So I was catching some breakfast at the airport and decided to watch one of the TED episodes on my iPhone. This one is about how food shapes the world. Hopefully it makes you think.
http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/carolyn_steel_how_food_shapes_our_cities.html
Thoughts: I have always wanted to improve the diet in my life: cut my sugar intake down, eat more fruits and veggies, create a proper eating schedule. This week has helped reiterate that idea. I'm about to get on the plane, but today let's talk food.
24 comments:
I actually watched this video last week. Now, this is a topic I can sink my teeth into. Ok, I know....that was really bad.
Anyway, for all the reasons in her talk are why I eat very little meat, and try to buy from local farms and vendors as much as possible. Every now and then a little bacon sneaks in. I like to call it the baconatarian lifestyle.
I did start out my blog as well to be a diary of a trying to live a raw food lifestyle, but it kind of morphed into something else along the way.
I am hoping to see the movie/documentary Food Inc soon as well. It looks like it has lots of the same info but from the farmers perspective as well.
Safe Travels, and enjoy the airport cuisine.
Heather
She made a lot of key points in her presentation.
1) Food seems to be the key to a more Utopian society.
2) It can be used as a very powerful tool in bringing the community together.
3) Cities and farmers go hand and hand..
And I think a lot of people don't realize how important the farmer really is to the urban life.
Where I live in southeastern Wisconsin, it is becoming more and more urbanized. Farmers are selling their lands left and right. Soon there will be nothing left.
My family used to raise llamas, and we lived out in the country on ten acres, for a time. It was all farm land around us. Now when I go out there, there are subdivisions all around it with these huge houses.
It conflicts me that people find building these big houses to be more important than our farm land.
The life of a farmer here in WI has become pretty hard to survive. Unless you got enough land and enough machinery, you won't last long. The urban cities don't really care either.
I really hope society gets a wake up call soon before it's too late.
I have also been trying to fix my diet. It's not as hard as it seems. For me the hardest part is affording to eat healthy. Fruits and veggies are expensive alot of the time! They also don't stay fresh as long as other foods do. Good luck with your diet shaping this week Serg. Have a great week!! Much love!!
Last year I decided to change my diet. After adjusting to eating mostly fruits, veggies, and other healthy stuff, now it's hard for me to get into eating anything other than that. Good luck with yours. It's not that hard. You can do it!
Have a wonderful week! :)
-Kris
Wow.. It's hard to change your diet. I know. I've been working on mine for a few months now and that vid was neat.
Keep giving us nice links Serg! It really gives me something to do when I'm home alone.
-Rachel
BTW, I can't wait for PS's new season to start Dec 15! I have it written all ove my calender and daily notebook thingy. My friends call me obsessed... Oh well. Thye watch it too!
I’m not the type who gets on a soapbox to preach vegetarianism or veganism, but there are more reasons for kicking out meat and dairy than personal health. When I first stopped eating meat, it was more of a way to control my diet and it made me feel more healthy and energized, but eating meat and dairy actually does a lot of harm to our environment, and cutting out (or at least lowering your intake of) meat and dairy can help prevent a lot of water from being wasted and can save endangered species as well as help to avoid rain forest destruction and production of carbon dioxide and methane gases. Also, cutting out meat and dairy can reduce the risk of cancer.
Here’s a website with some related links:
http://www.earthsave.org/environment/
If you think about it, evolutionarily, we’re not really designed to be meat eaters anymore. We lead very sedentary lifestyles in this world of technology, and we don’t do any hunting. We’re not Neanderthals and we don’t have massive jaws or teeth conducive to tearing into meat. We have small jaws with rounded teeth.
Carolyn Steele said "We are what we eat". So if we are what we eat, why would we want to ingest disease-ridden foods, harmful chemicals, growth hormones and flesh that is in a constant state of decomposition? We have to change the way we view food. Society has brainwashed us with ideas of how to think about food. For some reason meat is considered manly and rough and rugged and symbolizes virility. Where did this bullshit come from, anyway? If anything, it makes you tired and sluggish. Americans equate food with "good times" and "fun". It gives us comfort when life gets too uncomfortable. It just takes a change in the way you view food. Eating food should be for the purpose of putting nutrients into your body and treating your body well, because it is the vessel that encases your soul. It is your only temple, which grounds you to the Earth, and should be treated with love and care. Indulging in your senses is a privilege we are given in this physical existence, so we should still find delight in berries and fruits that come from the Earth, which is where we come from as well. Our sense of taste has been desensitized with processed foods packed with artificial flavors and preservatives. I believe that the further things are from nature, the more likely they are to be hazardous to you.
