As a young boy shopping with my mother I found out that certain foods were "out of season". No more. January or July, the dazzling colors of the veggies and fruit at the supermarket are unchanged. It seems that food is no longer grown in this country, but "manufactured".
In addition to endorsing Michael Pollan's article, here are a few additional thoughts:
- According to Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, 60% of all antibiotics produced in this country end up in animal feed! Consistent use of antibiotics in this way kills off many weaker bacteria, but leaving a few of the resistant forms to multiply. This means not only increasing the chances of food poisoning from improperly processed chicken, meat, etc., but that the infecting bacteria will be more resilient to antibiotic treatment, i.e. you will have a much more serious, or life threatening infection.
- Aside from the sugar in sodas which add to obesity, all cola drinks are highly acidic. If consumed in large amounts, 3-5 cans a day, they dissolve calcium in our bones and add to osteoporosis. Don’t believe me? Take a small clean chicken wing bone, put it in half glass of cola drink. Next all dissolved! Gone! We have the highest consumption of cola (diet or regular) in the world and the highest incidence of osteoporosis.
- High fructose corn syrup – a cheap sweetener, stimulates high insulin levels in the human body, essentially creating an artificial form of type 2 diabetes, even if you are not genetically predisposed!
Some thoughts on solutions:
- a) If you have speeding tickets or DWI’s your auto insurance goes sky high because you are a greater risk. Since money talks and baloney walks, how about a simple required annual exam, measuring height, weight, body mass index, blood sugar, tobacco and other drug residues, etc. The better you care for yourself, the lower your premium, just like auto insurance. This should apply to all forms of health care, and it is a good incentive for taking care of yourself.
- b) Health insurance companies should also provide life insurance! The longer they keep you alive, the longer they delay paying the big bucks. Suddenly their incentive is to keep you healthy and alive, not hope for a quick and inexpensive death.
- c) Substance abuse is the term for both drug users and excess alcohol consumption. Perhaps obesity should be added to that list, since it involves the excess or intemperate use of substances leading to disease or premature death.
Neil Raff,
doctor, patient, payer of insurance premiums and consumer of food
* New York Times Article Big Food vs. Insurance by Michael Pollan
As a Canadian living with socialized medicine, which is truly wonderful, I don't think bringing in healthcare reform will change people's diets. Here in Canada, we still have a lot of obesity and high fructose in our foods. In fact, Canadian ketchup is sweeter than American ketchup.
ReplyDeleteIt is education and lifestyle choices that will ultimately change people's health outcomes.
I read the Omnivore’s Dilemma and started to look at how pervasive corn is in our ‘natural’ bath and body products.
My company makes castile soap and I have created a video called ” Are You Washing With Corn”- view http://mountainskysoap.com/corn.php
People have to make choices as to what they buy, as that will drive the market, their health and the planet's overall sustainability.