How Food is Killing Us

My coblogger Joan gave us some pretty scary Food for Thought in her post on Friday. Since then we have been discussing that we need to propose some solutions to these food dilemnas. And we wondered to each other, what CAN we eat? Is it really THAT bad?Actually it is worse. Yet another story popped up this week in the Washington Post. Research discloses that not only are meats rife with potential harmful antibiotics and diseases, but also the way food is handled can add more potential health risks. Fast food, because it is so processed, spends more time on machines and touching plastic which leaves a higher amount of toxins in the food. In fact, new research has linked consuming fast food with the presence of elevated levels of harmful chemicals in the body, ones usually found in soap and makeup. The researchers are calling it the discovery of a “striking new side effect of fast food.”So what can we do? My response is to be practical. So here is our list:

1. become a vegetarian. To me, this is a drastic step. But not to Joan — she is already there. I have to say, most vegetarians and vegans I know are well fed and happy. There are even more health benefits than just not eating the antibiotics and chemicals in meat says Prevention Magazine.
2. cook all meat thoroughly. This is a must-do for anyone like me, still consuming meat.  While I hate well-done hamburgers, the latest evidence supports I should no longer risk eating a rare hamburger. I guess now my choice is well done or vegetable burger! The latest evidence supports it is no longer prudent to risk eating any meat rare, the known contaminants can only be neutralized with thorough cooking.
3. go fishing. Even if only in the supermarket, it is sometimes easier to find wild caught fish than organic meats. In general, fish raised in the wild are healthier to eat than meat. Even wild caught fish however, can absorb contaminants in its natural environment, such as mercury, PCBs and pesticides.
4. variety is the spice of life. Any idea what a lychee is? I had none, until I read 5 new super-fruits, another helpful eye-opener from Prevention Magazine. There is a whole world of fruit and vegetables out there, way beyond bananas and broccoli. This research has made me aware, the more different kinds of fruit and vegetables I eat, the more varied the nutrients and vitamins I absorb. Furthermore, choosing from a wider sampling of food spreads the risk. It diminishes the chances of damaging our health from concentratred amounts of any one food that may be found at a later date to be toxic for a reason we don’t even know now.
5. moderation. All foods, vegetables included, can contain pesticides and other harmful chemicals. Let’s face it. We live in a polluted world. So if I try to make the healthiest choice available to me at every meal, cook at home as often as possible, eat fish but not too much, and watch the portion size, I might have a fighting chance to stay healthy.

I’ve got to go and see if there is any produce section in any store near by me that carries lychee.© Jane F. Collen April 19, 2016 IndexCardCure. small steps to healthier living