Clover,
I agree with some of what you are saying. I have found that by cutting out a lot of meat in my diet, I do seem more energized and I am healthier.
However I do find dairy is important to your body's needs, but that it should be rationalized. I know I don't eat enough fruits and veggies as I should, but mostly because it is expensive.
If I had the money I would TOTALLY live on organic foods. But I don't have that luxury to be able to live that kind of lifestyle right now. And that goes for most of America.
I'm not saying I disagree with your reasons to why Americans eat the way they do, I agree wholeheartedly, "you are what you eat".
However, some people don't have much of a choice. It's cheaper to buy a burger at Mcd's than it is to buy one pound of strawberries at the grocer. In the long run "what is going to fill me up more?" Probably the burger. Strawberries have carbs, therefore will make you hungry quicker than a burger. So to someone that has only a couple bucks to spare than $4.00 for a lb of strawberries (which will make them hungry again in an hour or so)it makes more sense to buy the burger.
I can understand that logic, but that doesn't mean it's healthy or that they prefer a burger over fruit, It's just the way our economy is, and the choices the people have to make.
I'm a meat eater, and I don't think I will ever convert. It's not like I eat meat every day. Maybe once a week. (And usually white meat or fish) I have noticed a change in myself, since I cut back. But I will never take it out of my diet completely.
I don't judge people if they decide to be vegetarians, or what they choose to eat period. It is their choice, and it is their body.
But I do believe that in order for us to be a healthier society, the food industry DOES need to change. Or more diseases and more cancer and more virus's will continue to plague our people.
I think that just by wanting to eat healthier, you are moving closer to doing so, eventually. I could ramble on and on about food but I won't. I will only say that I think everyone should be their own diet detective and find out which foods make you feel at your best so you can reach your goals and highest potential!! These days, no one has time to be feeling like crap! Food truly is medicine for the body. Okay, I'll stop now!
Yeah, it definitely is expensive to live a healthy lifestyle and eat organic. But in a way, if one has patience, it really is less expensive to buy stuff for a big meal in the produce section and have leftovers than to buy one meal at McD's. Most people just want convenience and "now" food. Organic has become a brand name, itself, and if a company slaps "organic" on the label, they can charge you a couple dollars more so you can feel good about what you're buying, even if it's not REALLY organic. It's all evil, I tell you. lol
But I don't think there are any reasons, besides convenience, that dairy is a necessity in the human diet. Besides the cows being shot up with growth hormones, the milk from a cow is intended to raise a baby calf into 1200 lb cow. And we wonder why kids are hitting puberty so early. o_O
Milk really doesn't even contain that much calcium...leafy green veggies, grains and even potatoes contain more calcium than milk. Protein inhibits calcium absorption, and that's what milk is... kinda like liquid meat. The source of protein in one's diet doesn't have to be from meat or dairy products, since it's the amino acids in protein that are important. The same amino acid chains are in beans, nuts and several other sources.
What freaks me out about milk is the traces of bacteria from the cows' wounded utters from the metal milking machines that leave disgusting sores that seeps into the milk, and also supposedly traces of rocket fuel.
The main thing that most people can't get past is that it's "hard". It's not really if you investigate your options, and once you get past any food addictions like fast food and burgers, healthier foods will fill you up and leave you satisfied and not hungry.
I'm not intending to be argumentative lol... Just sharing my views and my personal reasons as to why I choose a vegetarian lifestyle. :)
Ideally, I'd like my diet to be completely vegan, but I still get stuck on the cheese and chocolate now and then. lol
Amen, Clover. I'm glad you mentioned the milking machines. Most people are unaware of that. I think most people picture meat and dairy coming from nice, family farms in the mid-west and don't realize the disgusting and inhumane conditions that the animals are subjected to. Aside from the fact that the cows are pumped full of hormones that are passed onto people, and aside from the fact that milk is not created for adults, AND aside from the fact that milking machines are cruel and painful, the milk that comes from this process contains both blood and pus. Gross.
