends and family who might not share my same sense of urgency for cleaning up America’s food supply. She suggested some conversation starters that I have found useful like taking one very concrete and easy-to-understand fact and using that to kick things off. For instance, did you know that Kraft uses chemicals in our American boxes of mac-n-cheese even though they’ve removed those same chemicals from their boxes in England? Or how about this one - did you know that Safeway and Wal-Mart have labeled their genetically modified ingredients in Europe but not here in America? This should get some of your circle to scratch their heads. Why would American companies voluntarily remove suspect ingredients from their food products overseas but not remove them here at home?
That’s a great question. You can tell them that part of the reason is that all of those lovely little chemicals are cheaper. Plus, they are manufactured to keep you coming back for more. (Click here for more information on the down-right scary flavor manipulation process). But then you can tell them that the biggest reason that these AMERICAN companies are willing to change their products overseas but not at home is because we have not demanded it of them. It is up to us to make it happen. We have to exercise our power and demand better, safer and healthier food for Americans. We control what we buy at the grocery store, and we control who we vote for on Election Day.
If you would like more information about Ms. O’Brien’s inspirational work, please visit her website for the AllergyKids Foundation. I also recommend that you continue to educate yourself about what is REALLY in the food you are buying. You can start by reading this article “Learn the ABC’s about GMOs” on the AllergyKids website. You will also find a whole list of resources on things you can do to make you and your kids healthier - all why restoring the integrity of our food supply - which happens to be the AllergyKids mission. Kudos to them and you for making a difference!
THE REAL SKINNY... ON HEALTH & NUTRITION IN AMERICA
Welcome to The Real Skinny... where I will dissect some of the myths surrounding the health, nutrition, food & fitness industries in the United States. I started this blog because I am exasperated by all of the misinformation and propaganda we are fed (pun intended) by the government and the mainstream media about our food supply and the fitness industry here in the U.S.
Like many of you, I have long considered myself to be a healthy person. I regularly followed the advice of so-called experts in the nutrition fitness industries about the latest diets and exercise regimens. I exercised almost every day - sometimes for several hours at a time – and I ate what most people consider to be a very healthy diet. I always ate whole grains, low fat dairy, veggies, fruit and lean meats. I counted “calories in” vs. “calories out” religiously. Despite all of my efforts, I was still plagued with a host of issues including excess body fat. My frustration with this predicament – some might call it my obsession – led me to dig a little deeper into the nutrition/health advice I was getting.
My research began with a few magazine articles and websites. Gradually, as I did more independent research, I started to believe strongly that much of what passes for mainstream thinking on nutrition and fitness is complete nonsense. I now spend a big chunk of my free time reading everything I can on this topic – and the more research I do, the more convinced I am.
I am not big on conspiracy theories. I don’t think the CIA introduced crack cocaine into the inner city, and I don’t think George Bush had a heads-up about 9-11. But I have come to believe that the federal government and the agribusiness community have so dominated the debate on this issue that the American people are not exposed to any other line of thinking. And where has this gotten us? Americans are unhealthier and more overweight than ever.
I would like to share some of these concerns with a wider audience outside of family and friends - the poor souls who have already been subjected to my rants these past few years. For their sake and yours, I decided to take my rants to the masses. I look forward to sharing some of what I learn along the way as I attempt to educate myself and anyone who will listen about what it truly means to be healthy in America.
Like many of you, I have long considered myself to be a healthy person. I regularly followed the advice of so-called experts in the nutrition fitness industries about the latest diets and exercise regimens. I exercised almost every day - sometimes for several hours at a time – and I ate what most people consider to be a very healthy diet. I always ate whole grains, low fat dairy, veggies, fruit and lean meats. I counted “calories in” vs. “calories out” religiously. Despite all of my efforts, I was still plagued with a host of issues including excess body fat. My frustration with this predicament – some might call it my obsession – led me to dig a little deeper into the nutrition/health advice I was getting.
My research began with a few magazine articles and websites. Gradually, as I did more independent research, I started to believe strongly that much of what passes for mainstream thinking on nutrition and fitness is complete nonsense. I now spend a big chunk of my free time reading everything I can on this topic – and the more research I do, the more convinced I am.
I am not big on conspiracy theories. I don’t think the CIA introduced crack cocaine into the inner city, and I don’t think George Bush had a heads-up about 9-11. But I have come to believe that the federal government and the agribusiness community have so dominated the debate on this issue that the American people are not exposed to any other line of thinking. And where has this gotten us? Americans are unhealthier and more overweight than ever.
I would like to share some of these concerns with a wider audience outside of family and friends - the poor souls who have already been subjected to my rants these past few years. For their sake and yours, I decided to take my rants to the masses. I look forward to sharing some of what I learn along the way as I attempt to educate myself and anyone who will listen about what it truly means to be healthy in America.
No comments:
Post a Comment