You are what you eat.
Food, one assumes, provides nourishment; but Americans eat it fully aware that small amounts of poison have been added to improve its appearance and delay its putrefaction.
–John Cage
The body never lies.
–Martha Graham
Imagine that you’ve received a gift from a wealthy uncle—one of the most superb automobiles made—a new Lamborghini. Imagine how you would treat this prized car so that it would function at its peak capacity for years to come, perhaps even a lifetime. Would you fill the gas tank with the highest quality fuel that could be purchased? Or would you fill it with the cheapest 87 octane to save a few bucks? Would you always change the oil in a timely manner using a top-grade brand? Or would you buy whatever oil happened to be on sale? Would you have the car serviced at regular intervals and have all malfunctions properly corrected? Or would you stretch the periods between tune-ups hoping that somehow that engine ping would fix itself?
Well, you have been given a gift, one of the finest ever. And this gift is definitely intended to last a lifetime—your human body. So, how do you treat this body? Do you fill it with junk food and sweets? Or do you choose fruit, vegetables, and grain free from additives and pesticides? Do you lubricate it with sugar-laden soft drinks and caffeinated beverages? Or do you keep it well hydrated with pure water and fresh juice? Do you plop it on the couch in front of the TV set? Or do you take it out for exercise in the fresh air and sunshine?
Why do we often believe that the natural consequences of our actions won’t catch up with us? We get the wake-up calls. Just look around. According to the Centers for Disease Control, more than sixty-one percent of all adults in the U.S. are overweight or obese, and more than thirteen percent of our children and adolescents are seriously overweight. One out of three Americans now living will eventually get cancer (CDC). And the American Heart Association reports that more than sixty million of our nation’s citizens have one or more types of cardiovascular disease. All of these diseases are related to diet and exercise.
Now, I know that none of us is going to get out of here alive. But we certainly stand a better chance for a longer life, a more satisfying life, a more spiritual life if we’re conscious about what we put in the precious body we’ve been given. I believe that a primal part of each of us senses when we’re not nurturing our bodies properly. This part cries out for better sustenance, but most of us are so disconnected from our bodies we cannot hear these messages. Nonetheless it is impossible to be whole while routinely violating the integrity of our being with food and drink that do not support us.
Of course, we can play the victim and try to blame others. But the truth is we don’t have to eat the artificial foods that fast food restaurants, soft drink manufacturers or agribusinesses spew forth. They may make it smell and taste good. They may package it attractively. They may make it easy. But no fast-food enforcer is making you stop off for that super-sized burger and fries. No corporate goon is coming into your home and forcing this stuff down your throat.
We can sleepwalk through life, unconscious of the choices we make and the consequences of these choices. We can blame others. Or we can take a stand for ourselves. We can wakeup and refuse to consume anything that does not fully support the peak functioning of our bodies and therefore our spirits. We can refuse to purchase the over-processed, additive-filled, pesticide-laden rubbish that passes for food these days. We don’t need to petition our elected officials to have laws passed. We can take these matters into our own hands.
It’s your choice. It always has been. Educate yourself. Learn what foods you need for optimum health. Take a stand. Throw out all the unhealthy stuff in your refrigerator and your pantry. Get smart. Buy stuff that’s good for you and that tastes good too. Your body is designed to last a lifetime, but it needs the best fuel you can provide. And despite recent scientific advances, you can’t trade this model in for a newer one, at least not yet.
Saturday, April 14th, 2001No Comments »
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