Must-Read Book!

Okay: since my class ended this past week, I have loaded up on books that I want to read. I’m not even finished with this one I’m about to tell you about, but it is a MUST READ. The book’s called “The Unhealthy Truth: How Our Food Is Making Us Sick—and What We Can Do About It.,” by Robyn O’Brien. DISCLAIMER: The following commentary contains some pretty heavy opinions, which may be unpalatable to some……

This book is a hands down, MUST READ. Robyn addresses many concerns related to our nation’s food supply, which are mostly “swept” under the rug. She poses questions we, as consumers, parents, and informed individuals, should ask. Knowing what I know about the government from studying it four years and attending law school for one, I know there is a HUGE lobbying interest for mega-corporations and basically, whoever has the money. So what about our food supply?

Why is it our nation has the best healthcare system in the world (our people live longer), but our people are more unhealthy (obesity, auto-immune diseases, allergies, cancer)? I have always wondered this myself after having many in my family (and Logan’s) affected by cancer. (I’m sure many of you can relate.)

I know allergies have always been an issue, but why do so many, many more children have allergies? I’m not just talking about mild allergies, which are also on the rise. I am referring to severe, life-threatening allergies. (Think of children with peanut allergies….)

WHAT is possibly triggering this? Robyn explores the lucrative connections between the FDA, EPA, and mega-corporations, many which dominate our food supply. After reading this book, it is very frustrating how the big corporations, namely Monsanto, are using their power to bully the little men: North American farmers.

She poses some interesting questions for which we should all seek the answer: Why is it that Europe, Russia, Australia, some African nations and Japan have all banned genetically-modified ingredients within their foods? (The United Kingdom allows GM foods, but they must be clearly labeled.) Why is it US food with GM ingredients do not have to be even labeled? Isn’t it our right to know what we feed ourselves and our children? After all, in the US, genetically modified food does not even have to be TESTED before it is put on the market. Robyn explores WHY this is happening and WHAT we should do about it.

The UK, Europe, Russia, and Australia have passed laws so there are no artificially synthesized colors in their foods lining their grocery shelves. Even American corporations with businesses within these nations, like Coca-Cola, Walmart, and McDonalds, abide by these rulings. WHY is it that here in the US artificial colors are no problem?

Now here’s some commentary of my own: We have so many health related issues that doctors have NO CONCLUSIVE evidence exactly WHY they have occurred, like ADD, ADHD, autism, many types of allergies, Crohn’s disease, Lou Gehrig’s disease, multiple sclerosis (MS), rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, and some cancers. (These are just the few I can think of off of the top of my head…) Many doctors say many of these are “auto-immune” related disorders, but there is NO CONCLUSIVE evidence what exactly causes them. Why have these diseases seemed to affect more people in recent years? Robyn speaks of this in her book and poses some important questions we should ask.

The foods she discusses are not “processed” foods—these are foods we think are healthy (milk, fresh produce, grains-based foods). PLEASE read this book.

Oh---another great, FREE resource that Robyn suggests is the documentary “The Future of Food.” (It’s an hour and a half long, so make sure you have a bit of time, or watch it in sections, as I am doing.) I found it FREE on hulu.com……… Go to hulu.com and look under the “movies” tab and you will find “The Future of Food….” (It is only one of the topics Robyn covers in her book, but it is worth seeing…..)