I thought you might enjoy this poignant commentary on how health care is more about big business than health.

Happy Friday!

If you can’t see the embedded video below click here to watch.

This afternoon I listened to a radio host interview a doctor about … what else … H1N1.

The slant to his interview was “Are children at risk of contracting H1N1 when they go trick or treating?”

The host asked the doctor questions like: “Can H1N1 be transmitted through candy.” “Are children at risk by touching a door knob that a bunch of other kids have touched?”

And my personal favourite question: “Could a ‘bad guy’ use Halloween candy to deliberately spread H1N1?”

I think the doctor was as frustrated as I was with the way the interview was going and he gave a calm and courteous, but firm “No” answer to all these questions.

I wish the media would stop.

If the media really wanted to do service to the public they would talk about how eating a whole bunch of sugar laced with food colouring, preservatives, and artificial stuff wreaks havoc on a child’s immune system.

And not only does all that crap food almost instantly deflate immune function, but researchers now say that repeated high spikes in blood sugar greatly contributes to one’s risk for developing Type 2 Diabetes.

Oh ya … don’t forget the damage that sugar can do to your child’s beautiful second set of newly forming teeth!

If you really want to protect your children this Halloween, limit the amount of candy they eat to one treat per day for a just a day or two, then quietly throw the rest in the garbage.

Want to know more? See “What’s so bad about junk food.”

These days a lot of people ask me what I think about the much talked about coming flu season that is predicted to disrupt society.

Almost daily I’m asked if I am going to be vaccinated against H1N1 or the seasonal flu.

More than daily I receive emails warning about some grand conspiracy purporting to use the flu vaccine to spread disease, not prevent it.

Let me start by telling you what I think about all the hype around H1N1. Its a flu. Some type of flu virus moves throughout communities every year … always has … probably always will. Some years are worse than others. These days our community is global, so there are a lot more people who could potentially be carriers of the virus.

Am I going to be vaccinated against H1N1 and/or the seasonal flu? No. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t. I believe vaccinations are a personal decision based on personal circumstances and beliefs.

There are risks with any decision. Do your own research. Check in with your own inner knowing. And don’t let anyone bully you to get, or not get, any vaccine.

And please do me a favour. Once you have made your decision, don’t go around bullying other people to make the same decision you’ve made.

What about all those conspiracy theories that are floating around? In my opinion they are about as amusing as all the mainstream media hype. I don’t forward those emails.

Only time will tell if my beliefs, my immune system, my lifestyle choices and my efforts to reduce stress in my life, will protect me from this winter’s flu.

Whatever happens, I am fully committed to continuing my exploration of a low crap lifestyle, and will dedicate the next few weeks to talking about how a low crap diet can shore up your immune system and increase your chances of enjoying a comfortable, flu-free winter.

To get started check out these past posts:
Ten ways to clean up your diet 
Eating clean
What’s so bad about junk food?
Carrot Ginger Garlic Soup
7+ servings of fresh produce … no fork required
Fresh Ginger Root Tea

A recent article makes the claim that “popcorn is a health food”. (Source Calgary Herald “Popcorn is a health food, says research” August 19, 2009 http://www.calgaryherald.com/health/Popcorn+health+food+says+research/1908039/story.html)

I don’t disagree with that in principle, and with so many forms of ‘popcorn’ out there it would be wise to examine which forms have the lowest crap factor.

High on my list of crappy popcorn would be any type of commercially prepared ‘candied popcorn’ … especially ones that contain high fructose corn syrup, food colouring, preservatives and other nasties.

Then there is the flavoured microwave popcorn. Just the smell of that stuff cooking puts my crap-factor-spidey-senses on full alert … not to mention the fact that some popcorn factory workers have developed lung cancer from breathing in the chemicals used to make fake butter and other flavourings. And what about the single use bag that holds the popcorn as it pops away in the microwave. While that bag may or may not be recyclable where you live, it is coated with chemicals that could contaminate the popcorn as it pops. Also, I’m just not a fan of cooking food in a microwave oven … just my personal preference.

I have heard it is possible to pop corn in the microwave using a paper lunch bag or glass bowl with a lid … but I have never tried it myself. This would seem to be a very low crap form of popcorn … except for the microwave part … again … just my personal opinion.

Then there is that pop in a jiffy stuff, specially created for popping over a campfire. Great idea, but I always wonder what nastiness the heated aluminum foil adds to the finished product … and again there is the issue of recycling the oil soaked aluminum after your done.

Those little hot air popcorn makers work well, although I have concerns about the non-stick coating and fumes from the plastic cover contaminating the corn as it pops.

Theatre popcorn, in my opinion, has a lower crap-factor rating, especially when I pay the extra 50 cents to have it topped with real butter and it is served to me in an environmentally friendly paper bag. I stay away from those flavourings in the shaker containers though … too many artificial ingredients that make my tongue feel yucky.

Popping corn in a pot on the stove with a little bit of oil, while not as convenient as other methods, is my favourite form of popcorn, mostly because I can purchase organic ingredients (popping corn, oil, sea salt) in bulk which cuts down on packaging and I can choose my own low crap flavourings.

