The future of food

I just finished watching what I would consider an important documentary called "The Future Of Food." The film details the decline of the American agricultural community and its absorption into the big business/industrial machine.

I can't even imagine that people are complacent when it comes to what they put into their bodies. I guess I was, for the last 37 years or so, so I can't really blame them... it's about knowledge and ignorance. In this case, ignorance is certainly not bliss. Ignorance is sickness, disease, poor standard of living, high medical costs, and ultimately death.

I can only urge people to learn more about what it is they are eating and drinking. It's frustrating to know that most people would take a stand in favor of non-genetically engineered and modified foods if only they knew more about the issue.

What could possibly be more important than the very food and drink which sustains our bodies? How can we, as parents, feed our children the garbage that is mis-labeled "food" just because it's cheap and easy? There were times when every single item I packed in my kids' lunches was processed and packaged, from the "lunchables" with pretend meat- and cheese-flavored product, to the drink pouches claiming "100% juice!" to the "potato chips" that are about as far removed from a potato as you can possibly get and still be able to use the word.

Yeah, it's much easier to grab that junk out of the fridge than it is to actually make a sandwich with good bread and healthy ingredients, but do we really value the health of our children so little? Do we really not care that the garbage they eat and the sodas and "juices" they drink are waging war on their bodies?

Oh, man... now I'm really rambling on.... got on a soapbox again... I tend to do that, sorry. Do me a favor, please (and yourself and your family)... do some research on the food in your pantry. Look for the words "high fructose corn syrup" (click on it for a Google search on that phrase). Research some of the other barely-pronounceable words in the ingredients lists... find out what they do to the meat and poultry before you put it into your mouth. And while you're at it, check out this web site: The Future Of Food - we can make a difference, but only if we all care enough to DO something.