AF: Wow, these guys are legit

Not changing the way i think YO

 The movie "Food Inc." attempts to make us understand where the food we purchase at the grocery store really comes from. In no way or form am i saying that the way they treat animals in this movie is acceptable but To be honest i can give a crap where my food comes from as long as its safe to eat. Yes, i understand these animals are being mistreated and what not but it is food we are talking about. We need to eat and receive our proteins to live a healthy fulfilling life. After my sister watched this movie she stopped eating beef. At first i thought she wouldn't hang but she dealt with it for almost 2 years. Now besides the fact that she is a huge drama queen she sincerely felt touched by the way the animals were being treated. And that's where i come in and we are completely different. Just because YOU stopped eating meat doesn't mean the food industry will stop so why exactly are you holding yourself back form eating something you like but don't like where its coming from? It must be be a personal thing because if you're trying to improve the way these huge companies run then i wish you nothing but luck. Change in the food industries do need to be done but i don't think it will happen anytime soon. 

AF: On NPR today>>the rise of fake meat

Everybody recognizes that our meat consumption is just not sustainable.  So is fake meat the answer?  Will the food scientists come to the rescue?  If we can make meat in the lab, then gee, that frees up lots of land water, feed, and cleans up the environmental problems inherent in feed lot life.

Corn is our biggest enemy

We all know that as of now we are injecting our food to make it grow faster. Has anyone ever asked themselves why we inject our food supply and use all these toxins on our crops. Well the answer to why we Genetically Modified Organisms in our food is to be able to keep up with the demand of the consumer which is us. Genetically modified organisms is something we consume in almost everything that we eat and if anyone has ever done research on genetically modified organisms would know that they are not necessarily healthy towards our health. We, along with many other nations have turned into over producers of corn which is grown vastly all over the united states. When we watched food inc. we were able to see for ourselves that we do indeed overproduce corn and we have so many leftover that we need to find a use for it so we turn it into high fructose corn syrup and if not we feed it to our beef cattle. Corn is not a good thing to feed to the cattle because it just increases the growth of e. coli and they cant even digest it properly like us. High fructose corn syrup is not healthy for us either. High fructose corn syrup has been linked to the growing rate of obesity that ever since has been doubling for adults and worst of all has been tripling for children which in turn have increase the rate of diseases such as diabetes type 2. Just as it has increased the rate of diabetes it has been proven that our bodies don’t really know how to break down the high fructose corn syrup so that just turns into fat and is a great factor to the major health issues that have and are evolving. there is no such thing as industrial farming anymore because all of our food is no longer grown naturally without chemicals, toxins or pesticide. Processed foods have taken over the foods that we used to once consume.

Sprang breakk

Tomorrow at 12:16 pm, I will be care free and virtually stress free. Although most people feel as if this is the most laxed year of our entire education, I have to say that this is one of the, if not the most, strenuous year for me. I have had to deal with the struggle and stress of applying to colleges and waiting for their responses, I have two ap classes, so there is the challenge of upcoming exams as well. I have taken on more responsibilities as well such as having to care for my sister a majority of the time I am at home. Another significant strenuous detail of my senior year are the expenses of he school activities and what not. I, as well as a majority of the senior class have to pay for grad nite, prom, homecoming, formal, sports activities and banquets, and all of these finances can hinder ones ability to think free and clear about the future. I hope as the rest of the semester continues, I can worry less about what is behind me and look forward to what is to come.

Keeping the place clean.

When it comes to food, keeping food places clean is REALLY important. When it comes to the factories to the kitchen of a restaurant or fast food place the place should be clean and spotless. Always make sure you check what letter they are which should always be an A. No one wants to eat somewhere were its lower than an A because that just shows that the employees don't take care of the place and don't clean up after themselves, just imagine how they care of the food they just served you? The workers should be making sure the food isn't expired, putting it where it belongs also if it wasn't left out all night long. From experience I found mold in my egg sandwich when I went out to eat, which is so disgusting. This just shows that no one took or will take care of other foods. My point is that I really think the kitchens and foods should be taken care of SERIOUSLY. Cleaning pans, cutting boards, knifes etc, after every use. Kitchens should be cleaned and sanitized every single day, food poisoning occurs every single day due to the quality of the food and also not having the place clean. Bacteria adds up over time and can get people really ill which affects about 3 million people each year.

