Could Health Care Reform begin with the USDA?

We’ve all heard the news.  Health care costs are out of control.  We are spending millions and millions of dollars on disease management.  It’s not just adults who are battling diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, it’s children as well.  The old saying, we are what we eat couldn’t be more true and it’s smacking us across the face more than ever.

We are exposed to more and more toxins and poisons in the foods we eat than ever before with the pesticides and fungicides that are sprayed on the fruits and vegetables we eat.  Many of the fruits and vegetables we eat have been genetically modified (aka GMO’s) to give them a longer shelf life so they don’t spoil as quickly.  What this means is that scientists have created have created fruits and vegetables which is said to stay fresh for 45 days  -  three times longer than the conventional version. This is not natural.  Not the way nature intended it to be.  Much of the livestock we eat (beef, chicken, pork) are fed a diet of hormones and anti-biotics.  This is not their natural diet. Just about every packaged food you eat (breads, condiments, beverages, salad dressings, etc.) contain high fructose corn syrup.  It’s no wonder sickness and disease is more the rule rather than the exception. 

Six months ago, I bit the bullet and went organic. No doubt, organic foods cost more than “conventional” foods and it really shouldn’t be that way.  My health is important to me and I’d rather spend a little more on buying organic foods and livestock that are grass fed, than lose money in lost productivity due to illness, or spend my money unnecessarily on expensive prescription drugs or a visit to my doctor. 

Robyn O’Brien, author of The The Unhealthy Truth: How Our Food Is Making Us Sick - And What We Can Do About It, had some interesting things to say about the cost of organic foods in a recent article, which really is The Unhealthy Truth.

“Organic food costs more than its conventional counterparts because our taxpayer dollars are not used to support organic farms to the same extent that our dollars are used to support conventional farms. Under our current system, it is more profitable for farmers to grow crops laced with chemicals than organic ones because they will receive larger government handouts from the USDA Farm Subsidy program, more marketing assistance and stronger crop insurance programs.

If farmers do choose to grow organic crops, it costs them more because not only do they not receive the same level of financial handouts from the government, but they are also charged a fee to prove that their crops are safe and then on top of that, they are then charged a fee to label their crops as "organic." As a result, organic farmers have a higher cost structure -- with added fees and expenditures required to bring their products to market -- while our taxpayer dollars are used to subsidize the crops with the chemicals.


Wouldn't it make more sense to use our taxpayer dollars to subsidize the crops without chemicals given the increasing evidence pointing to the impact that these environmental insults are having on our health? What if our most powerful weapon in the war on health care is a farm subsidy?


Health care reform could begin at the USDA, with an equal allocation of our taxpayer dollars between organic and conventional farming. The USDA could continue health care reform by providing equivalent marketing assistance and crop insurance programs for organic crops and by eliminating the organic certification fee farmers are required to pay in order to label their crops as "USDA Organic".


If we invite the US Department of Agriculture to be part of health care reform, the USDA could level the economic playing field for the farmers, enabling more farms to grow crops free of chemicals, synthetic and genetically engineered ingredients which would, in turn, increase the supply of these crops in the marketplace -- which, as any good economist knows, would drive down costs. Organic food would be more affordable to more of us.”


We all make our voices heard with the way we spend our dollars.  With every dollar I spend on locally grown organic fruits and vegetables, or grass fed live stock that was raised locally, not only am I supporting my local farmers, I am casting a vote.  I am also taking control of my health by no longer exposing my body to toxins and poisons that are harmful to my health.  I will not support industrialized farming that doesn’t care about how they are harming our health and costing us billions of dollars in health care costs. The choice is yours.  Either way your dollars will be spent?  Do you spend them nourishing your body with healthier foods free of pesticides, hormones, antibiotics, etc., or do you spend your dollars on prescription medications and doctor visits?  Personally, I think it’s a no brainer.

Sources:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1247900/The-end-squashy-tomato-Genetic-breakthrough-let-fruit-month-longer.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/samuel-s-epstein/a-ban-on-hormonal-meat-is_b_446060.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robyn-o/health-care-begins-with-a_b_443650.html

For more on this subject, check out 

Master Cleanses and Detox Diets

This is a subject that comes up from time to time with my clients and I’m asked my opinion on these.  I personally feel they are unnecessary.

