Food Changes Everything

Sustainable Healthing Living, by Sheila Mullen - Feb. 11, 2012

“People around the world differ in many ways, but dinner unites us all,” states Marion Nestle, Ph.D., and Professor of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health at New York University in the forward for Hungry Planet: What the World Eats.

The authors, of this gorgeous book, Peter Menzel and Faith D’Aluisio, photographed families throughout the world posed with a display of all the food they eat in an entire week.  It is a stunningly brilliant, yet simple commentary on how diet, nutrition and health are affected by poverty, conflict and globalization.  As we begin our journey to more sustainable healthy living it is important to look at a few powerful forces impacting the food industry and begin to understand how our food, our nutrition and our health has been manipulated.

Forces

The following are three powerful influences impacting the food industry and our health, just to wet our appetite on why confusion reigns when it comes to eating nutritionally.

• Economy: The Industrial Revolution resulted in significant changes to food production. Hunter and gather civilizations moved to more dependable agriculture cultivation. Fast-forward to the 1980’s and continuing to present day, driven by the fiercely competitive financial environment, food companies have been required to expand sales and growth every quarter.  The result is the invention of a steady stream of new packaged foods, many of which can hardly be considered food, but are a significant part the American diet.
• Technology: Advancements in food preservation allowed food to be available long after it was grown; transportation and refrigeration meant that food harvested thousands of miles away could be served “fresh” any time of the year; new processing techniques allowed companies to create shelf-stable food products which could be transported and consumed years later; and innovative development of previously unknown products like Pop Tarts and soda. What was once real food, coming from real farmers has turned into chemically simulated food items resulting in increased obesity.  The resulting health consequences are just considered collateral damage.
• Media and Marketing – Besides the confusion caused by an overwhelming glut of often-contradictory nutritional information, new savvy marketing efforts has created worldwide demand for packaged foods. Let’s face it; being sick and fat keeps corporate profits healthy. 

One knows a picture tells a thousand words
Here are just two pictures from Menzei and D’Aluisio’s book visually depicting how a family in North Carolina and a family in Ecuador eat for a week and the power food has on their health and wellbeing.  Stop and ask yourself, who really is richer? Who is more nourished? 

First picture is from the USA. Below is what a family in North Carolina ate for a week, the cost $341.98.

NC family with its food for a week - $341.98

Second picture is from Ecuador. Below is what a family from Ecuador ate for a week, the cost $31.55.

Ecuadoran family with its weekly food - $31.55

What is striking about these pictures is how universally important food is to the human condition, no matter where in the world one lives.  Choosing sustainable health begins with understanding the intricacies of the food system, and the impacting forces. Together we will learn to eat wisely. 

If you get a chance, check with your local library for a copy of the book, it is powerfully breathtaking. Special thanks to my friend, Dr. Mark McGinley who brought this beautiful book to my attention.

• Next blog: Nutrition is a Funny Science 

About Sheila Mullen - The founder of Continuous Motion Consulting, Sheila is passionate about engaging friends, family and community in improving their lives and the lives of those around them. Sheila spent more than 20 years in technology sales, marketing and development. She also has a background in organizational development, innovation and executive wellness coaching.