Eat to Live, Not Live to Eat

A serious issue within the US that we're all aware of is the alarming obesity ratio within the population.  Studies have shown that as many as 1/3 of the citizens in the US are considered obese compared to the rest.  This is primarily due to our very poor diets and calorie rich foods that we constantly consume.  The US is considered to be one of the top countries in fat, sugar, and oils consumption due to the fact that we have so many unhealthy foods and snacks on the market.  And sometimes, we can't help but buy the fattier foods because we live in a country where fruits and water are more expensive than chocolates and soda.  For the poorer families in the United States, they want to keep both their finances in somewhat stable condition while keeping their families fed at the same time, thus leaving them little choice in the decision of what to buy at the grocery store.  Another interesting topic that America places near top for is the annual meat consumption per person.  The US has an outstanding meat consumption rate, for the average citizen could consume around 71 lbs of red meat and about 54 lbs of poultry per year.  With little to no vegetables to compensate for the alarming amounts of meat consumed per person, we are left with a carnivore society that would rather have a fatty marbled steak than a fresh crunchy salad.  I'm not saying that every person in the US should go vegan or go on a no trans-fat diet at , but we should at least try to think about what we are putting in our stomachs.  Adjusting the ratio of meat/vegetable consumption could work as a start, but we should also take into consideration that we should start to eat what we need, not eat what we want.  Overeating is still a thing, and just because you may eat mostly vegetables in your diet, it can still lead to a very bloated body.  Next time you go to the supermarket, try to aim for the more proportionate and healthy foods on the shelves.  You may hate it now, but the future you who doesn't have to ride everywhere on a scooter will thank you later.

Meat Is Not The Problem We Are

        Meat is not the problem we are, we are the ones who are currently demanding such vast amounts of cows, pigs, and chickens to be slain for our consumption. Meat is in itself a wonderful gift from God, the animals we kill to obtain it vary greatly. However it is very good for us, we need certain nutrients and proteins from them and I for one like to live. The animals are not to be blamed obviously but we are, or at least more directly the corporations that mass slaughter and "grow" these animals are. We can change the way that animals are seen and treated by not purchasing from the large companies. I know it may be extremely difficult to not buy those delicious chicken nuggets or even those beef tacos in the frozen food section but those are the unhealthy meats because they are chalk full of chemicals and are mostly corn fed and genetically modified. We can instead purchase better tasting and better for us meat from farmers markets and whole markets! Sprouts is one such local establishment and they sell just about every sort of meat you could want and the good thing is that it is all healthy and GMO free. Thats right GMO free. Try and make a difference and buy from your local farmer market today and get the best meat you could ever hope for!

the dangers of meats

Reasons to stop consuming so much meat:

Stop Cruelty to Animals
On today's factory farms, animals are crammed by the thousands into filthy windowless sheds, wire cages, gestation crates and other confinement systems. These animals will never raise families, root in the soil, build nests or do anything that is natural and important to them.

Prolong Your Life
Vegetarians live six to 10 years longer on average than meat-eaters do. Healthy vegetarian diets support a lifetime of good health and provide protection against numerous diseases and the three biggest killers – heart disease, cancer and strokes.

 Avoid the World's Number One Killer
The risk of developing heart disease among meat-eaters is 50 per cent higher than it is among vegetarians. Drs Dean Ornish and Caldwell Esselstyn have used a vegan diet to prevent and reverse heart disease. Dr Esselstyn's book documents their 100 per cent success with unclogging people's arteries and reversing heart disease.

Reduce Your Risk of Cancer
According to the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, "Vegetarians are about 40 percent less likely to get cancer than non-vegetarians, regardless of other risks such as smoking, body size, and socioeconomic status".

