It makes you wonder why there are so many documentaries about what we eat, how our food is produced, the health repercussions of our food choices, and its impact on our health care system. Why do filmmakers and many Americans find this so fascinating?
I find them interesting because the information they provide is so different from what I was taught as a kid. Why is it important to eat meat? The answer was always protein. Why is it important to drink milk? The answer was always calcium. I shudder to think of all the money that was spent on promoting those two ideas. It seems to me that there are so many industries making money off of keeping people unhealthy that the lobbyists have the government in their pockets and its killing the people the government should be responsible for protecting. Corn producers get huge subsidies so that we can have cheap processed foods laden with high fructose corn syrup and so we can cheaply feed animals (many of which are not meant to eat corn). These animals show up on the cheap in supermarkets and in fast food restaurants. People eat those animals and get fat and sick and then the health care system and drug companies make money off the sickness. And our system treats the symptoms and not the causes. Its scary.
Most people get scared and really analyze their lifestyle when something catastrophic happens. Heart attacks, cancer, diabetes, etc. I am thankful to have a wife that planted the seeds of eating well before any of those things happened to our nuclear family (although they have impacted our extended family). I am also thankful to have children that are willing to try new foods and the financial means to be able to spend the extra money to buy organic.
Related to dietary changes after a major health event, here is a clip of Bill Clinton talking about his changes in diet. We all remember his love for McDonald's with 2 sides of heart surgery. At the urging of doctors, he has gone veg. I don't agree with his politics but I do wish that he would use his notoriety to promote this lifestyle. It seems to have done wonders for his health and I think it can help everyone to take any steps they can to avoid meat and the health risks that go with it.
Menu for the work week
- Spinach, apple, and pear salad with feta and crispy onions in a sweet onion vinaigrette
- Spaghetti with roasted squash, zucchini, onions, cherry tomatoes, and orange peppers with a roasted garlic, olive oil, and butter sauce topped with freshly grated parm and chopped basil
- Vegetarian pho and mandarin orange salad with ginger sesame dressing
- Indian eggplant and lentils with basmati rice and naan
- Couscous with chickpeas and caramelized fennel with a citrus vinaigrette and pickled cucumbers
Eat smart people!
Otto
