Once again, nutritional advice that makes nothing but sense.

The article, titled “Why Your Grandparents Didn’t Have Food Allergies… But You Do” outlines common sense reasons why our bodies are not in the shape that our grandparents’ were. We spend less time outside, process our food out of its nutrients, eat out of season, and have doctors on speed dial when the body’s healing process is a strong force in itself. Because of all this buildup of gunk in our food and medicine, it deteriorates our health and we end up with side effects like allergies. I’m sure there are exceptions to this rule, but it really opens up the differences in two generations and their lifestyles.

Why your grandparents didn’t have food allergies…but you do

The most recent episode of South Park is titled “Gluten Free Ebola” and even though it is funny, its themes have roots about the food problems our culture has. In this episode, they do a spoof on gluten-free and anyone that eats gluten will die. Tom Vilsack appears on the episode and during the gluten crisis he says “We are the USDA. Without us, people would be eating dirt and chairs.” The entire episode basically centers around the new ridiculous gluten-free craze and relates it to the equally ridiculous Ebola panic. The entire episode can be found below, and I think it’s worth watching for a good laugh about  how crazy some diet fads in the U.S. are.

http://southpark.cc.com/full-episodes/s18e02-gluten-free-ebola

This article describes how GMO labeling will affect the average consumer. GMO labeling will increase the cost of food… by approximately $2.30 per person per year. A range of impact was given: $0.32 to $15.01, with $2.30 being the median cost increase. Previous studies stating that food costs would increase by hundreds of dollars a year were funded by major food manufacturers and retails, those who will be negatively impacted by GMO labeling. 64 nations have already mandated GMO labeling, without any significant increase in food costs.

From this information, one can easily see that Californians were not justified in their decision not to pass legislative on GMO labeling. Public apprehension of increased food costs, apprehension stemming from the costly efforts of major corporations, has hindered our progress toward providing consumers with information to which they have a right.

States that have mandated GMO labeling are being sued by major corporations such as Monsanto and General Mills. The fact these companies are permitted to sue a state over something that should be public knowledge, knowledge that should be mandated by the government, is a disgrace to our society and the way we do business. As GMO labeling will not stop these companies from selling their products, and as many consumers will continue to purchase those products, there is no reason as to why the foods should not be labeled with adequate information on their origins.

I know this sounds a bit weird, but required GMO labeling may cause more problems than it would solve. I’ve always felt less passionate about being anti-GMO than being anti-many other things because I honestly do think GMO’s do have their place if in the right hands (which they aren’t, but I’m talking theoretically). Because of my unsure feelings about GMO’s, I was attracted to the headline of this article “4 problems GMO labeling won’t solve.” The four problems are (1) too much technology in food, (2) pesticides, (3) corporate control, and (4) patents. Overall, the article highlights the problem that we can’t just fight with our purchases and we can’t expect corporate agribusiness to not adapt to something as simple as a label. Their adaptations will most likely make our food even more harmful and the article even points to radiation caused mutations that are being used now that GMO’s are getting negative attention. In many cases, the new kinds of methods for mutation are more harmful than genetic modification and will become more prevalent if companies see that having GMO’s in their products will reduce revenue.

What this comes down to is the fact that real solutions are complicated and an overly simple “solution” may exacerbate problems.

http://grist.org/food/here-are-4-problems-that-gmo-labeling-wont-solve/

http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2014/10/antibiotic-sales-to-farms-up-16-percent/

I came across this article and found it really interesting that sales of antibiotics to farms have increased 16% between 2009 and 2012. We have discussed the issue of antibiotics on farms quite often but I liked this article because of how recent it is. Ninety-seven percent of these drugs were sold over-the-counter, and feed was the most common means of administration for them. Public health officials expressed their concern that overuse of antibiotics on farms will lead to an increase in antibiotic-resistant pathogens that affect humans.

“The vast majority of antibiotics used in animal agriculture are important in human medicine, and most of them are being fed to animals that aren’t sick.”

