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The Unhealthy Truth: How our food is making us sick- and what we can do about it
By: Robyn O’Brien with Rachel Kranz
This book I feel will connect better with families that have children- especially those suffering with allergies. But I really think this book has a lot of facts that everyone should read involving the food industry, how it effects your health, and really how most people know nothing about it!
The book is on the personal journey of Robyn and her discovery of the connection to the food we eat and how it may have directly contributed to her children’s allergies. Also it tells of how her journey in discovering her children’s allergies drove her to create the Allergy kids foundation.
I love the detailed and fact based information that she gives you on EVERYTHING to back it up. Some of the things I have already know about- but others I did not. And let me tell you I was shocked!
One thing that really gets me fired up- that I only found out about recently is that the entire U.S. has unknowingly been part of the GMO (Genetically modified organism) “experiment” since the 1990s! I am sure you might have heard some buzz about this in the news recently. Especially since there has been petition to label these GMO so that consumers know what they are eating- and can avoid it if they so desire. I mean it was bad enough that we were spraying all those chemicals now in some plants they are growing the pesticides right into the food!
**Warning Small rant to follow:
Of course the company producing this product (Monsanto) is fighting with claws out not to get the labeling of GMOs passed. My personal opinion is because they know that people will opt not to eat foods containing any genetically modified ingredients- if not to help the earth- than to protect their health and the health of their children. And I think Monsanto knows this and that is why they dread a law to label GMOs.
Some great news for CA- let’s hope this catches on around the nation.
California is poised to be the first state with mandatory GMO labeling laws through the 2012 California Ballot Initiative process.
Read more here.
Even noted in the book is how she wishes that there was someone else to name besides Monsanto. The problem is there isn’t. Monsanto is over everything from the GMO products- to the rBGH- to the round up that the GMOs are made to withstand (then they can sell more roundup!)The thing that makes me sick is that the corporate participants in Monsanto are now in the government- in the FDA! So now on a government level they can push their product.
You should also do a Google search on what will happen if you are a farmer- that did not purchase or plant their seed product- but because of natural spreading of seed/ pollen via air, bees, and birds your farm can end up with Monsanto suing you for using their product without purchasing. EVEN IF YOU DON'T WANT THE SEEDS!
I would have to say the last nail in the coffin for me was that Monsanto has the desire to patent pigs…PIGS! I mean farmers are hassled enough for the grains they grow- now livestock. I really belive that Monsanto is trying to take over the food supply for the U.S. and that is going to hurt everyone. For more on this go to the Organic Consumers website.
***END rant :)
It is of course not just Mansanto stopping our food change. Pharmaceutical companies and health insurance companies also profit from us eating poor quality food that makes us sick. And since Pharmaceutical companies give a lot of money to government related organizations- why would they want to shut it down? Even at the expense of the people in their country that they should be looking out for.
A few things I did know but at worth repeating are:
-The influence in the U.S. of Pharmaceutical and Food companies influence on research. Chances are if they are funding the research on their product- that product is going to pass inspection.
-Stay away from Soy! It seems that only small amount of soy are ok for the adult- but it is something right now that is pretty much in ALL the processed food we eat- and it is causing health concerns.
For more on Soy go to: The Westen A. Price Foundation
Or Ask Dr. Sears website. (This is more for the soy formula- so common for babies)
-Look for food labels with a short list of ingrents- or ingredients you can pronounce!
Some things I would strongly consider or am considering after reading this book:
-If you do not grow your own food- you might want to consider a small garden. I grow tomatoes, jalapeno peppers, mint, and basil in my small Los Angeles studio window. This gives you complete control over what you are growing and what you feed your plants.
- I want to stock up on organic seeds. I just have to see if they will keep until I can plant them.
-Organic milk/milk products- if not organic at least rBGH free. Read about it in this book- I am sure it will change your mind as well. I currently get organic milk and yogurt and would eventually like to switch to raw milk as well to reap the health benefit that it provides (but that is another post).
Now after reading this book- I could not help but feel overwhelmed it was a lot of truth to take in.
In this book though the have a lot of suggestions on the small steps that you can take to make yourself and your family healthier.
Take it in baby steps.
Change just one thing at a time. Once a week or once a month.
Start small and work to a goal of 80%- 20%. Eighty percent nutritious, pure, healthy food- and the twenty percent for some wiggle room and what you just can't control.
To sum up- this book would be great for everyone to read- but particularly for people with children.
It is also full of some great resources to further your knowledge and stay up to date. Pretty sure I would not mind having it on my shelf.
Here are a few websites that might help you as well.
Chef Ann Cooper- Lunch Lessons: changing the way we are feeding our children
Food Inc- Movie website (in another blog soon)
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