Food is Medicine
The life and consciousness that we ingest becomes the life and consciousness that we manifest. In other words, you are what you eat. Food is on the first shelf of every traditional healer's medicine cabinet. The animals and plants that we eat have unique and specific characteristics that can help or hurt certain ailments [1]. These characteristics include their macro-nutrient make-up (i.e. carbohydrate, protein, and fat), their vitamin and mineral content, their energy signatures such as yin and yang, and the consciousness embedded in their tissues based on the life they've lived (e.g. the comparison between animals who have suffered in a confined animal feeding operation (CAFO) versus animals pastured and raised in a humane and loving environment). One category of the above food characteristics influences the other categories. For instance, meat from animals raised in CAFOs and vegetables raised in monocultures or sprayed with pesticides have far fewer vitamins and minerals than humanely and organically raised meats and veggies. Plus, non-organic meats and vegetables can contain toxic chemicals, added hormones, and antibiotics. If we consume stressed-out, low-consciousness foods, how do you think our bodies will reflect this in our tissues? They sure won't be contributing to healing, at least not nearly as well as high-conscious, wholesomely-raised foods.
When we buy and prepare our foods to maximize their healing potential we must keep in mind three simple rules:
1. Buy organic, local, fair-trade, pastured, grass-fed, sustainably harvested, and humanely-raised animal foods and produce whenever possible.
Plants and animals grown and raised in a wholesome, natural way are more nutritious, more delicious, safer, and better for our environment. Here a few things to keep in mind when buying foods with an ecological awareness:
If it is not possible for you to buy organic all the time, here are some suggestions:
2. Buy whole foods.
This means buy fresh produce, fresh animal products, and whole grains/nuts/seeds instead of processed and packaged foods. Avoid buying packaged foods as much as possible, and instead buy from the bulk bins. If you must buy packaged foods, a good rule of thumb to follow is that there can only be 10 ingredients or less, and there cannot be anything on that list that you can't pronounce or don't know what it is. Eating whole foods also means eating the whole forms of foods, i.e. whole milk, full-fat cheese, whole meats (not reduced fat meats), and full-fat ingredients. Foods that have had something removed from them are by definition highly processed and denatured, therefore bad for you. That goes for everyone, even people who don't need the fat as much as we do. Reduced-fat products are often destroyed by heat and pressure, have added toxic chemicals used in the processing, or have added sugar to replace the fat. If you eat packaged foods, be sure to avoid any foods that are labeled with "reduced"-something, or that make any health claims. Michael Pollan said in his book In Defense of Food, that you can be fairly sure that a food is unhealthy if the package is claiming that it is healthy for you. It's all about marketing, and we can't fall into any of those traps. Be especially wary of anything labeled "heart healthy" or anything stamped by the American Heart Association - these are clear signs of an unhealthy food (as explained in detail in Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon). If a food is wholesome and un-messed with, there is no need to advertise its health benefits. I always stick to the rule (which is applicable to life in general) that if something has to be advertised, that means that you don't need it and it's probably bad for you anyway.
Since we'll be eating mostly whole, unprocessed foods, that means the majority of our foods will be cooked at home from scratch. This may take a bit more time and effort, but our health will greatly benefit from it. Be strategic about how you spend your time cooking and prepping meals. Maybe you could cook all your meals on your days off for the rest of the week and then freeze or refrigerate them. Maybe you could make a huge pot of soup on Sunday that could make up your lunches for the rest of the week. Maybe you always have a ball jar full of sprouting brown rice on the counter to keep an uninterrupted supply. Eating out at restaurants is not only expensive, but it is unpredictable (because you don't know what ingredients they have put in the food), and way too tempting to eat something you're not supposed to that will make you feel sick later.
3. Check your labels
Many companies use words on their labels that seem like they might mean indicate that they are good for animals and the environment: "cage-free", "natural", "vegetarian-fed", "free-range", etc. Let's examine what these words really mean:
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[1] Healing with Whole Foods. Paul Pitchford.
[2] http://www.cdc.gov/drugresistance/threat-report-2013/index.html
When we buy and prepare our foods to maximize their healing potential we must keep in mind three simple rules:
1. Buy organic, local, fair-trade, pastured, grass-fed, sustainably harvested, and humanely-raised animal foods and produce whenever possible.
Plants and animals grown and raised in a wholesome, natural way are more nutritious, more delicious, safer, and better for our environment. Here a few things to keep in mind when buying foods with an ecological awareness:
- Where did the food came from and how much climate-changing fossil fuels was required to bring it to your home?
- Who grew/raised your food and have they gotten fairly compensated for their efforts, or are they being oppressed by systemic racism, sexism, classism, or corporatism?
- Was the food raised with environmentally benign or beneficial practices? Does it contain GMOs? Is it organic or sustainably-farmed? What are the waste management and soil fertility practices of the producers?
- Were chemicals were sprayed on the plants we eat, and if so what kinds? Were growth hormones or antibiotics given to the animals that provide us with milk or meat, and if so what kind?
