Who Controls What You Eat?

During the last decade, there have been an alarming number of food recalls. Not only have the number of recalls been escalating, but the breadth and depth of these food related incidents has expanded. According to the FDAs website there have been over 1 million pounds of meat recalled in the last three months. What factors are influencing this phenomenon?

• Disconnect with Food- We no longer have a realistic idea of where our food comes from or how it is affecting our lives.
• Food Politics- Who is really in control of our food supply? Corporate food producers, suppliers, and manufacturers.
• Industrialized Food Production- Factory farming is not alligned with the values mosst of us embrace.
• Globalization- The import and export of food ingredients is not regulated sufficiently, as evidenced by the pet food recall and contaminated, imported berries.
  

What can you do to protect yourself and those you love?

• Don't Believe the Hype, fads, partial truths, health claims, and marketing tactics.
• Decrease Consumption- Especially animal products. There is a huge surplus of food produced in this country. I realize there are underfed/undernourished people in this country, but its not due to a food shortage. Food is wasted, discarded, and rotting in every state across this nation. Instead of focusing on improving the quality of our food supply, we are still trying to compensate by increasing the quantity of food produced. This practice has exaserbated the current health problems of our nation.
• Educate Yourself- Find professionals who truly care about your health and nutrition. Those who are devoted to finding and sharing the truth, regardless of how uncomfortable it may be and who have nothing to gain except improving the current nutrition and health of our nation. (In other words, no money or politics involved.)

To start your education, check out the following sites:

http://www.naturalbias.com/

http://www.usfoodcrisisgroup.org/

http://www.fooddeclaration.org/

http://www.slowfoodusa.org/

http://www.foodispower.org/