Over the past few months the confidence of many if not all grocery shoppers must have been shattered given the numerous problems with some of the basic items on our food list: spinach, peppers, beef, processed meats, etc., being a source of salmonella, e.coli, listeriosis, with people sick and even dying. To ever think that the one basic action of simply eating could kill us is frightening. Even our pets have died because of tainted food.
The standards have become lax, the quality is diluted, inspections are suspect and it is indicative of a world which is obsessed with instant gratification – in order to get the money to support ever-increasing material desires we must overlook the standards just a little. Get it to the marketplace quicker, spray it with preservatives in order to keep it ‘fresh’ (well, looking fresh, anyway), add preservatives to extend the shelf-life, add chemicals to enhance the taste, add colouring to enhance the look, refined sugar, refined flour, bleached wheat, all the goodness removed and artificial ‘goodness’ substituted.
It is no wonder why there is so much sickness -- cancer hits one out of three -- migraines, arthritis, osteoporosis, fatigue, attention deficit disorder. These maladies have never been as prominent as they are today and it ties in with our diet.
Check on the Internet for a healthy diet and rid yourself of the possibility of certain diseases. Buy organic vegetables and fruits. Even toothpastes and shampoos, deodorants and washing-up liquids and laundry soaps contain chemicals that can have a detrimental effect on your well-being. It will cost you more but you’ll save in drugs and pharmaceuticals and you will enjoy a healthy lifestyle.
Michael is a freelance writer in Toronto.
