Minivans and Lunchables – A Culture in Crisis

After a long battle with lupus, I have been in remission for several years. Along my path to wellness I discovered the power of nutrition and the lack of nutrition in the Standard American Diet (SAD). What I learned fueled my reasons for going back to school for my Masters in Holistic Nutrition.

Let’s look at it in a historical perspective. We used to eat whole foods. We grew them in our gardens and/or bought them at the local market and prepared them in our kitchens.

Then the Industrial Revolution happened. Modern farming practices were introduced and the food industry changed. The products were transported in trucks from one area to another. In order to get produce from one area to another without spoiling, greens were picked, leaving them poor in nutrients. Eventually, the moms went to work outside the home. The era of minivans and Lunchables was launched. The industry was only too happy to provide easy and convenient meals for mom to make. I remember my own mother happily shopping for TV dinners. Read the ingredient list on those easy and convenient meals and you’ll find a full list of chemicals. Chemicals that your body was not designed to handle. As the industry grew, so did the list of chronic diseases and obesity. The worst thing the industry did (IMHO) was market frankenfoods to children. There is a place in hell reserved for those who market frankenfoods to children.

Today we have a nightmare of cultural nutrition.

Families need real meals and real food. Whole-grain foods. Fresh fruits and vegetables. What you and your children eat today affects their future health. The body runs on real nutrients. Nutrients you’re not getting if your diet is efficiently processed, manufactured, or fast food. Every cell in the body is made from the nutrients you give it.

In 2002, JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Assoc) recommended that everyone supplement their diet with a quality multi-nutritional product. The USDA food pyramid has been modified to include more servings. Why? Because our products contain between 5 and 40% less minerals and vitamins than before. We can’t eat enough to get the vitamins and minerals we need. The problem is magnified by the fact that many, if not most of us, don’t always eat the healthiest.

Consider that 85% of all illnesses can be directly attributed to lifestyle. 70% of all cancers can be PREVENTED with good nutrition. 95% of visits to the consultation are due to symptoms derived from stress. Children are showing up with type 2 diabetes and obesity. The number one killer of children is cancer. Chronic diseases are skyrocketing.

We MUST change.

We need to stop the unhealthy hustle and bustle that fuels our need for easy and convenient “food.” As a culture, we need to set aside time for family connection and real food meals. True nutrition. Our lives depend on it.