Food philosophy

My premise about food is that we should not only be conscientious about what we eat, but also conscious of from where it comes. We have a tendency to go to the supermarket and look at neat packages of meat, etc. and not think about how it got there. I was guilty of this, too. I have been guilty all my life of not thinking things through, but my awareness is expanding with my age. :)

We need to respect our food, not only in regards to our health, but with regard to the animals that gave their lives to feed us and also with regard to the environment. I have watched documentaries showing how rivers have disappeared for the sake of agriculture. Trucking produce across the country adds to pollution and oil consumption (and therefore our greed for oil and reliance on other countries).

And now let's talk about CAFOs. Confined animal feeding operations. Just the term does not conjure up good images. The mass production of food is taking a huge toll on our environment and our health. Animals are penned in close quarters creating unhealthy environments and are raised to market weight as quickly as possible. That brings about the need to feed them antibiotics and hormones which in turn brings health problems to the humans who consume this meat such as antibiotic resistant diseases like MRSA. The runoff from these operations are toxic.

Here are a couple of articles about CAFOs with more detail if you are interested.
One by Dr. Mercola.
And this one.

The point I really want to drive home with this post is about food waste, however. I believe that quality, not quantity is an important priority when it comes to groceries. (Buying items in bulk like grain and beans reduces packaging and garbage.) Focusing on locally farmed meat and produce and using everything you buy will not only result in a healthier you, but a healthier planet. Respect your food and where it comes from. Respect your body. A conscious life....