Food

There are plenty of issues with our conventional industrial food system. Sometimes it's difficult to hear about their practices and even more difficult to view those practices. If any of you have watched Food Inc, you know what I mean. I think by our very nature, humans are compassionate and fair-minded. We don't like the idea that our food is being "mistreated"--from the living, breathing cow right on down to the genetically-modified seed. But when confronted with that reality, any solution seems mind-bogglingly difficult. How can I change that system? And do I have the energy or time to deal with something that should be easy in my life? [I'm not going to argue here about whether or not food--from growing, to processing, to cooking--should be "easy". Our culture demands it.]

But there is something we can all do. It starts with awareness and education. Watch the movie Fresh (streaming online for free until Wednesday). It's a wonderful documentary featuring just some of the folks who are challenging "conventional wisdom".

We are talking about the food that we are eating. 

If we think of food as medicine, or at the very least, 

as fuel for our bodies, then we should put the best inside of us. 

Here are some of the other things we can do:

#1 We can vote with our dollars. 

Shop local!! Shop local!! Shop local!!

Buy fresh foods, not processed. 

Shop the perimeter of your grocery store.

Buy organic, if you can.

Grow some of your own veggies.

Start a neighborhood garden.

Share the labor and rewards of your garden with friends and family.

Shop the farmer's market.

Buy direct. Many farmers sell directly from their farms. 

"Nature is not a place to visit, it is home."   
-  Gary Snyder