One instance I found very interesting because of its irony was “In January 2012, FDA banned the extralabel use of cephalosporins in food animals to preserve their effectiveness for treating sick people, yet the sales of those drugs still rose that year.” This data were are presented with is very limited, administrators are curious about use by species and the actual purposes of administration, and the FDA has acknowledged it and said they hope to find a way to collect that data.

Obviously I’m not the first one to say this, but as I learn more and more about our food I’ve been wondering to myself “why do I eat meat anyway?” So at this point, I’m looking into becoming closer to a vegetarian (probably will end up flexitarian, so that I don’t have to cut out everything permenantly). Before I do this, I decided to look up some tips. What I’ve come across is this-
-Going without meat means you have to look out to make sure you’re getting certain nutrients such as calcium, vitamin D, iron, and omega-3 fatty acids, not just protein.
-It’s not just meat that’s not vegetarian- certain thickeners and flavoring contain animal products, such as gelatin.
-It only takes a few weeks to eliminate meat cravings!
The last fact is pretty exciting, since I’ve spent my whole life living off meat. I’m hypoglycemic, which means my blood sugar gets low very quickly, so I was raised on the ideal of eating a lot of meat. If I can balance my blood sugar and help the environment/my morals by not eating meat, or at least less, that would be a huge change but mostly for the better!

For her master’s degree, Leann Brown made this cookbook where you only have to spend four dollars a day to make filling, healthy meals. The meals aren’t bland either- they mix flavors in a way that you get everything you need and it tastes good too! Brown starts off the free book with tips on how to get good food for cheap, which is super helpful in terms of changing food habits for both health and the environment.

http://www.endoriot.com/2014/08/free-cookbook-teaches-you-how-to-eat.html
https://41aac1a9acbe9b97bcebc10e0dd7cb61ef11502c.googledrive.com/host/0B9c5aT4eSlRfMzVpbC0xemtkSlE/good-and-cheap.pdf

http://grist.org/food/why-vermont-is-doing-maple-syrup-right/

This is yet another one of Grist’s United States of Sustainable Food highlights and it is on a Vermont maple syrup and dairy farm called Ledganear farm. This farm works with a forester to make sure that his grove maintains biodiversity and ecosystem health. They also uses harvested wood from the forest surrounding him to make fuel to process his maple syrup instead of oil. Lastly, they take advantage of the waste produced by their cows and make fertilizer.

It is great to see yet another farm that works with the culture of their area as well as the land that they use. More farmers should work with scientists and foresters to understand how they can conserve the land that they use to make their product.

http://grist.org/food/why-rhode-island-is-doing-oysters-right/

As one of the many great food articles in grist.org’s new series of states who do particular foods “right,” this article gives a quick blurb about an oyster farm in Rhode Island called Walrus and Carpenter Oysters. They harvest their oysters only by hand and only sell them to local areas and New York City. By doing this, they are allowing the oysters to replenish their habitats by having the time to do their natural process of filtering water before they are caught.

I especially like that Walrus and Carpenter have summer dinners at their oyster farm where community members can come, learn about their sustainable aquaculture, and enjoy one of the most culturally significant Rhode Island foods. As an oyster lover, myself, I am glad to know that there is a sustainable way to harvest oysters and people who are passionate enough to feed and educate their community.

Everyone must watch this TED talk! A little 11 year old boys explains and comments on all of the detailed aspects of the current agricultural world that we have been discussing thus far. It is incredible to hear someone so young speak about such an important topic. This boy is extremely bright for his young age and truly provides a beacon of hope for future generations!

As an important side note, this video truly got me thinking about how human beings can initiate change in the world. In my personal opinion, the most powerful mechanism for change is through education–specifically in the younger generations of children. If students begin to learn about issues in the agricultural world from a young age, many principals and opinions will be ingrained with these young children as they age. The children of today are the politicians, scientists, farmers, USDA/ FDA/EPA/corporation workers of the future. Therefore, one of the main movements regarding the issues with the modern-day agribusiness should be education and awareness, as comprehension and understanding are necessary to initiate change.

TED TALK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvVZwJbs54c