As this International food project (which has lead to more cooking) consumes more and more of my time, I have really adopted the Meeker obsession trait. I can't stop reading and researching...and Hell they even have dvd's and instant play Netflix stuff I can watch. Food is everywhere...and I have become so obsessed with it that I am beginning to freak out. I have learned myself scared! Who knew how many chemicals we come in contact with everyday? Holy crap...how have we not killed ourselves off yet?
I always thought that the people who shopped at Trader Joe's and Whole Foods to buy things like organic cotton toilet paper, plant based cleaners, and organic apples were just crazy hippies...and now I am about to sign up! We actually went to Trader Joe's today and I am convinced that we will be using the lowest chemical soaps and cleaners and eating the highest quality food that we can afford. Why did it never occur to me that I need to take better care of myself? I am getting ready to become a wife and will one day be a mother...the burden of my care now surpasses far beyond my own health and is now venturing into Marc's health and the health of the unborn (or adopted)Meeker children. I need to get this right the first time...talk about pressure!So I am stuck obsessing over juicers and emulsifiers. Do I have to go vegan? Can we still eat meat? Should I listen strictly to Charlotte Gerson? Hell Montel Williams is pushing juicing with his Health Master. I feel like these people are the ones that are correct, but can that many people really be wrong? I feel its right because its common sense. When I eat better I feel better...so why is it becoming harder and harder to do? Where is the magical source that says "DO THIS!"
I can believe them. They are basically saying the same thing and have their own powerful stories and the amazing stories of others...or I can trust the American media and hope that they are telling the truth.Marc's mother proposed the question: If they had the cure for cancer in the 1920's wouldn't we already know about it? This sounds right to me...Hell to a normal human of any amount of intelligence this sounds true, but documentary after documentary show me that the FDA, AMA and ACS are lying to us. Ok so the government is lying...oh crap what else aren't they telling us? To believe this feeds theory upon theory until you arrive at the theory of the New World Order and how the government is controlling us with consumerism, drugs, and the chemicals in our food. Doesn't seem far off, but its enough to make your head spin. No wonder people just develop a drinking problem...or some other dependency...its much easier to cope when you don't give a shit.
I feel that this world is going to eventually turn me into a crazy person or the 120 year old lady that raises Alpaca's and scares the fat kids (which will be normal) in town. :) To explain the alpaca's we must journey back to 2004 when I had a bout with the evil monster insomnia...which of course can only be tamed by watching infomercials at 3 am. To my amusement and slight horror there was an infomercial on Alpaca's. Yep...you can become rich raising Alpaca's. Fast Forward 3 weeks to Happy Hour at Friday's when my girlfriends and I laughed for hours about this infomercial (Christina had also seen it) and how we would all pool our money and get some Alpaca's. We would raise them and use the wool to create Al-back-paca's the stylish backpack to be worn with your fancy UGG boots that were becoming all the rage! It was a great idea...but what isn't when you are enjoying copious amounts of cheap margarita's?
Either way there are some great websites and Documentaries that I will recommend for you if you are ready to lose your mind!
The Beautiful Truth (2008) Available on Netflix
Food Matters (2008) Available on Netflix
http://www.gerson.org The Gerson Institutes Official Website
http://www.carolalt.com Supermodel and Raw Foodie shares her stories
Now I am going to go make a cheeseburger (at least with whole wheat buns & organic cheese) and think about how damn hard this will be...and try like HELL to make it happen!
Read Pollan...especially, read what Pollan still eats after writing his books and making his documentaries. And read Barbara Kingsolver's "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle." They won't confuse you. Then, ask me to tell you (just between us) a raw food story or two. IMO, careful vegetarian (low fat dairy) eating, or mostly (local and/or organic), whole grain only, vegetarian eating with some grass-fed, wild-caught, or free-range protein occasionally is probably about 500% healthier than the way most Americans eat today. (I would like to eat healthy things that don't have to be hyphenated!) And we can only go so far in this direction, due to the high cost of these foods. Those will come down over the next ten years, but, until then, we do what we can. You're making a good start!
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