     Meat can be very dangerous especially because of our ignorance about how it's processed. Meat comes along with many diseases. Studies show links between diet and cancer, one of the most noticeable findings was that people who avoided meat were much less likely to develop a disease. Heavy meat consumption increases your risk of dying from all causes, including heart disease and cancer, according to a federal study conducted by the National Cancer Institute and featured in Archives of Internal Medicine. Farmers increase animal's growth with steroid hormones, which are used in beef cattle and sheep. They include estrogen, progesterone and testosterone. Since every type of meat is from the female animal, the meat contains synthetic female hormones that are given to the animals in order to make them develop faster and bigger. By consuming synthetic hormones from an animal, the human's hormonal balance becomes disrupted. This leads to several health conditions.

Changing my mind

After all of this discussion about food, whether it is the abuse of the animals or simply how unhealthy it all is, it is changing my mind. Today I went to Wendy's and got a hamburger and even though I was starving, before I took that final bite I paused for a moment and thought where it was my meat came from, how many miles it must have traveled, how long the cow lived, how the cow died, and what was the cow feeling before and as it died. I actually looked at my burger with sorrow due to the fact that these are all questions that are unanswered. I can feel myself responding differently to foods that I know in which the animal suffered. I got disgusted looking at scrambled eggs the other day and now I know that it isn't just me who is changing. My dear friend and colleugue, Adara, has told me that she felt something similar to that. Then again I know she loves her burgers when she is hungry. I am leaning towards eating more healthier foods such as fruits and vegetables but if I do eat meat, I make sure it is organically grown.

Will this plan Benefit or worsen?

After reading Mark Brittman's article "Bad Food? Tax it, and Subsidize Vegetables" I found it quite brilliant yet risky. His idea is to tax all the unhealthy foods so that better health is increased and decreases the diseases that junk food causes. Taxing them would also generate billions of dollars annually. I found this to be very beneficial because it will benefit both the people's health and the economy. The only issue would be that it may cause conflicts between the food industry as well as the low income families. Today diseases have been increasing dramatically such as diabetes, heart attacks etc. and yet we have done nothing about it. You would think we would need to make a big change as a result but we have not. That is why Brittman has come up with this idea to discourage bad eating habits. We are suppose to be helping but it seems as if no change has been been and it feels careless to the people. If anything they are only caring about the profits being made instead of our health. But according to Brittman, this change will make a high increase in profit. If we decide to tax unhealthy junk food, would it really benefit us? or will it make a terrible commotion as in protests etc? Will it hurt the low income dramatically? or will this be the next huge beneficial change? I would say we should go for it and see what changes it can make. The more decreases we find in diseases, the better.

All this food talk is making me hungry

Just like the title says, all this food talk is making me hungry; however, after watching food Inc. a while back kind of makes me loose the appetite a bit. For quite some time I’ve been aware that our so called “farms” aren’t what we once imagined it to be but instead something more of a nightmare. Even after knowing the truth I’m still discussed and surprised each time I watch these types of documentaries. It’s quite frustrating because I want to help make a difference in the food company but at the same time that steak on my plate calls my name and I’m pretty sure you know who I will end up choosing. Like most people I know, giving up meat is just too hard of task for me, even if it’s just for a short period of time just to send a message to the meat industry. To go even further, for anyone else who is Catholic we are aware that we aren’t supposed to eat meat on Fridays because of lent but even then it’s quite tempting. If even religion can’t stop me then what can? What can possibly work for me to help make a point and still eat meat? I know that the farmers market and some places can sell you meat is an option but it still seems like quite a hassle to make into a weekly routine. Then again, stepping up to change isn’t an easy task now is it? 

Organic food better for us?

