Parents, if you love your children….

This morning I saw a  story about a teenage girl who after losing both parents at an early age, was now battling an aggressive form of cancer. The pictures of her late mother and her sister, who is now her guardian, revealed two obese people. I couldn’t help wondering if her mother might still be living if she had been more conscious of her diet. Who knows, the teenager’s current cancerous state could be a result of a poor diet. I know some of you are saying, not all obesity is caused by diet. It could be a thyroid problem or she could just be “big boned”. Maybe, maybe not. I tend to look at things we have control over, problems that have tangible solutions, like what we eat.

There are numerous studies that link poor food choices with various diseases from high blood pressure to diabetes, heart disease and some types of cancer. I believe there should be warning labels on food: “BEWARE, contains animal genes, effect of the human body unknown”, “WARNING, this produce has been sprayed with chemicals known to cause illness and sometimes death”, “CAUTION, high levels of sugar and salt inside which upset the natural chemical balance of the body”…but they don’t.

What if everybody knew the truth about the poisons in the foods they ingest on a daily basis? I  know several people who are aware of this, yet they maintain the eating habits. Intelligent, educated people who voluntarily poison themselves on a regular basis. There are many excuses: “It taste soooo good!”, “I know so-and-so who is 90 years old and she eats everything and anything”, “I knew a health food nut who died at age 45″, “Healthy food is too expensive”, and so on.

So what’s the bottom line?

If you truly love yourself and your children, you will not ingest poison. You will do everything in your power to provide the most wholesome food for you and your family, regardless of the cost.

Until we believe a healthy meal is more important than a big screen plasma HD TV, our overall health will continue to decline. Our misguided priorities are leading us down the road of death and self destruction. We must put as much emphasis on what we put in our bodies as what we put on our bodies. Until we do, the numbers of children contracting diabetes, cancer and  other diseases that not too long ago  affected only adults will  grow larger.

It’s up to you – parents and expectant couples – to save our most important resource, your children, our children, the children of the world.

It’s the “Food” Stupid

With all the talk about affordable health care, it seems as though intelligent people are missing a major point.

Many diseases can be directly linked to the “food like” substances we consume on a daily basis. High blood pressure, diabetes, cancer and heart disease are just a few. And yet the emphasis is on treatment rather than prevention. I, and others, find this diversion suspicious.

Don’t get me wrong, doctors are good for treatment of traumatic injuries. If you fall and break your leg, you would be wise to call a doctor, not a farmer. But when it comes to illnesses, your focus should be on not getting sick at all. Once you are in the system of diagnosis, prognosis, prescription drugs and numerous follow up visits, it is hard to escape.

As demonstrated in the movie, Food Inc., the commercial food industry is just as powerful as the pharmaceutical and insurance interests. Multinational food companies like Monsanto and Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) wield enormous power over farmers, the media and our political representatives. ADM bills itself as a benevolent provider of food for the masses without disclosing its sinister practices used in mass food production with total disregard for the health of others. It is documented that it knowingly sprays crops with pesticides that pose a health risk to farm workers and consumers alike. Monsanto, with its genetically modified crops and pesticide resistant seeds is guilty as well of deceiving the public.

The fast food industry is complicit in our health care crisis as well. It’s ironic that McDonald’s provides housing for cancer patients (Ronald McDonald House) while its food like meals contribute to the disease. It is one of the largest purchasers of beef and produce in the world and has major influence over the farming industry.

We must vote with our spending. Refuse to buy pesticide ridden fruits and vegetables. Purchase organic produce from your local farmer’s markets. Read, study and research the effects a meat based diet has on your health and do the same for a plant based diet.

It’s the food, it’s the food, it’s the food.

In Defense of “Health Nuts”

Recently a friend of mine mentioned that a friend, an acknowledged “health nut”, met an untimely death. The implication being that person’s health consciousness failed to sustain their life. I beg to differ.

Many times I’ve been asked my reasons for maintaining a vegetarian lifestyle. “Is it religion?” “Is it strictly health?” “Longevity?” “Why, why, why?” The simply answer is I truly believe it is the right path for me on many levels. A few reasons are:

A. Processed foods contain many chemicals that are known to be harmful.
B. Animals are injected and fed hormones and antibiotics that end up in your body.
C. Some diseased animals are turned into feed and fed by to other animals.

Let me point out that many of you spend more time picking out a pair of shoes than deciding what you will put in your mouths. There are consequences to everything you eat. They may not be instantly noticeable, but they are as real as that new outfit you can’t wait to wear.

So if you choose to ingest “food” as a reflex action, try to understand those who choose to be “picky” about what they eat.

I strongly urge you to see the movie, Food, Inc. It is an eye opener.

“The best health plan is prevention”

Vegetarian Oasis in the desert of Palm Springs

You won’t believe the relief I felt when I found the Palm Greens Cafe in Palm Springs, CA today!  After driving around in 100+ degree temperatures, I literally found myself at the doorstep of a great organic vegan restaurant.  The menu offers many choices: breakfast bowls, meatless salads, wraps, gourmet sandwiches, bottled and fresh squeezed  juices, homemade drinks and specialty deserts.  The prices are reasonable and the service is great.  I highly recommend the Palm Greens Cafe. I’m sure you won’t be disappointed.

Good News For Your Health!

Today I join  millions of  bloggers and  hope to make a positive difference in the  lives of those that read the information that I have to share.

As a child  I noticed my relatives suffering from the same illnesses: diabetes, arthritis, high blood pressure and others.  Even though they had different doctors, the recommendations were the same: stop eating fried, fatty foods, cutback  on sugar and salt, drink more water and exercise more.  Most of them continued their same lifestyles and eventually all had a bedroom dresser covered with prescription medicines. They also succumbed to the diagnosed diseases within the doctor’s predicted time frame.  It became my  lifetime quest to find out  why this story repeated itself over and over, avoid the same pitfall and share this knowledge with others.

Going forward I will do my best to not be “preachy”, keep it short and sweet and tell you everything I have learned in the areas of natural health, especially vegetarian related matters.