Magical Cat's Corner

The State of Food

I watched the movie Food, Inc. awhile back. It exposes the terrible practices that the food industry doesn't want you to know about. Everything from genetically modified soy and the evil empire who created it, mistreatment of animals, mishandling of meat and produce, mistreatment of workers... all the ugly truth is there for you to see. And even if you don't want to see it, I think you should. You NEED to see it.

I am really disturbed by just how much soy and high fructose corn syrup is used in food. Those ingredients are in EVERYTHING! I ate soy heavily for about 3 years before I developed cancer. Even though I have a genetic predisposition to the cancer I have, I can't help but wonder if the soy had something to do with it. I only recently realized that 90% of the soybeans in this country are genetically modified to resist the herbicide Roundup. So, most of the soy we eat probably has this chemical mixed in with it. And soy is touted as a health food...

With the availability and low cost of processed foods, it doesn't surprise me that people are getting cancer and diabetes at younger ages. I'm not surprised that so many kids are obese and have high blood pressure. But how do we stop it?

As a result of watching the film and doing some other research, I changed the way I grocery shop. My kids have a chance of getting the same cancer I have, so it is extremely important that I give them the healthiest foods I can. I have stopped buying foods that contain high fructose corn syrup. Even though it's difficult, I try to buy foods that do not contain soy or soybean oil. I buy as much food as I can from Farmer's Markets. I grow some of my own vegetables. I buy organic. I only buy milk that does not contain growth hormones. I buy meat that does not contain hormones. Grass fed beef and free range chickens are best, but they are not always affordable. I buy cage free eggs, which are nearly three times the price as regular, but aside from the fact that the chickens are treated humanely, I think they taste better.

Those changes have upped our grocery bill somewhat. It's not cheap to eat healthy, and that's a shame. It's worth it to me. If we demand that these unhealthy ingredients be removed from our food, the industry will listen. They will have to if they want our money. So let's demand change!