Making Health #1- (March 30th post- during power outage)

Making America healthy again should have been the mantra, all along. Optimum human health should be at the top of all government agendas. There was a time when I was naive that I believed all the nutritionists and scientists, created in universities all around the world, then hired by food companies, were there to protect the food supply - farming, agriculture and food processing - for the human race. Is there a hidden agenda? Is there a money trail unknown to the consuming public that allows food groups to exist in a format that helps create that non-stop desire to eat? We are in charge, are we not??

Food's purpose is to help the body recover, heal and maintain a steady stream of valuable food nutrients keeping it in good condition for growth and development. We have organic, NON/GMO, hothouse, greenhouse and others. The food world of the past was a simple time, a cleaner time, too. Gluten free did not exist. The whole point of eating is to refill our reservoir of health for the human body. Longevity is the name of the human game.

So RFK is now in charge. Someone should have been all along. Glucose-fructose, an inexpensive sweetener, is bad news and has been for decades. I wrote about its deliterious effect on our bodies years ago. ... I was shocked from what I learned. Focus, a British publication, illustrated its journey with a gigantic color filled diagram showing where this manufactured sweetener was heading- straight to the liver where garbage generally goes, arrows pointing to this overwhelmed organ. It was scary. 

Glucose-fructose is still with us today, floating in all manner of products we use everyday. ... Decades ago, its introduction was found in familiar drinks called 'cocktails' but has been found in many 'everyday' add-ons such as ketchup, relish, mixes. When does it end? 

Taking short cuts, too often, with food, is a path to ill health. Even Dr. Oz has spoken about this food dilemma. How are we to discern those things that are 'o.k. for us to eat? Why did additives and preservatives become so prevalent in our food supply. The bottom line. That's why.

The food pyramid has changed. Who's intentions are being considered here? Has it now mandated us to consume more carbs? Should we be concerned? A trip to the perimeter of the grocery store with its live food section called produce, meats, and dairy, selected bakery items should be the first line of defense in keeping us healthy, the purpose for visiting any food market and a requirement for all food shopping adventures.

Eat an apple. It's a composite meal in one, loaded with taste. There are thousands of varieties, I have learned; its history, beginning in North Carolina with over a 1,000 varieties lost then found. Experts estimate over 11,000 heirloom varieties are extinct. Apples' history abound. They are everywhere for us to indulge, yet sometimes overlooked as the food to buy. We are smart creatures. I have heard. Do we know enough of the value in visiting the produce aisle for optimum health and wealth?

As I walked to the local pizzeria for that popular slice of pizza, the young boy passing me complained to his classmate,”I'm still hungry”. He had just finished eating his pizza slice. I looked towards him, remarking that an apple might have tamped down his hunger. Maybe he will think the next time and place one or two of these crunchy delights in his back pack to satisfy hunger when it comes calling. The urge to eat is ever present. Embracing real food helps reduce the mindless indulgence we all face everyday with food. Sometimes it is thirst not hunger that we feel.

A freshly minted body might cope with wrong choices for a time but not forever. The body accumulates toxins from some foods we choose to eat on a regular basis, then one day, responds in ways not expected. 

Homemade can be everything we hope it can be. But remember, the sauces added into the mix of protein and vegetables can cancel the benefits of the food or meal just made. And sugar in all its guises is not required for dietary health. It captivates our appetite to think it is an important link to health. It's not and never was! .... (Healthy fats help with the absorption of vitamins A,D,K,and E into the body) And fries could help. Beforehand, eat that delicious salad, a close ally of healthy fries. I do whenever I can.