I'm looking over the syllabus for the 75th time and noticed that there was no section that incorporates health and the food system. It is probably obvious to all of us that these two are laced throughout many of the conversations we have, but I'm wondering if this topic doesn't get enough coverage in the general conversation of the American food system. I would be interested to hear what you all think, but it seems to me that often times books or documentaries don't link these two together quite in the way they should. With obesity rates on the rise, heart disease becoming such a prominent feature in American health, and health care costs rising... I would love to see a healthy dialogue about these two.
This is one of the various dynamics in this topic and I know we come at these issues from unique perspectives, but I think there needs to be a shift in what we eat before there is a shift in how we eat, how it is produced, and how we get it. One of the reasons chemicals, high fructose corn syrup, and other unnatural ingredients are found in our food is because people are demanding these. People buy frosted flakes, ice cream, fruit snacks, meat etc., and these are foundational problems we have. By eating these foods we have put our health at risk, opened up our food system to major corporations, and have forgotten where our food should and does come from. I don't mean to try and offend anyone here, but the first question I have for those that eat meat, dairy, and nutritionally deficient foods is, why? Why do you eat these foods? As a vegan, I get this question a lot and it is easy to understand and explain for me, but I have still yet to hear a justified answer that doesn't put the aforementioned variables at risk.
In summary, I would love to talk about (here or in class) about the health aspect to sustainable agriculture :)
Love you all,
Jake
This is a great question Jake! I believe that we all need to be asking (and answering) more regularly.
ReplyDeleteAlso, yes. Lets work health more into our conversations. Maybe this goes along with the food values project?
Good post Jake. I think there are a variety of answers to your "why" question above, and it's an important one. I think food means so many different things to different people. This might be influenced by geographical region (think about MacMillan's Midwest background where intentionally rejecting snobby foodie values was part of their identity in relation to food). Your identity as an athlete may also contribute to your food choices and your health consciousness. That's a difficult questions to answer and we're all incredibly fortunate to not only live where we do with a supportive, agriculturally rich local culture, but to have the access to an education that helps us answer these questions in more detail. Not everyone is so lucky and I think it's our job keep learning and sharing our experiences in a constructive way that bears in mind the diverse backgrounds of the people that make up our communities.
ReplyDelete