One of the best ways to make a positive impact on our environment and also on our national healthcare costs is to change what we eat. Watching Food, Inc. reaffirmed for me that the food industry is broken, and it is what is in the food that is creating the unhealthiest people on earth, ever.
The largest food producing companies in the US are creating a system that encourages sickness, obesity, and disease. Some may say it is the fault of the consumers that we buy the unhealthy foods. This is simply not the only contributing factor. As the movie points out, corn in this country is highly subsidized by our government because of our government policies. Corn then ends up being cheap to buy, and cheap is always best for companies whose only goal is the bottom line. Thus products like soda, containing high fructose corn syrup, end up being less expensive to buy then juice.
Not only do we have the issue of the chemicals in the food that cause a range of problems, but the treatment of the animals is deplorable and so is the treatment of the workers. This all seeps into the foods we eat and consume. My grandmother was raised on a farm. Slaughtering the animals was part of life on the farm. However, the animals were raised and treated with respect and compassion. No longer. Animals are virtually tortured everyday in order to provide $1 menu meals. If we are what we eat, it is no wonder that our society seems to have become more aggressive, less caring, and less respectful of others.
So what can we do? For one, change what you eat and consume. At every meal make a choice to eat consciously. Encourage your friends to get educated. Teach them. Watch Food, Inc. Support local farmer’s markets. It is the right thing to do not only for immediate health gains, but also to make lasting changes in the quality of all our lives.
I have stayed away from meat/poultry for years, eating primarily vegetables with fish occasionally. One of the key additions to my diet has been drinking fresh vegetable Green Drink, daily. Here is one of my favorite recipes.
Green Drink
(Using the Vitamixer blender produces the best results. Buy organic when possible)
1 Head of Collard Greens
1 Head of Kale
1 Bunch of Parsley
2 Carrots
1 Apple
1 Lime or Lemon
6 Tablespoons Hemp Oil or Flax Seed Oil
Remove all the hard stems of the greens. Give all the greens a coldwater wash and add a little apple cider vinegar to the water. Rinse thoroughly. Add all the ingredients, with lots of water and blend to a juice. You can blend together varying amounts of the vegetables at a time and mix it all together at the end. This recipe can be made in a variety of ways with a variety of vegetables. Add dandelion greens, broccoli, avocado, or ginger or to change it up. Enjoy!