what's food got to do with it?

What does it mean to pursue health in a sustainable context? Can I strive to be sustainable as an individual by the way I treat my own body? I suppose when I first reflect on sustainable health, I think of health care that can be maintained in challenging contexts, supplies and equipment being provided by the natives of that area, and practical application of solutions regarding the health and wellness problems in a community.

But what about in the context of the individual? What if I'm practicing poor consumption habits, not taking care of my health, hygiene or neglecting to exercise? I think in order for me to promote sustainable health in any context I must first master and sustain my own health and well being. I suppose its that concept of taking care of yourself in order to have enough to take care of others appropriately. I must say I am personally reexamining my own health and how to better sustain my own well being. It is a challenging thing to do, especially with the past few years I have had with health issues. Injuries only further complicates the matter, and I have come to realize that making all your doctor's appointments doesn't make you a healthy person.

The topic of food seems to regularly arise when pondering this issue. I went to a lecture a few weeks ago on antibiotic use in animals we eat. Which made me want to become a vegetarian. And then I went and saw Food Inc. a week or so ago - and I recommend you see it! It was quite insightful and gave me plenty to reflect upon. Perhaps sustainable health is partly achieved through eating sustainable foods. Being responsible and consuming that which has been grown or raised appropriately and without unnatural chemicals is quite important. I get discouraged with this though, because I am on a very limited budget, and I'm not great at planning out my meals and diet in general. I suppose having a gourmet chef in the house, though quite nice, also gave me an excuse to get out of the habit of thinking and planning out my meals...since he usually did this for me. But since he has left for the Peace Corps, I have realized how my personal choices for food need to be much more educated and deliberate than they are. And really if I learn how to be smart about it, buying fresh and local does not have to be too expensive. Perhaps more time consuming, but anything where you are changing a habit is. So I'm going to check out farm shares, and start researching where and how to get my hands on fresh, local and hormone free, pesticide free food products. And I'm going to start making a deliberate effort to not consume things which use CORN where it is not meant to be used. Any suggestions?

Consider it: Is this land your land or my land? Was this land was made for you and me? And if it is, why are we allowing such abuse to our resources?

Unlearn it: that you are powerless over influencing change. Every time you eat, you are casting a vote for how your food should be produced [From Food Inc.]