Last night Reed and I went out to see Michael Pollen speak at the university. I was pretty impressed with what I heard.
He has a great speaking style, kind of like the favorite professor meets touring book author. Which I guess sums him up as he does teach at Berkley (I felt a little jealous when I read that; I always was satisfied with my college choice, but to have opportunities to learn from cool people like that every day? ....In my next life, I guess)
Anyhow, I enjoyed his talk. He mostly reviewed his written work while also touching on the manipulation of food labeling in relation to the current malnutrition that our Western diet commonly causes. My mom is really good at reading labels on processed food packages, so I have always had a good role model when choosing my food. However as I listened to Michael Pollen talk of the decades of false nutrition claims made by large snack/junk food corporations with no governmental regulation to weed out the lies, I was more then ready to head to my grocery store to bring home only the "quiet food".
As I listened, I reflected on how grateful I feel to have such a peaceful place such as the Co-op to shop for food. I still find food packages in that store that I will avoid because of suspicious health claims, but I would say that 70-90% of the food I or Reed take home is a whole food. Food that we chop or cook. The quiet foods like kale or grapes are the true walkers, I think. I would hate to walk the noisy maze of "whole wheat white bread!" or "Fish fat in the yogurt!" in a grocery on a weekly basis. To paraphrase Michael Pollen: the United States, the most unhealthiest country in the world, has given over to the processed food producers the sole ability to determine the nutrition of our daily meal.
He also talked a bit about the twisted relationship between commercial agriculture and obesity, but mostly focused on positive behaviors that one person can do to prevent poor health in a world that screams "buy my processed food-like substance, it's good for you!" He spoke of farmers markets that accept food stamps and the relationships that developed in the two communities that were commonly isolated from one another. He reminded us of the joys of seasonal food, waiting for strawberries in June or asparagus in the early spring. A part of the American health problem derives from a misconception that we have somehow earned the right to consume whatever, whenever, in large quantities, and at the cheapest price please.
One awareness that I gained from the lecture pertained to China. I hadn't given much thought about food grown in China until Michael Pollen began to speak of a student of his who worked with and interviewed several farmers living in China. These farmers were very casual about the meaning of organic food and were often claiming organic status yet farming on soils that were heavily polluted. So once again, I will be checking labels carefully. Garbage in, garbage out.
I love that we were able to partake in this experience at the same times as a large-scale food discussion comes up within our own government. The Obama administration has begun to clean up the neglect that our kids have suffered under federally funded lunch programs as well as finally give enforcement rights to the FDA to deal with corrupt food companies who sicken people with harmful products. I think time has proven that our culture of food has failed. 1 in 3 kids are currently obese or over-weight. I think we all need a little more regulation in our lives.
When has healthy food become a luxury item?