Contrary to what your mother might have told you, you do not have to eat meat every day to get enough protein in your diet. In fact there is plenty of protein in non-animal food products to keep you healthy… just ask any vegan and they will tell you it is possible to live meat free. For example 1 cup of walnuts has the same amount of protein as a chicken drumstick; and 1 cup of quiona has a little more protein than 1/4 pound of lean ground beef.*

But Meat Free Mondays isn’t asking us to all become vegan. It is simply asking us to cut our meat consumption by about 14% to help lessen the impact that we have on our environment … and that fits beautifully with the low crap diet.
 
This movement is growing quickly. A Google search for “meat free Monday” returns over 20 million hits. Even Sir Paul McCartney has, not surprisingly, joined the movement and if you visit supportMFM.org you can watch Sir Paul strumming his guitar and singing a little song to get everyone in the spirit: “Meat free Monday… It’s a fun day… And its happ’nin …All around the world.”

Making Mondays meat free makes a lot of sense. To learn more watch the video below, or click here to watch on You Tube.

*Nutrition Facts Source: Dunne, Lavon J., Nutritional Almanac Fifth Edition, 2002 McGraw-Hill

A British study on the nutritional value of organic foods was released yesterday.  (source National Post: “No nutritional value added in organics: study.” Thur. July 31, 2009 http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=1842708)

The study concluded that “Organically produced foods have no more nutritional value than conventionally grown products and consumers who pay a premium for organic foods are doing so based on perception, not fact” [my emphasis]

Are they daft?

Do they think that people who purchase organic food are daft?

I purchase organic products because I care about my health and the health of my planet.

I purchase organic products because of what it doesn’t contain . I personally do not want to eat residue from pesticides such as:

- Iprodione*. A known carcinogen used in the conventional production of almonds, Iprodione is also a potential ground water contaminant and suspected endocrine disruptor.

- o-Phenylphenol*. A known carcinogen used in the conventional productions of apples, o-Phenylphenol is also a developmental or reproductive toxin and a suspected endocrine disruptor.

- Chlorothalonil*, a known carcinogen used in the conventional production of tomatoes, that also has the potential to be a ground water contaminant.

By purchasing organic products I support biodiversity, environmental stewardship, clean water, clean air, safe work environments for farm workers, preservation of heirloom plants, soil nutrition, small-scale family farms, ethical treatment of animals, sustainable agriculture and the list goes on.

Purchasing organic isn’t about better nutrition.

Purchasing organic is a non-selfish way of saying “I care.” 

*Information sourced from PAN Pesticide Database http://www.pesticideinfo.org and What’s on my food? http://www.whatsonmyfood.org/index.jsp. Retrieved July 31, 2009.

Have you been swatting at mosquitoes the past few days?

Well before you get annoyed and grab for a spray bottle of “who-knows-what-but-they-say-its-safe” concoction, take a moment to remember dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, more commonly known as DDT.

Its pretty unlikely that mosquito you’re swatting at is infected with malaria … that’s a good thing. And some people will argue that the use of nasty chemicals is justified; that the good they do in the world outweighs the bad. 

But I say that if we are smart enough to create something that useful, but harmful, aren’t we also smart enough to figure out a less harmful solution? 

But I digress … we were talking about DDT.

DDT was discovered to be a very effective insecticide that, among other things, stopped the spread of malaria by killing malaria infected mosquitoes. This discovery came about some 65 years after DDT was first created in a lab. In fact the fellow who discovered its efficacy as an insecticide received a Nobel Prize for his efforts.

One of those great ideas that seemed to work wonders for the world, DDT stopped the spread of malaria. Unfortunately it was also heavily relied on as an agricultural pesticide until some astute Americans were finally able to make their environmental concerns heard via Rachel Carson’s book Silent Spring. This 1962 bestseller is thought by some to be what launched the environmental movement, although it still took a full 10 years for the use of DDT to be banned in the US (1972), and another 12 years after that for a ban to take effect in the United Kingdom (1984).

What was concerning these pioneer environmentalists?

Well it seems that DDT gets into the food chain, becoming more and more concentrated, eventually causing harm to those at the top of the food chain. Damage occurs to the liver and central nervous system, the risk of cancer increases and reproduction problems occur, notably eagle eggs, and the eggs of other birds of prey, don’t hatch because their shells are too thin.

Use of DDT today is mostly limited to controlling outbreaks of disease infected insects, and with the decline in its use, an expected drop in human and environmental contamination has also occurred.

Phew! Glad we figured that one out before it did really serious damage!

Oh … just one more thing … you see DDT likes to attach itself to the sediment in water, and when that water is frozen, the degradation of the chemicals into harmless bits is delayed … until the water is thawed out.

Enter global warming and the melting of ice caps. While it seems the worst of DDT contamination is behind us, this ‘good idea gone bad’ may come back and bite us in the butt for a few more years, with penguins taking the brunt of it. (source New Scientist: Melting glaciers release toxic chemical cocktail. May 7, 2008. Accessed June 25, 2009)

Actually … about that biting us in the butt thing … there is at least one other little DDT legacy that still needs to be ‘taken care of’.

