Are you eating differently?

Recently we asked our local whole earth foods co-op manager whether milk in glass bottles was better than in plastic. She said yes.
   It tastes better. And Julie says there's some worry about chemicals in plastic seeping into the milk.
   How important is this whole organic healthy food aspect in the NineShift transition to the new way of life? And are you eating differently? Tell us how.

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Comments

[Jean Marsh]

For an eye-opening view on the food we eat, check out the book, Vegetable, Mineral, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver.

[Claudia Blanton]

Hi!
Good question, great blog!
I am not sure, that many people are really conscious anymore when they are eating. If you really taste a hamburger from a fast food joint, and I mean sit down, chew, and observe the taste, and compare that with the taste of a great healthy balanced meal, the choice is clear in the flavor department. Growing up in Europe, I would have never added mayo on my sandwich, that would have taken away from the flavor of the whole-grain bread and the slice of lunch meat (and I mean 1 slice). At the same time I have listened to the argument, that healthy food is not available for low income people. Okay, I am on a budget (a tight one) and I find the way, so mmm.
Maybe by becoming more aware of what we think, what we talk about, how we go about our day, will also change the way we eat, because we are actually paying attention again.

Peace

Claudia

[Pamela Jenkins]

Wanted to comment about the bit about milk in plastic vs glass. I realize you are not food safety experts so I wondered why you had that in there. It is very misleading -especially when you only talked with an organic food supplier and not even the food safety experts. The plastic used for is safe for milk and actually keeps the Vit D and other nutrients better as they are destroyed by light (which happens in plain glass bottles). I love your adult education stuff, but please stay out of areas you are not experts in. Thanks! (In my last job I was the Food Safety and Defense Nurse Epidemiologist for the State health Dept so I tend to take these kinds of misleading things very seriously!)

--
Dr. Pamela R. Jenkins
Director of Continuing Education
UNC-Chapel Hill School of Nursing
prjenkin@email.unc.edu
919-966-3638

[Val]

I am definitely eating differently. Thanks to the diligence of a local doc I am paying a lot more attention to where my food is grown and how it is handled, choosing organic whenever it is feasible. Detoxing and cleansing are trends I am hearing more about. Now in my early 50's it has made a big difference for me and my overall well-being.

[Maggie]

My family is contemplating some major lifestyle changes this year after some slow shifts in that direction over the past two years. We've made a commitment in the coming year to eating within a 100-mile radius. We are also planting a garden, something we used to do, but had fallen away from in the past couple of years. We're even thinking about raising some chickens for the eggs! My mother-in-law (neighbor) used to have chickens, and the equipment is still all there. Although we've always tried to eat healthy, we have really stepped up our efforts to stay away from processed foods and are eating more whole grains and fresh produce. We are also more choosy about where our meat comes from, choosing organic whenever possible. My husband and I have switched to rice milk, although we would find it hard to give up cheese!

[Harold Jarche]

We're eating more local produce, having recently started a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) group. Natural (not necessarily certified organic) products taste better too. We get year-round vegetables, farm fresh eggs, and natural beef & pork with no hormones or antibiotics. Plus, we're supporting local, sustainable, family-run farms.

[Erik]

There is an interesting email in circulation that depicts families from around the globe displaying what they typically eat in a week. The pictures from the third world highlight how little people need to survive. The European pictures show plenty of fresh produce. The picture from the U.S. which shows an "average" family is almost comical. The picture consists of a family with their HUGE pile of processed food. I'm not sure who picked this family or the motivation of the email's sender, but it may have some merit. I think the trend toward healthy lifestyles while growing, is still more sub-culture than mainstream.

[Mary]

How can we not be eating differently? I just read a book with an interesting (although somewhat irreverant) look at the food industry, dieting, and how we eat. It's called "Skinny Bitch" by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin, and there are parts that are LOL funny and others that are horrifying in their depiction of the food industry (specifically, how a variety of meats and dairy products make their way to our tables). I like their take on organic vegetarianism and have been making the organic transition over the past two years. After reading this I most certainly am going to explore the vegetarian lifestyle a little more seriously! BTW I'm a trailing edge boomer;-)