Food and The Power of Choice

I'm usually attracted to writing about optimistic issues - at least from the perspective of empowerment.

Change what you can and have the wisdom to know what you can't.

So on the subject of nourishment - the basic foundation of fueling ourselves with energy-producing food that will add to our lifeforce - we have all sorts of empowering choices.

Don't we??

The documentary movie Food Inc takes a deep look at the subject of choice and offers us lots to think about - much of it clearly upsetting. We are in the dark kids, when it comes to food processing, contents, management and control. If you think you know what's going on, or that it doesn't affect you and your family, then watch this movie and see if you really know.

The picture is grim, and the results of our current actions (or non-actions) are felt by all. Yet I do believe we CAN change the way our systems work - and that the way we are likely to do that is to be effective at the individual level.

If you wish to exercise your own power of choice at this most basic level of your own health and wellbeing, then -

First: Knowledge is power. Get educated. Go see the movie and/or go to the website to get filled in.

Second: Don't give up or give in! It is likely that you will see, as I did, that individual action counts. Vote with your choices. Vote with your habits. Vote at the checkout.

Third: Recognize what the best result for all concerned actually means.

"What Would a Mystic Do?" Why act for the benefit of the greatest number while inflicting the least harm, of course!

If you browse the website you will see highlights on the following issues:

"In Food, Inc. we meet Barbara Kowalcyk, whose 2 year old son, Kevin, died from E.coli poisoning after eating a hamburger. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 76 million Americans are sickened, 325,000 are hospitalized and 5,000 die each year from foodborne illnesses. Although Kevin's law is not pending in Congress right now, there are other important national food safety legislation pending now for you to support.Some of our most important staple foods have been fundamentally altered, and genetically engineered meat and produce have already invaded our grocery stores and our kitchen pantries."

"Cancers, autism and neurological disorders are associated with the use of pesticides especially amongst farm workers and their communities. Learn about what pesticides are in your food and their effects."

"Approximately 10 billion animals (chickens, cattle, hogs, ducks, turkeys, lambs and sheep) are raised and killed in the US annually. Nearly all of them are raised on factory farms under inhumane conditions. These industrial farms are also dangerous for their workers, pollute surrounding communities, are unsafe to our food system and contribute significantly to global warming."

"High calorie, sugar laden processed foods coupled with our sedentary lifestyles is growing our waistlines and contributing to serious health issues like diabetes, heart ailments and cancers. One-third of children and adolescents are overweight or obese."

So what can you do??

* Know what's happening.

* Care enough for yourself and others to choose wisely.

* Act.

See for yourself. The movie Food Inc is on DVD now.

Namaste

oooooohhhhhhhmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm