ahem, ahem

About to post a blog! You know what that means, right? Lesia's on a soapbox! I am not gonna share a bunch of statistics or try to convince anyone of anything. I'm just in the middle of having a change of heart when it comes how and where I buy my food. I hope I come up with more blog-worthy information as I try to make some changes, but for now I'm just going to share something I wrote for an assignment. I had limited space (had to be a page or less) and it was in response to a very broad question, so I know what I'm posting below isn't a very detailed composition. It's just a simple thought...a starting off point for futher consideration. The assignment was to read a number of assigned articles and very briefly answer the following question:

Eating “organic” and joining the “slow food movement” are very popular ideas today. Would you recommend these ideas to your clients? Why or why not?

I could've gone on for pages, but was not able to...had to keep it simple. Also, I had to show evidence that I read the articles, so I had to throw in some information that might I might've left out had this not been an assignment. Here's my response:

I would most certainly recommend choosing organic foods when possible. I would also remind my clients to take the time to eat mindfully and to know where one’s food comes from. I am amused when people use the term “trend” to describe an organic, and more specifically “slow” lifestyle, as if this is a passing phase. From the beginning of time, up until the fairly recent past, the only way to eat was organically and locally. Organic farming is simply growing produce and raising animals without the use of fertilizers or pesticides, hormones or antibiotics. These practices allow for more nutritious food. As an example, studies show that organically grown produce can contain more minerals and antioxidants than their non-organic counterparts. The environmental impacts of conventional farming are taking their toll as well, and a change to organic practices can reverse some of the damage that has been done. Almost 75% of the world’s fresh water supply is used in farming. This is party due to the fact that large industrial farms are operating in areas not geographically appropriate for the types of crops that are being grown (introducing...Genetically Modified Organisms! Yummy!) These farms are not self-sustaining, and require an enormous amount of our natural resources to keep them running. The use of hormones, pesticides and fertilizers might boost the amount of goods an industrial farm can produce, but it exposes everyone who consumes these products to unnatural chemicals, toxins and poisons.

Only in the last several decades has the food industry exploded, crippled the local farmers and brainwashed Americans to think it is normal to have access to every fruit and vegetable on the planet regardless of time of year or to which region the foods are native. It was the goal of “Mission Organic 2010” for 10% of the Americans to consume organic by 2010, from the previous number of 3%. Only THREE percent of the country’s food industry market share is organic. I don't mean to suggest that I'm surprised that more people don't spend more money on food from the limited "Organic" section in the supermarket. I'm just amused that to American consumers, eating mass produced, genetically altered and chemical doused foods is normal, and anything else is considered a LUXURY. Millions of years of nutritional practices have been erased completely in the last century with the explosion of industry and technology. The typical American consumer is used to being able to choose from dozens of cheese, egg and milk varieties with not so much as a thought to where the food comes from. Our grocery stores are bursting at the seams, full of every food imaginable, however to find locally grown produce or locally raised meat is often a challenge. To choose to only eat organic foods is a very difficult task, as prices are indeed higher, most restaurants do not offer a purely organic menu, and access is limited in urban areas. It has become “unnatural” to eat naturally. For access to affordable and local (in-season) produce I would direct my clients to farmer’s markets, suggest they become involved in a community garden or grow their own garden if they are able. I would ask that they make conscious efforts to eat foods that are in season, not only to save themselves from eating genetically modified, chemical laden foods that had to travel from parts unknown, but to offer them the opportunity to taste their food the way that it was meant to taste…pure, fresh and full of flavor.