Monday, February 27, 2012

What's Your Choice?

Anyone that knows me, knows that I have very strong feelings about the way people, Americans specifically, have become mindless cattle.  When it comes to food, eating healthy, buying sustainable products, living "green", and making the world a better place in general, I will yell at the top of my voice until everyone around me starts thinking for themselves.  Stop letting the government, big pharma, and lobbyists decide your options, forcing shit down your throat you don't need.  I'm not Polyanna.  I know how the world operates.  And I know we all have choices.

I choose the good stuff.

I am very passionate about food.  Healthy, fresh food that is not processed, or with as minimal processing as possible.  I am an advocate for cooking with and for your family, sitting down at the table, and sharing a meal.  Shut off the TV, the XBOX, the computer.  Turn on some nice music, sit at the table and have a conversation with your loved one or family.  Ask them how their day was.  What did you learn at school today?  How was work?  I thought we'd go see so and so this weekend.  See where I'm going with this?

I know there are people out there that work very hard.  Three jobs, crazy hours.  Truck drivers, airline pilots, businessmen that travel for work that can't get home every night to see their family.  But when they do get home, sitting down at the table with their family should be a priority.  That's just me.  Maybe I'm the abnormal one.

This is what greeted me when I entered the market this morning:




Now, I'm all for being frugal and saving money in this very bad economy.  As a private chef, I am well aware that luxury items are the first to go in tough times.  People can barely afford to feed themselves, let alone hire someone like me to do it for them.  But this just makes my blood boil.

People have busy schedules, kids, errands, etc.  They believe they have no time to put a decent, nutritious meal in the lunchbox or on the dinner table.  They are told they have no time because of the way marketing is skewed toward making them believe it.  The "convenience" of the options pictured above are very appealing to a haggard young mom with 2 kids pulling on her leg, and wanting a lollipop.  I understand there is a market for these items.  What I can't wrap my head around is the fact that you can buy this shit for a $1 each.  Or better still, go to any grease factory, heart-attack-waiting-to-happen, fast food place and feed your family off the $1 menu.  I know those places now offer healthier options as well.  IT'S A CHOICE.  I get it.

I don't get that you can't buy organic produce and sustainable meat at reasonable prices because the government and food/drug lobbyists want it that way.  So much at stake.  So much money to make.  So many prescription drugs to sell.  That "healthy" (pun intended) bottom line for the quarterly report to the share holders.  Let's keep the cycle going.  No one is paying attention.  It's quick and easy.  And so is that pill that will fix your bad cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, and liver.  Oh, and let's not forget about the penis pills.  Does your cock need a shock?

I regulate my liver functions, cholesterol, heart, and bones through nature.  Vitamins that are all natural.  Granted, all the pharmaceuticals are coming from plants as well, but they are being chemically manipulated.  Have you actually listened to the side effects to some of these drugs?

I'll use Lipitor as example #1:

"Blinding headaches, nausea, vertigo, disorientation, memory loss, extremely dry eyes, pain and stiffness, abdominal pain, muscle pain, weakness, spasms".


I'll use Chantix, a drug to help you quit smoking as example #2:


"Some people have had changes in behavior, hostility, agitation, depressed mood, suicidal thoughts or actions while using CHANTIX to help them quit smoking. Some people had these symptoms when they began taking CHANTIX, and others developed them after several weeks of treatment or after stopping CHANTIX. If you, your family, or caregiver notice agitation, hostility, depression, or changes in behavior, thinking, or mood that are not typical for you, or you develop suicidal thoughts or actions, anxiety, panic, aggression, anger, mania, abnormal sensations, hallucinations, paranoia, or confusion, stop taking CHANTIX and call your doctor right away. Also tell your doctor about any history of depression or other mental health problems before taking CHANTIX, as these symptoms may worsen while taking CHANTIX."


SIGN ME UP FOR 5 PRESCRIPTIONS!!  Can't wait for that mind bending trip.  Like a roller coaster, only you didn't get to ride.  What the fuck is wrong with these pharmaceutical companies?  And any person that would actually want to take these drugs?  I get it.  It's a CHOICE.

I honestly believe it should be called "Sick Care', not health care.  The healthy people that CHOSE to eat right and stay out of the doctor's office and off the easy medication should be rewarded and have lower premiums.  The people that CHOSE to eat poorly, are obese, just don't care, won't lose weight or change their habits, and take the pills for an easy fix, should have to pay more.  Now, I understand a lot of people have congenital issues with their health and NEED to take medication to regulate those issues, even though they live a healthy life and eat well.

I just want people to read the labels on these "easy fix meals" and decide for themselves.  There aren't labels in the produce or meat aisle.  Now why is that?  Oh yeah!  IT'S FRESH!  And if there are labels on any of the processed, seasoned, mystery meat in bag, read it and know that your're being tricked.  If your 7 year old can't pronounce an ingredient on the nutrition information label on those frozen dinners you love so much, you shouldn't be ingesting it.  PERIOD.

A good rule to live by:  Only eat what will eventually ROT.  If it could survive a nuclear holocaust, three ice ages, and a meteor hitting the Earth, I'd just say NO.

But that's my choice.

What's your choice?

Cheers,

LMS

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