2 posts tagged “in defense of food”
The manifesto comes down to three phrases: Eat Food. Not so much. Mostly plants.
The rest of the book takes the time to elaborate on these points, taking a look at the content of the North American Western diet, it's health effects (maybe saturated fat ain't so bad after all), the role of industry and government and the habits of Western eaters. Don't let the range of topics deceive you, it's actually a very engaging book that doesn't overwhelm with details but is clear and illustrates its points well.
I especially enjoyed one of his main ideas - that as North Americans we've succumbed to nutritionism, a term (relatively) newly coined that "is an ideology that assumes that it is the scientifically identified nutrients in foods that determine their value in the diet." (Thanks Wikipedia.) By definition, this ignores the social value or even the value of taste when it comes to food. (Sorry, poorly worded sentence.) This wouldn't be too bad if we knew a lot about nutrients, but the truth is that our understanding is pretty limited and it's hard to know for sure exactly how many trace minerals and vitamins work together to make our bodies function as well as they do; you can't replicate diet in a lab. A breif examination of the history of baby formula is a good example of just thinking that if we have nutrient x and vitamin y in sufficent quantities will make a healthy baby. We've come a long way in that department but breast fed babies still have better health outcomes than formula fed babies.
The last chapter includes some "rules of thumb" answering the reader's question of, "Now what?" after being armed with information about the shortcomings of our current diet and dietary habits. For example:
- Don't eat food your (great) grandmother wouldn't recognize as food.
- Avoid food products that make health claims.
- Eat mostly plants, especially leaves.
- You are what what you eat eats, too.
- Pay more, eat less.
- Do all your eating at a table (desks don't count.)
- Don't get your fuel from the same place your car does.
So if you're interested in what you eat, check out this one.
Cheers.
(For 50 in 365 - #24)
So my standard format has been to recap my books monthly, but it's beginning to be a bit of a drag for me. I've been reading a lot (for me) and recapping 3-8 books a month is becoming cumbersome. And I don't do a proper review anyway, just spout off about my impressions and opinions about it. (hmmm, maybe that is a review? ;)
So I'm thinking a change is in the air, blog about books when I feel like it, not just because the calendar indicates a month's end.
Except for today, because there's all of April still to cover.
Therefore:
As I mentioned last month, I finished the Yada Yada Prayer Group Series. April saw me read the last 3.
But before that, I read a lovely book of poetry that was highlighted in a back issue of BC's Bookworld mag called Duet for Wings and Earth by Barbara Colebrook Peace. I had a hold for it from my public library for months before they finally got it in and then read it in one sitting one evening when we were in Victoria, the hometown of the poet. In fact, this series of poems originally composed in part for her church's celebration of Advent isn't far from my alma mater and I routinly ran by during my workouts. Small world.
The poems examine the incarnation (Christ coming to earth - God becoming man) through the perseptives of different players in the Christmas story: God, Mary, Joseph, the Innkeeper, the Sheep, the Donkey who carried Mary and even one "for Judas not yet born." It was a delightful read. I recommend it. In fact, it's one I want to add to my own collection for future Advent celebrations for my own family.
An excerpt to carry with you:
All things were before me:
my own necessary death
determined my design for sunlight.
And I loved it.
Not with reservation, sadly. The first part is rough; I had to stop, sob and then return to the novel once the purge was done. There were theological points I didn't agree with, but I didn't find them to really be outside the pall of orthodoxy either. Mind you, I didn't think too hard, either. After all, though allegoric, it is fiction, not a systematic theology text. I wouldn't recommend on derive their entire theology from it, but goodness can be gleaned.
Some small examples in my case, for example: I found myself challenged about how I view God, (as in, do I even take time to consider God's character, or just what he might be like in relation to me) and out of the read grew a longing to spend more time with and get to know Jesus again. My awe of the mysery of threeness and oneness of the Trinity was renewed and deepened.
Out of The Shack and in to... Pakistan, but firs to Russia.
I remember feeling cold and shocked when, in 2004, a school was taken over by Chechnyan forces in Beslan, Russia. The result of that seige was the death of children, teachers and other adults. Unlike a lot of tragedy over the world, it took me a long time to shake this one. I believe it had to do with the fact it happened when I was in the middle of obtaining my own teaching certification. While teaching is really a low-risk occupation here in the West, in war-torn places, teachers are targets. Teachers are that powerful.
Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace One School at a Time by Greg Moretenson and David Oliver Relin was given to me my by brother for Christmas. (Astute choice, JT. Thanks.) This book chronicles Mortenson's life from a climber to a humanitarian who devotes his life to raising funds for and building schools (and other community centres) in Pakistan and Afghanistan. The story itself is engaging and inspiring to boot. I appreciated the history of the region, especially given the fall out in terms of terrorism and 'counter-terrorism' in the wake of 9/11. I also enjoyed getting to know about real people who live such lives so far removed from my own.
However, what stayed with me when reflecting on thisbook was the importance - the necessity even - of a balanced education the world over. Part of the rise of fundamentalist Islam took place when madrasses, or religious schools, were built where Pakistan's government had failed to provide adequate schools. (No, I'm not blaming, just saying.) In the abscence of public schools, boys were sent to obtain what education was available to them which began feeding fundamentalism in those regions. Mortenson emphasizes the importance of education for girls, as well. Historically, studies have shown that education girls to at least a grade 5 level will not only improve the lives of those girls, but a whole community helping to alleviate poverty and improving health and infant mortality rates.
This book reminded me that schools are important. It reminded me of that cold feeling I got when I considered my colleagues in Beslan who went to school one day to work, didn't make it home. What if, in all sorts of places in the world, kids had adequate schools to attend and opportunities to learn and dream instead of poverty and despair driving them? What if? I'm reminded that teachers and teaching really matter. Teaching can help save lives and improve lives, build relationships and communities. Teachers are that powerful.
[Ahem. Steps off soapbox.]
Sighs. I've got to take a break. Maybe go read a book or something. Later.
{For 50 in 365, #18 - 23]