- Concerning the animal products that we consume, what were those animals fed and how were they raised and treated? How is this compatible with their natural instincts and emotional/physical needs?
- Animal products containing antibiotics (any dairy or meat that is not organic) must be completely avoided by CFers because they are causing rampant antibiotic resistance, something we have to be very careful to avoid so that when we need antibiotics to treat our lung infections, they work as effectively as possible. The CDC and the WHO have both condemned the use of antibiotics in livestock for this reason [2].
If it is not possible for you to buy organic all the time, here are some suggestions:
- Do not buy conventional CAFO-raised meat at all. It is dangerous in that it is more at risk for contamination with pathogens; has added artificial hormones, antibiotics, chemicals, and fillers; and is very inflammatory due to its high omega-6 and low omega-3 fatty acid content. The same goes for non-organic (non-pastured) poultry, eggs, and dairy, too. That's not mentioning all of the important ethical and environmental concerns with CAFOs. If you have to have an animal protein that's not organic/sustainable/humane, I would suggest getting some seafood instead. Plant-derived protein may be best for everyday use if you can't get good animal protein, and then supplement with high-quality, high-consciousness meat as often as possible. Also, find a farmer who sells grass-fed, humanely raised meat and buy a huge of meat at once at whole-sale prices. If your freezer is big enough, invest in a half-cow or pig, or split a share with a friend. You can get really cheap, high-quality meat this way.
- Shop according to the Dirty Dozen/Clean Fifteen List. This list is based on which fruits and vegetables have the most residual pesticides on them when you pick them up at the grocery store. Eat your veggies no matter what, but choose organic strategically to avoid the produce that has the highest occurrence of toxic chemicals.
- Dirty Dozen (buy these organic to avoid the toxic pesticide residues on conventional varieties): apples, celery, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, grapes, hot peppers, imported nectarines, peaches, potatoes, spinach, strawberries, sweet bell peppers, PLUS kale/collard greens/chard, summer squash (zucchini and yellow squash; watch out, some conventional zucchini might be GMO).
- Clean Fifteen (these are ok to buy conventional because they have lower rates of pesticide toxicity): asparagus, avocado, cantaloupe, sweet corn (watch out, some of it might be GMO), eggplant, grapefruit, kiwi, mangoes, mushrooms, onions, papaya (watch out, almost all Hawai'ian papaya is GMO), pineapples, frozen sweet peas, sweet potatoes.
- A note on affordability of local, organic foods: Yes, they might be more expensive than conventional foods, but in reality conventional food prices are actually artificially low due to federal subsidies and super-sized factory-farmed monoculture. Local, organic foods are priced according to reality. In the past all of our food was local and organic. Only since the post-WWII "Green Revolution" have we been spraying enormous fields of fruits and veggies with toxic chemicals and confining animals in inhumane and unsanitary feedlots for the sake of "efficiency". What has efficiency given us? Disease and environmental devastation. Conventional agriculture is a very new way to grow food, and it is unnatural and unsafe. We've been eating organic foods for millions of years, yet we have only had about 60 years to see whether or not this new way of producing food is viable. And look at the results: diabetes, obesity, cancer, heart disease, soil degradation, habitat destruction, nutrient pollution in our waterways... the list goes on and on. Buying organic and humane foods is important for so many reasons, so look in your budget to see where you can trim down spending on unnecessary things in order to spend more on food. Get rid of your TV! Reduce your utility bills by using less energy and water. Bike and walk instead of driving. Get rid of expensive addictions (coffee, cigarettes, alcohol, etc.). Eat out less, cook at home more. Shop at thrift stores. Most of these things that save you money actually reduce your ecological footprint, too! Yay for sustainability and a bigger food budget! Of course, you can always grow your own organic food! Even a window box of herbs or a bucket of cherry tomatoes is a good start.
2. Buy whole foods.
This means buy fresh produce, fresh animal products, and whole grains/nuts/seeds instead of processed and packaged foods. Avoid buying packaged foods as much as possible, and instead buy from the bulk bins. If you must buy packaged foods, a good rule of thumb to follow is that there can only be 10 ingredients or less, and there cannot be anything on that list that you can't pronounce or don't know what it is. Eating whole foods also means eating the whole forms of foods, i.e. whole milk, full-fat cheese, whole meats (not reduced fat meats), and full-fat ingredients. Foods that have had something removed from them are by definition highly processed and denatured, therefore bad for you. That goes for everyone, even people who don't need the fat as much as we do. Reduced-fat products are often destroyed by heat and pressure, have added toxic chemicals used in the processing, or have added sugar to replace the fat. If you eat packaged foods, be sure to avoid any foods that are labeled with "reduced"-something, or that make any health claims. Michael Pollan said in his book In Defense of Food, that you can be fairly sure that a food is unhealthy if the package is claiming that it is healthy for you. It's all about marketing, and we can't fall into any of those traps. Be especially wary of anything labeled "heart healthy" or anything stamped by the American Heart Association - these are clear signs of an unhealthy food (as explained in detail in Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon). If a food is wholesome and un-messed with, there is no need to advertise its health benefits. I always stick to the rule (which is applicable to life in general) that if something has to be advertised, that means that you don't need it and it's probably bad for you anyway.
