Food for Thought
The collective discussion surrounding “health” has hovered at fever pitch for nearly 2 years now. We are under the constant barrage of statistics, “expert” opinions and public policy, each seeking to dictate best practice methods for us all to stay “safe”; yet the elephant in the room remains unaddressed. While we seem intent on stoking the fires of fear porn very few of us are doing the work to actually promote healthy living.
Food as medicine is a concept that seems to have been relegated to a bygone era. What happened to the preschool axiom that “we are what we eat?” This simple golden rule has been tossed aside in favor of a medicalized approach to everything. It’s a shame considering how deep the connection is between the things we eat and the way we feel.
A recent trip to the supermarket left me deep in thought about the paradox that is our current obsession with health and the way in which it is approached in everyday life. I watched as a double-masked woman went from aisle to aisle filling her cart with soda, chips, and an array of processed frozen food. These modern staples of the American diet are laden with high fructose corn syrup, artificial dyes and additives, along with a host of other harmful ingredients. Countless studies (see links below) have concluded that high fructose corn syrup is directly linked to inflammation of the immune system. The same immune system which is the body’s first line of defense in staving off any illness. So why is it that someone who is so obviously concerned with “protecting” their health that they are voluntarily double masking, seems to be doing their damndest to damage it?
There is no simple single answer to this question, but rather a need to address the deep disconnect between health and nutrition. There seems to be a collective state of denial surrounding long standing best practice approaches to boosting the immune system. The body’s natural ability to stave off illness is bolstered by exposure to the sun, water intake and vitamin rich foods. Simply put, staying home day drinking while eating free donuts is just about the worst thing you can do if good health is actually your goal.
It’s high time we reevaluate a reactive medicalized approach to “health” and promote the powerful and self-empowering idea of taking our health into our own hands. After all is said and done it is in fact nature’s bounty in its unprocessed and unartificial state that is the actual key to “staying safe!”
Referenced Studies
Damaging effects of High Fructose Corn Syrup on the Immune System
Alcohol and the Immune System