For some crazy reason, a Californian DDT manufacturer used the Los Angeles sewer system to get rid of 1,700 tons of DDT between 1947 and 1971, resulting in 17 square miles of the Pacific Ocean being described as “the worst DDT hotspot in the entire U.S.” (source The Buffalo News: EPS plan targets vast DDT deposit off Calif. Coast. June 23, 2009. Accessed June 25, 2009.)

Oops!

This 24 year indiscretion is still contaminating fish that live in the area (near Palos Verdes, Southern California), prompting warnings since the early 1980s to not eat those fish. Almost 40 years later, there is finally a ($36 million) plan to lessen the problem by covering the contaminated area on the bottom of the ocean with 18 inches of sand and silt.

Ya … I’m not even going to comment on that proposed solution … I’m sure they know what they are doing …

So why should we remember the DDT story? Because there are potentially thousands of DDT-like disasters occurring today.

Some we know about, most we don’t.

For our grandchildren’s sake, its time to embrace the less harmful solutions.

A new website called “What’s On My Food” www.whatsonmyfood.org has been launched. Its purpose is “… to loosen the pesticide industry’s control over global agriculture …” by making information available to the public through the power of computing.

Created by PAN (Pesticide Action Network) North America, What’s On My Food cross-references toxicology data from the US Environmental Protection Agency with the US Department of Agriculture’s Pesticide Data Program.

Brilliant!

One of the things that makes this website particularly exciting is it lists the pesticide residues found on both conventionally grown and organically grown food.

Featured are some 49 different foods in various preparation methods. For each of the 89 food entries you can discover if they contain residues which are:

1. Known or Probable Carcinogens
2. Suspected Hormone Disruptors
3. Neurotoxins
4. Developmental or Reproductive Toxicants

Yes … you read that right. Carcinogens, hormone disruptors, neurotoxins and toxins that disrupt human reproduction are all legally used to grow our food. 

That pisses me off!

Some of these chemicals are also finding their way into food grown using organic methods … we live in a closed system … everything affects everything else …

Let’s take a look at what this website says about one of my favourite foods, the Sweet Potato.

- 13 pesticide residues were found on the non-organic Sweet Potatoes; 4 of these same residues were present in the organic Sweet Potatoes grown in the USA; none of the residues were found in the imported organic Sweet Potatoes (there is no mention of what country this product was imported from.)

- The 13 pesticides included: 1 known carcinogen; 2 probable carcinogens; 1 possible carcinogen; 7 suspected hormone disruptors; 6 neurotoxins and 2 reproductive toxins.

Now I’m really pissed!

Eat organic. Grow organically. Hug organic farmers.

Let’s get real about what we eat.

Recently a large breakfast cereal company began advertising that some of their boxed breakfast cereals cost less than 50 cents per bowl, including the milk.

Does that seem like a reasonable price for a mediocre breakfast in these tough economic times?

And how many people do you know who can fill up on just one bowl of boxed, dry cereal? I remember my kids motoring through 2 or 3 bowls before feeling some sort of satisfaction, and then pouring half of the milk down the drain … there goes that nutritional part of a healthy breakfast.

Then there’s that issue of the cereal’s packaging. While the outer cardboard portion is recyclable, the inner plastic bag may not be where you live.

A low crap diet strives to reduce the amount of garbage the earth has to deal with. While recycling is a great option for now, reducing really needs to be the ultimate goal.

But reducing doesn’t mean having to go without convenience or taste.

Here are two ways to have a low crap, convenient, nutrition-rich breakfast for less than 50 cents per person. Yup … I’m talking about good old fashioned rolled oats served hot as Porridge or cold as Muesli.

In keeping with a Low Crap tradition, purchase rolled oats in bulk, using your own reusable bag.

The cost for a ½ cup serving of organic rolled oats is about 25 cents. Add a few chopped nuts, raisons and a dash of cinnamon and you have a hearty breakfast that truly costs less than 50 cents per bowl because you will only need one bowl of it to feel satisfied for hours.

You’ll even have money left over to thrown on some fresh fruit slices.

Recently Alberta Tourism was chastised for using an image of a beach in Northumberland, England in its multi-million dollar campaign to improve Alberta’s global image. (source CTV: Alberta tourism campaign uses English beach photo. Fri. Apr. 24 2009)

… oops …

Albertans are understandably a little upset about this because a misrepresentation has taken place. Alberta is a beautiful province and there are unending possibilities for stunning images that represent Albertan children playing in the Albertan country side.

Perhaps the people who created the campaign were under time constraints or budget constraints or lazy. Maybe it was more convenient to purchase a generic royalty free photo rather than stomping around the province doing photo shoots.

Whatever the reason, it reminds me of how every day marketers misrepresent food products, trying to make us believe that what is on the grocery shelf is the real thing. And because it is cheap, fast and convenient we allow ourselves to be deceived.

So if you are upset that a multi-million dollar campaign misrepresents what it is trying to sell, remember that its not just the tourism industry that uses these tactics.

Here’s a couple of pictures to keep things real. The first one is Real Food purchased at the Calgary Farmers Market and the second picture is Real Alberta, Chief Hector Lake at Nakoda Lodge.

real food.