Food

This weekend I've been doing a lot of reading/watching on the North American food industry.

I started reading Michael Moss' "Salt, Sugar, Fat" and I highly recommend it.  Basically, it's about how the processed food industry has injected its product with the above ingredients, which has lead to us becoming addicted to their unhealthy, cheap, and convenient products.  The results?  The obesity epidemic.

This evening, I went to the Bloor Hot Docs theatre to see the documentary "A Place at the Table", which is about how there are millions of Americans who are food insecure (i.e. don't know where their next meal is from), and how the hunger epidemic in the US in paradoxically related to obesity.  Healthy food isn't cheap, as anyone who has cleaned up their eating habits (like me) can attest.  If you are counting every cent and can get empty calories cheaper, what choice do you really have?



The documentary was very powerful.  I was in tears at the end.  I think we can all agree that food is a fundamental human right, and it's tragic that people don't have enough in one of the wealthiest countries on the planet.  I feel that things might be slightly better in Canada; my understanding is that our rules for government assistance might not be as strict, but I'm obviously not speaking from any sort of experience, just a Canadian assumption. 

However, as a person who has supported food banks for years, I do know that far too many Canadians have to use them.  Hunger and obesity are problems that are rooted in poverty.  Of course, it doesn't help that our food industry makes it difficult to get a nutritious meal.  I feel that people are becoming more knowledgeable about these problem, and I hope that there is a change soon.  Nutritious food should be accessible for all, regardless of income level.  If you only care about economics, it will save us money in the long run if fewer people are suffering the health problems associated with obesity.

Even though I've never had to eat unhealthy food because of financial issues, I did grow up eating a lot of fast foods and processed foods.  The reason is simple.  I grew up with a mother with a chronic illness (multiple sclerosis).  She was often too tired to cook the nutritious meals that I grew up with as a kid (before her disease progressed) and getting fast food, or reheating something processed was all that could be done.  In addition, I feel that my mom would splurge on junk food treats, because well, that was something she could still do for me, as opposed to a lot of the mom-daughter activities that she could no longer do. 

I'm not blaming my mom at all, but I really do believe that the reliance on fast food I had as a teenager, as well as emotional eating, lead me to become a nutritional disaster.  I was finally able to change my eating habits in my late 20s, and lost a bunch of weight as a result.  However, the spectre of emotional eating, plus a lifestyle where I go out a lot, has lead me to gain some of it back.  Hence, I'm yet again on the healthy eating wagon and quite happily.  In addition, I've finally grown to really enjoy exercise in the past five years or so of my life.  I'm really enjoying the changes in my body and strength that have come as a result of hiring a personal trainer this year (more on that in another post). 

Reading "Salt, Sugar, Fat" is giving me such contempt for the processed food industry.  Since January, I have eaten virtually no processed foods.  Everything I eat is pretty whole: meats, eggs, veggies, fruits, nuts, eggs, and dairy.  I was always a heavy user of processed foods.  I am so glad that I no longer support those industries, and I feel that my weekend reading/viewing has committed me more to my diet, if not just for my own personal health, but as a way to vote with my money.  I no longer wish to support these companies who value profit over human health.

I am so glad that I have necessary income, and education, to pursue a healthy lifestyle.  I am spending a lot of money this year on my health, but I know it's a worthwhile investment.  I just wish that when it came to the access to nutritious food, every one had the same opportunities as me.

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In other weekend news, I ran my first 5K of the 2013.  I did Harry's Spring Run Off in High Park. It was a lovely chilly sunny morning, and I had a great run.  It's a rather challenging course... there are some hilly portions, and the last 500 m is uphill.  What a challenge.  I (and most other runners) had to walk most of this last portion.  If I'd known the finish line was literally around the corner from the top of the hill, I would have given it halfway up the hill.  Good knowledge for if I do this race again.  My time was 34:30, which is just 46 seconds shy of my PB in a 5K race.  However, since the course was so challenging, I do feel like it was a PB anyway.  :)

I told myself that if I finished in under 35 minutes, I would treat myself to some new brightly-coloured runners.  So that's what I did today.  :)  I've been shoe crazy lately.  I've purchased 3 pairs of shoes in as many weekends.  I promise you all a shoe post soon!