The Role of Food

The role of food in American society has changed over the past 50 years or so, to the detriment of us all! I was just watching a blip on some guy's "Food Revolution," (wasn't able to watch the whole thing because my internet is buggy) and he was actually blocked from doing his show in the Los Angeles school district. . . and I can see why! I got up to the point where mothers and some kids brought in the breakfast served that morning in the school: sugar! A packaged honey bun thing ("hot breakfast") and a packaged brownie as the "cold breakfast) were served that morning at one of the public school. One parent spoke up and said the obesity rate is 80%! Gee, I wonder why? Why are schools loading kids up full of sugar, diagnosing them with ADHD and having them pop pills that are in the family of "speed," and then wonder why kids can't learn?

I had to laugh at one point, as did the guy running the show. One child brought in an apple, and his response to the surprise of seeing something that wasn't packaged was, "We're homeschooled." Hoo-yah! That's right, all the other food was ALL pre-packaged. Worse still, the parents reported that the "food" was microwaved in its plastic packaging! Even I'm up to speed on the negative health effects of 1)pre-packaged foods, 2) microwaving foods, 3) heating food in plastic containers. Maybe it's because I don't have t.v. that I'm "in the know" on the info-- I actually have to take time to look up information.

Perhaps it's also what helps us to eat food. . . at home. . . that is raw or that we cook. Perhaps it's why my children are learning the fine art of combining spices and herbs to create culinary delights, and also learning of the health benefits of using certain herbs and spices in cooking!

I'm obese, but my children are far from obese (thankfully) and they are strong physically and mentally. Most people have no clue that my son was diagnosed with ADD/ADHD when he was in second grade, and they give me a stunned expression-- including the teachers who work with him in the home-school program! I am hoping that educating my children now will help them from the myriad of health problems that they are already pre-disposed to getting, including diabetes and thyroid problems (the latter being one of the factors of my obesity). I am hoping to show them that my health would probably be much better if I hadn't eaten so much junk food for so long (during my military years, I drank sodas, ate candy bars and chips-- because that's what was in the vending machine at work, where my shifts lasted for 12 hours at a time), and that prevention is definitely the best route to overall physical and mental health.

Americans are slowly beginning to recognize the role food plays in not just physical health, but mental health as well-- both mental and physical are inextricably intertwined.

While I suffer from the effects of bad choices long ago, and in spite of making positive changes in the past. . . 3 or so years, perhaps I can spare my children by teaching them the importance of what we put on and in  our bodies. As the true (as science is now showing) saying goes, "You are what you eat."

Don't underestimate the importance of food in your health, or in the health of the ones you love.

~Cedeham~