To truly cleanse your body and keep it clean, simply cut out processed foods.  Most of the foods we eat have a laundry list of ingredients that are nothing but chemicals.  Foods that are organic are natural and free of toxic pesticides and chemicals.  If you eat animal proteins, make sure that the animals were not fed a diet of chemically treated grain, antibiotics and steroids.  If you are drinking plenty of water throughout the day, you are constantly flushing your body.

Rather than make these dietary changes, people are always looking for a quick fix; the easy way out.  We're so eager to believe that our bodies are cesspools of evil toxins and undigested junk and that a cleanse is like hitting the reboot button.

Starving yourself on a liquid diet or sticking a hose up your bum in an effort to cleanse the colon only eliminates water weight which you will quickly gain back.  Master cleanses & liquid diets don't change unhealthy eating habits that pollute the body-Its like living a bing-purge lifestyle. 

For a real Master Cleanse, feed your body by eating clean, nutrient-rich organic foods and stay away from processed man-made foods.

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gina-pell/ladies-cut-the-detox_b_428387.html

Going Organic – Why it’s good for your health, and good for your waist line

I have always believed that if you eat a diet that is free of unhealthy processed foods, than that is all you need to do to maintain good health.  My diet has been “clean” for many years avoiding foods that have “ingredients”.  This means a diet that is rich in fibrous fruits and vegetables, whole grains and lean animal proteins.

I never really thought about or considered going organic. In my mind, I believed that I was eating healthy and I also had been a victim of the “myth” that organics are too expensive.

Every day, I read through the latest health news on several sites.  More and more, I have been reading reports of how our food supply and soil has been compromised by industrialized farming and the effect it has on our health.  News reports about food safety are becoming more common.

Documentaries on the food industry and what it’s doing to our health are starting the hit the main stream.

As a person who is very health conscious, I realized I was exposing myself to all kinds of chemicals and toxins that were compromising my healthy lifestyle.  I knew the time had come for me to make the change and switch over to going organic.

Organic food is expensive - NOT

Before I even tell you why going organic is good for your health and good for your waistline, I’m going to tackle the myth that organic food is too expensive.  Not so if you know where and how to shop for it.

I am fortunate enough to have a Whole Foods Market in my area.  For the longest time, I avoided purchasing my groceries in there because of the rumor that you’d need to take out a second mortgage in order to shop there.  I decided it was time to bite the bullet and go.  Much to my surprise, everything in there was more affordable than I thought.  The trick is to purchase their brand which is organic and is top notch quality.  My grocery bills are now actually lower compared to the more mainstream supermarkets I had been doing my shopping. 

If you don’t have a Whole Foods in your area, Farmer’s Markets are becoming more and more popular or check your local listings for Organic Supermarkets in your area.

Organic for Better Health

Although I had been eating a diet that was natural and free of preservatives, I was exposing myself to all kinds of toxic chemicals.  More and more pesticides are being used and are compromising the quality of the soil.  We are also consuming genetically modified foods.

Many grain and bean crops that are being grown in soil that has been compromised through the overuse of  pesticides, herbicides and other chemical additives are not are only stripping our foods of the nutrients we should be getting, but are also used to create the processed foods which make up the bulk of the foods we eat, but are also used to feed factory farmed livestock and fish.

Essentially, our bodies are being exposed to chemicals and toxins that can compromise our health and our waist lines. According to Dr. John Salerno, “The ancient wisdom of mankind says you should eat until you are satisfied, and these foods simply don't satisfy us. Add to that the chemicals added to the so-called value-added foods which are put there to replace the natural goodness that has been lost and you have a real problem.


These food additives, with unpronounceable names and unknown derivatives are known categorically as excitotoxins. Did you ever wonder why Dad could sit down in front of the television to watch the ball game and eat an entire package of corn chips? It's the Dr. Strangelove additions designed in the lab to make that food so tasty, Dad's natural satiety switch is turned off.


Those added chemicals, which by the way, even show up on fresh produce that isn't organic by way of sprays and dips, and chemical baths, can derail any weight loss program. Chemicals can increase food cravings, cause water retention, and can actually cause weight gain. These same additives are often allergenic, and can cause insulin to spike, playing havoc with those people who are pre-diabetic, or diabetic.”