Since we'll be eating mostly whole, unprocessed foods, that means the majority of our foods will be cooked at home from scratch. This may take a bit more time and effort, but our health will greatly benefit from it. Be strategic about how you spend your time cooking and prepping meals. Maybe you could cook all your meals on your days off for the rest of the week and then freeze or refrigerate them. Maybe you could make a huge pot of soup on Sunday that could make up your lunches for the rest of the week. Maybe you always have a ball jar full of sprouting brown rice on the counter to keep an uninterrupted supply. Eating out at restaurants is not only expensive, but it is unpredictable (because you don't know what ingredients they have put in the food), and way too tempting to eat something you're not supposed to that will make you feel sick later.
3. Check your labels
Many companies use words on their labels that seem like they might mean indicate that they are good for animals and the environment: "cage-free", "natural", "vegetarian-fed", "free-range", etc. Let's examine what these words really mean:
- "Cage-free" - when referring to eggs, this simply means that the hens are not kept in cages. While this is better than battery-raised hens, it says nothing about the conditions the hens are actually raised in. If this is the only qualifier on a carton of eggs, it means that the hens are still being raised in inhumane, cramped, unnatural, and stressful conditions, usually in a henhouse with thousands of other birds who never see the sun, are fed unnatural food, and are very likely to be diseased. Instead, look for "pasture-raised" or "pastured" eggs, which means the hens live mostly outdoors and eat natural food (grass, leaves, bugs, some grain).
- "Natural" is a completely unregulated word and means absolutely nothing on a food label. Have you ever wondered why a packaged food-like-substance containing high-fructose corn syrup and food colorings can be called "all-natural"? This is why. So you can ignore the word natural on food labels.
- "Vegetarian-fed" - similar to "cage-free", all this means is that an animal wasn't fed its neighbors that died from ill-treatment nor animal byproducts. If you can believe it, some CAFO-raised herbivores (dairy and meat cows, and poultry too) are actually fed meat from their neighbors that died, or from industrial animal wastes. Is that sick or what? It's stupidity on a grand scale. So vegetarian-fed may simply mean their handlers are using common sense. So it essentially means nothing.
- "Free-range" - This is another misleading label which can mean different things depending on the type of animal raised. In egg-farming this term has no legal meaning, so you can ignore it. In poultry meat farming, it simply means the birds have some access to the outdoors, but there is no standard for how large and area or for how long. Industrial poultry operations can technically call their meat free-range and all they have to do is cut a hole in the side of their monster henhouse so there is access to a tiny yard of a few square feet for thousands of birds. Furthermore, broiler chickens (those bred for their breast meat) are so mutated that most of them can't stand or walk long distances due to the enormous weight of their breasts. So we cannot rely on this word to guarantee us humane treatment of poultry. In the raising of other animals (e.g. beef, pork, lamb) there is no legal definition of the word, so it is essentially meaningless. Instead, look for the word "pasture-raised" or "grass-fed".
- Manufacturers also come up with clever words that sound like they could indicate humane treatment but actually mean nothing at all. For example, one time I bought a package of "range-grown" turkey jerky, but I didn't know what "range-grown" meant so I called the company to ask. They said it means that the turkeys are kept in a giant barn with thousands of other turkeys and do not get access to the outdoors. Does that seem humane to you? I was obviously very frustrated that their fancy wording had tricked me into believing I had bought humanely raised turkey. There are many labels that clever advertising firms use to trick us good-hearted folks into buying inhumane animal products, so read your labels carefully and know what those words mean.
- Good labels to look for are "grass-fed", "pasture-raised" or "pastured", "certified humane", and "organic". Grass-fed means an animal (usually a grazing animal like a cow) lives outside and eats only grass and forage, their natural diet. These animals are not fed grain (which is not part of their natural diet and very hard for grazers to digest) nor are they given antibiotics or hormones. There are several options for certification of grass-fed meat and dairy, so either look for a certification on the label or get to know the farmer better. Pasture-raised or pastured means that the animal has plenty of outdoor space to roam around in and engage in all the behaviors and sensations that the animal would in its natural habitat. There is no certification for this qualifier however, so you're going to have to find a brand or farmer that you trust in order to verify that this is indeed true. Another good label to look for is "Certified Humane" which requires animals be given continual access to the outdoors, they are not given hormones or antibiotics, and they are slaughtered humanely. This certification is done by a third party verifier. "Organic" is also a good label because it has a strict, legally-binding definition, however the organic certification does not have specific requirements as to the amount of space available to animals to roam or be outside, and animals can also be fed grain, as long as it's organic. To get the best quality animal products, buy meat or eggs that have the most number of these good labels. Or better yet, know your farmer personally ask them how they raise their animals, and go to the farm to visit them! For more info on what specific labels on animal foods mean, check out this guide from Animal Welfare Approved.
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[1] Healing with Whole Foods. Paul Pitchford.
[2] http://www.cdc.gov/drugresistance/threat-report-2013/index.html
