(Disclosure: I don’t mean to offend any one person’s beliefs, but if you’re a fanatic you may not want to read.)
It seems that all of the sudden (okay, over the last couple of years), some large percentage of the earth’s population has developed some particular food allergy or discovered some ground breaking science supporting the fact that we should or should not be eating certain things. And can I just get something off of my chest real quick? … OH MY GOSH!
Thanks, I feel better. It seems as though half of the people in my acquaintance these days have a gluten allergy, can’t have dairy, won’t eat grains, won’t eat meat, or won’t touch animal products. Now I understand that I’m from the country, where we had a chicken farm, a few cows, and a few horses, so maybe that’s why I don’t get all of this. But really, how did so many people develop these intolerances?
Now I have shared in previous posts, my nutrition is pretty strict. I eat as all-natural and organic as I possibly can. I try to avoid refined and processed foods. I eat A LOT of meat, a lot of eggs, a lot of nuts, I drink milk, eat cheese, and consume whole grains. Daily! But every day I also drink almost a gallon of water, get on average nine hours of sleep, take vitamins, and exercise five to six times a week. So I do my best to stay healthy.
I am not arguing with a doctor’s diagnosis that a person’s body cannot process certain elements. That may be true for some of you. But all of you self-diagnosed, self-certified nutritionist might take a chill pill. (Can I say that? Is that allowed?) It's worth the time and money to have your blood tested, see where your deficiencies lie. Get an allergy test, see where your intolerances lie.
Perhaps you say the way some commercial manufacturers process their meat have links to cancer? No offense, but you can find a study to support everything being linked to cancer. Or that the way some commercial manufacturers treat the animals is cruel? Then fight animal cruelty! Or you may say that you feel better after cutting out certain foods (meat, dairy, gluten, ect.)? Well sure, you probably needed to add more fruits and vegetables into your diet anyway.
And I won’t even get into my theology on the matter, but let me just summarize, because it is real simple and goes back to God and Noah: “Every beast of the earth, on every bird of the air, on all that move on the earth, and on all the fish of the sea. They are given into your hand. Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. I have given you all things, even as the green herbs.” (Genesis 9)
Do I think that what we consume has a major impact on our bodies and lives? Absolutely. Do I think experimenting with changes to your diet can be healthy? Absolutely. But what we need to stop pretending is that what's right for you, is right for me. And vice versa.
Be healthy. Be kind.
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