I feel as though food has gotten out of hand over the course of years with things like genetically modified food, federally regulated food, and the sustainability of that food. Nowadays most food is genetically modified so the food will grow faster and be bigger. The food that is out in the supermarkets goes through all of these processes of management. These big businesses have control over the food that is shipped out and put in the store that now its much cheaper to buy to buy the food that are made with all of these artificially ingredients than it is to buy out of the farmers market.  I wonder if organic food can feed the world and would our society be better off if organic food was cheaper and easier to come by than genetically modified food? We seen this happen recently in our school. During club’s day the school clubs were only able to sell healthy food that meet with certain requirements and as a result not much people bought food during club’s day.

Dollar menu or disaster?

Why is it that burgers and 30 fl. oz. sweet tea drinks are $1 but salads and waters cost at least $3? The way these fast food industries work is mind-boggling. Healthier foods should cost less than greasy bacon burgers, large cups of Coca-Cola and sweet teas. It's sad because at least one-quarter of American adults eat fast food everyday. Majority of times it's because they are too tired too cook or they can't afford to go to the store and buy all the food products in order to make a homemade meal. Huffington post says "About 45 percent of people in the U.S. have reported not being able to cover their basic living expenses, including food, shelter and transportation." In a way it's almost convenient to have a dollar menu for those who can scrape up enough change to buy a simple meal, but in the long run it ends up resulting in a thousand dollar hospital bill.
No one is considering that even though this "meat" may be cheaper there has to be a reason why. Just like when you go to a store there is a reason why certain things are on sale. Because these burgers, tacos, burritos, and chicken sandwiches are $1 that should raise suspicion as to how its made, what's in it, or more so how that animal is killed. Even though I understand that when these industries have Dollar menus it attracts customers, and eventually that money will add up. But what about the quality of the meat? We could or might be eating either some type of suspicious meat mixed of horse a** and cow neck or meat filled with excessive amounts of chemicals dangerous to the humankind, that could possibly cause cancer, birth defects, and other dangerous body issues. Not every one is educated about what they eat or how its created, but rather how it taste, which in my opinion, somewhat proves us to be a narrow minded nation. In order for this to stop we have to change it. There are plenty of ways. We cans simply stop eating at these fast food industries or maybe even start a food donation center for those who can't afford food. The possibilities are endless.

A Light Rant

this units essay does need lots of thinking into food. I do not think I have ever thought about food this much up until now. i mean i have thought about where has food come from but not to the point of actually researching the web daily to find more information and ideas. Good thing this week is almost over I'm quite positives most of my peers are leaving Friday which makes the due date for the final draft tomorrow April 2nd. I wanted to add about having this much work in our class, today Mrs.Fletcher shared with me the faces people make because of the work this class requires. I will not lie i did do that to, only because i really was not use to having that much work piled on me in a long time. Plus, who doesn't have senioritis? All i want to point out is the fact that college is coming up and work will become much harder for us. My fellow peers, we are surpassing the teenage life into young Adulthood which means we should not complain when Bosses or teachers give you a work load to do. Think of it as a gesture of life giving you what you can accomplish everyday. Spring break is right around the corner and we'll all have time the relax for a little while, unless you have Mr.Geddy's Video project!'

Veggie Libel Laws

This was a topic that I was going to choose for my essay until I realized that there was not much information on it, but it's perfect for a blog. Veggie Libel laws were created in order to hold meat consumers accountable for criticizing the meat companies. I think that this is the most unfair law made, and I also feel as though it does go against the first amendment. This is because we are punished for our freedom of speech. Meat companies claim that the reason we should be punished is because we are affecting their profits. Actually, if people are criticizing a meat company it is to get others to realize the different outbreaks and harmful diseases that these meat companies causes. I feel like everyone should have the right to know what they are eating, how it is being made, and what types of bacteria may or may not be infesting their meat. Activists has been trying for years and years to change this law and to get it declared unconstitutional. The problem with this is that it costs SO much money to go against these different companies, and more than often, this is what prevents so many people to fight back. Oprah was once sued for her criticism, but she had millions of dollars which is what gained her win in court.  The government should actually take a step back and look at how much these companies has affected our country physically. Simple changes can be made in order to make sure that our country is healthy and not being killed by the bacteria growing and crawling in our meat.