Industrialized Livestock
Knowing what I know, I’m not giving up my animal proteins any time soon.  Animal proteins are where most of my calories come from. 


Not only are animals and fish being fed chemically treated grains, they are also injected with all kinds of hormones and antibiotics, which, we are ingesting when we eat livestock and fish. 


There are supermarkets and farmers markets that sell non industrialized livestock that are purchased from local farmers that are free of chemicals, pesticides, antibiotics and hormones.  Grass fed beef, bison, cage free chickens, eggs are available through local farmers.  There are also fish farms that are void of chemicals and antibiotics. 


American Health Association Ban on Hormones in Milk and Beef
In an article written by Samuel S. Epstein for the Huffington Post,  reported “The Cancer Prevention Coalition is pleased to announce that the Governing Council of the American Public Health Association has voted to oppose the continued sale and use of genetically engineered hormonal rBGH milk, and also meat adulterated with sex hormones. This decision is based on long-standing scientific and public policy information developed and published by the Cancer Prevention Coalition over the last two decades.”


You can learn more about rBGH and adulterated hormones and how it affects your health, please refer to Samuel S. Epstein’s article.


Making the change
Since I have switched over to eating organic fruits and vegetables, making sure that my beef, chicken, fish and dairy products are free of hormones, antibiotics, etc., I have definitely noticed an improvement with my digestive system.  I never really had an issue with stomach bloating, however, I have noticed that the small amount of bloating I would sometimes experience is non existent.  My skin and hair is more vibrant and find that I am more energetic than ever before.  Although I am currently not trying to lose or gain weight, I have noticed that after one month of switching over, I did lose a few pounds and I have been able to maintain a consistent weight meaning, my body is not retaining water like it was.


If you are suffering from any chronic illnesses, it is possible that your health issues are directly related to the foods you eat.  Diet and exercise are the keys towards improved health and weight loss, however, if you are not already doing so, try switching over to organic fruits and vegetables and eat beef, chicken, fish and dairy products that are free of antibiotics and hormones.  If you do this consistently for three months, you should be feeling a lot better and may also be able to free yourself of  some prescription drugs you may be on, with your doctor’s permission.

Source:

 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-john-salerno/why-i-recommend-organic-f_b_403348.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/samuel-s-epstein/american-publlic-health-a_b_399147.html

Recommend readings/dvd's on this topic:

Your Food: Is It Making You Sick?

Earlier this year, a documentary was released in theatres across the country called Food, Inc. This documentary is an in depth look at the food industry and how the foods we eat have been compromised and monopolized by the major players in the food industry. We are become sicker and fatter all in the name of cheap, easy, quick food.

Food safety is also becoming a concern. More and more we are hearing news stories about foods such as beef, peanuts, spinach, etc. being recalled for e-coli contamination. The use of pesticides are also endangering our health.

It’s obvious I’m a health conscious person and my diet has been void of processed foods for many years, however, after seeing this documentary, I have taken my eating habits one step further by making sure that the fruits and vegetables I eat are pesticide free, and that the beef, fish and poultry I eat are not coming from industrialized food companies, but rather from local farms that aren’t owned by one of the big food companies.

I believe it's good to be informed on the topics covered in this movie so that you can make better food choices. I will say that one of the myths out there (which is talked about in the movie) is that most people choose not to eat healthy simply becuase it's too expensive. Actually, that's not the case if you know how and where to shop.

For many years, I have been shopping in the major supermarket chains. I shied away from Whole Foods simply because I was under the impression that it was too expensive to shop there. Was I wrong! As a matter of fact, my grocery bills are less since I switched over to buying my foods from Whole Foods. All my fruits and vegetables are organic, animal products I purchase are fed grass, not grain and they are free of antibiodics, hormones and other chemicals that industrialized livestock are fed. So it is possible to eat economically healthy.

To get an idea of what the documentary is about, check out the Food Inc. movie trailer



Time Magazine published an in depth article about this topic titled Getting Real About the High Price of Cheap Food.

This documentary is definitely worth seeing not only for your health, but for the health of those you love.