The Thing About Our Food Supply
It is rare that I bring attention to a topic that I see as part of the problem rather than a solution, but the topic of our food supply is one that is calling to be discussed. The probability is (if we are truly honest with ourselves), at the current rate of consumption and current methods of farming, there will likely not be enough land to grow all the food we need to feed all of the people on earth within many of our lifetimes. Last year, I rode the chairlift and had a fascinating discussion with a man who hit it big on Wall Street and then invested into consumer farms, he actually stated, “we are less than two droughts away from wiping out our farming industry in the US.” – A very scary possibility with the unpredictable weather patterns we’ve been experiencing.
In 2005 as I began walking the shamanic path, I also made a major lifestyle change. I cut out all beauty and cleaning products that contain harmful chemicals and petroleum as much as possible (for the most part, if I can’t eat it, I don’t use it). I also eat primarily organic, whole foods and have also omitted sugar and dairy; limit my consumption of grains and have cut out virtually all bread (even gluten free). On the rare occasion that I do indulge in the latter, I often find my self with joint pain and bloating. When traveling, which I do a great deal of, I do my best to stay clean with my food but it is not always possible to continue rigidly with my lifestyle (I like to refer to myself as a “flexatarian”). When this happens, I often return home feeling toxic, I can literally feel the difference in my body after a week of eating conventional food. This is very troubling to me…
The solution those in the agriculture business are offering is to genetically modify the seeds so that they produce more abundantly and can withstand pesticides and other chemicals to make the crops drought tolerant and unappealing to insects. The problem is we are creating a monopoly for these chemical companies to own our food supply, depleting the soil of essential nutrients and poisoning ourselves in the meantime (that is if people are even eating fruits and vegetables). In a world where many people are running from one commitment to the next, filling their calendars with barely enough time to sit down for a proper meal, much less to cook one. Many people are getting their meals from a box; eating processed chemicals that are formed and flavored to look and taste like food but is really not. This does not bode well for optimal health, well-being and clarity of mind.
Our bodies are made up of billions of living cells and organisms which need live food to truly nourish and sustain them for optimal health. Recently my client’s nephew was having seizures and the doctors couldn’t figure out why. When I “tracked” (intuitively tuned into) what was happening for this young boy I “got” that he was eating an over abundance of grains and starches. When I asked her about his diet, it turned out he worked for a popular restaurant chain that specializes in pasta, which he ate everyday, sometimes twice a day when on his shift. Since he has changed his diet to more organic fruits and vegetable he has not had any seizures. I find it interesting that not one doctor went in this direction.
In a world where profits supersede quality of life, I feel that it is important to ask ourselves whether it behooves the corporate elite to keep us healthy? Do we continue to believe what we are being sold is safe and healthy when our bodies are showing us otherwise?
The most important thing for us all to understand is that we do have a voice and it will be heard loud and clear when we speak with our wallets. If you haven’t considered what the food you are eating is doing to your body, now might be a good time to do some exploration of your own.
Here are some amazing resources for your inquiry:
Food Inc – http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1286537/
Forks Over Knives – http://www.forksoverknives.com/
Origins – http://origins.well.org/
Hungry for Change – http://www.hungryforchange.tv/
Dirt! The Movie – http://www.dirtthemovie.org/