Yeah... it's nasty. And the workers in slaughterhouses spit and piss on the floors (since they don't get sufficient breaks)... all of that and the blood goes down the grates and it's nasty and black and crawling w/ bugs. They're supposed to throw out the chickens that fall on the floor, but most of them just pick them up and send 'em on down the line... uggh. I can't stand hearing about the abuse and mistreatment, either. I can't even read about it or watch any of those videos because it makes my whole body shake with anger and rage and disgust... just wanna puke and cry at the same time. :/
Clover, I agree with you on just about everything. Dairy is bad, and to say it would be hard to give up is just saying you aren't willing to search out alternatives. We have been brainwashed by everyone telling us we need dairy to be healthy and it just isn't true.
I read a great article in Get Fresh magazine by Brendan Brazier on how insane it is that an apple costs more than a hamburger. Meat and Dairy have much more addictive qualities than fruit and veggies. So that equals big money for commerical meat and dairy farmers. If we reversed everything it would be a much different world. I also read that McDonald's is switching to a South American distributor for their beef instead of buying from U.S. suppliers. So as you can imaginge the little standards we go by here are going to be even worse in South America. McDonald's claims that the U.S. suppliers can't meet the demand. Please. I am not one to tell anyone to stop eating this or that, but please for the love of god, know where your food comes from. If you want to eat meat or dairy I can guarantee there is a local orgainc farmer nearby that would love your business. You know where your food comes from, and you are helping your local economy as well.
Okay, removing soapbox from my feet as of now.
Wow, well it's a good thing I don't drink much milk.
I'm really disgusted now. Yeah I knew things were not good in the cow industry, but I didn't realize it was that bad. My uncle raised cows, and I had been to his farm many times as a kid. It was never like that. I guess he was a decent farmer, and the cows weren't raised by machinery. He milked them all by hand. I guess nowadays that is not the norm. Sad but true.
I am seriously gonna think twice about my meat now.
And I haven't had a burger from McD's in well, I can't remember. That is just scary they are going to get their meat from South America! What on earth are they thinking? Ugh.
Ok, no more hamburgers and maybe no more chicken too!! :P
I eat meat but its deers and piggys that friends rise..
After all man been eating meat for a long time..its even talked about in the Bible..
I do have question for those that don't eat meat..it said there bug parts in everything that can be eating..so do that mean you're really eating meat or do bugs not count as meat?
You mentioned you were going to talk about HDR soon. I hope you still are going to. Here is an awesome shot of a panoramic HDR photo. AMAZING!
http://scorpionentity.deviantart.com/art/Tineretului-Panoramic-HDR-01-112355818
Enjoy your last two cases
May I encourage you to read the book "Ishmael: An Adventure of the Mind and Spirit" by Daniel Quinn? It paints a whole new picture of the world's agriculture industry. It's a fiction parable, so some suspension of belief is required.
Thank You for posting about Ted.com...I watched the Carolyn Steel video, and then some! Very informative, and extremely interesting. Food is starting to become an important global issue. With population on the rise, and deforestation neck and neck with the birth rate, GMO foods are looking better and better to feed the masses..I heartily disagree with genetically modified foods, and hope that peoples will start to take an interest in what GMO actually consists of.
Knock, knock. Is anybody there? It's been over a month. LOL j/k
Awesome show last night, looking forward to the rest of the season. Been missing ya on here, come back soon! Stay warm!
Serg, come back soon! :) We all miss you! I watched the new season's first episode last night and it was amazing!
-Kris (canon_kris on twitter. :))
P.S. You were rockin' that zombie shirt!
i do think that there is a point to the fact that food controls us. look at all the fast food restaurants and how much healthier we would be if we eliminated them. but i cant say i would be able to give them up. i always love going to burger king once in a while. i wanted to see that doc. Food inc. its about farmers and being a farmer myself i found it interesting. also i wanted to say something to you, Serg, about a comment someone left on your photo page. they were very nasty and said some very rude things that upset me. i was really angry but i didnt say anything because i dont want a fight, but i thought i should tell you before this person offends anyone else. i think your photography is the best! its so imaginative and bold. not many people are willing to do that. i love your photography i hope you never stop taking those awesome pictures!
Post a Comment