The internet is a pretty incredible thing. It has the power to connect people from all corners of the world instantly. For better or worse this also allows for dissemination of information at a rate unlike any we have had in the history of, well, ever! How could this possibly be a bad thing, you might wonder? One would think that people being free to share information back and forth would be a good, or even great, thing.
In many ways this is true, it is a great thing. The disadvantage of this type of communication is that false information can be spread, unchecked, under the guise of truth. The internet is chock full of such sources of information; some of it is merely innocent repetition of the original falsehood, and some is intentionally misleading with the intent of selling an idea, and oftentimes a product. "Miracles" in the forms of obscure foods, diets, peculiar exercise regimen and the like are sold to all-too-willing and often desperate people who just want a solution to whatever problem they feel they may have, be it extra weight, food intolerance/allergies, or just plain not feeling well. This becomes all the worse when the original false information becomes popularized, commercialized and mainstream. When television "doctors" spout nutritional falsehoods to trusting fans, the lie takes on a form of legitimacy.
The current enemy of the state in all things food-related are so-called food intolerances and allergies. While very real, "pop culture nutrition" likes to blame certain foods, like gluten, meat, dairy and soy for all of our problems including the growing waistlines of America, increased rates of autism in children and even something as mild as a stomach ache. It seems like briefly surfing the web, we should assume that bread is as poisonous as strychnine, the dairy industry is out to kill us and essentially the only safe food to eat are uncooked berries and seeds. With all the information out there, how can we hope to separate the truth from the lies, the substance from the filler, the glutenin from the gliadin, the casein from the whey? Okay, I may have carried that a bit far but essentially, we need to take a moment to step back and reflect on what food means to us as humans and how it relates our human experience. Food can be used to connect people, cultures, generations-- and let's certainly not forget that food is just a little bit important to life itself. We shouldn't be afraid of it, we shouldn't let people shame us into eating a certain way.
Being diagnosed with a food intolerance or allergy may mean reducing or completely eliminating a food group from your diet. It can be a life-changing event for some people, and can leave a person wondering what they are to do to go on with a "normal diet" knowing their condition. I am here to tell you that such diagnoses do not have to be dire, they don't even have to be terribly difficult to work with. Some of your favorite foods can still be at your reach, even if certain components are not friendly to your condition. With a little understanding of food science, the physiological response of food on the body, and some willingness to cook from home, you can help ease some of the fear the pop-nutrition industry relentlessly, and consciously, bombards you with. Please, take note that diagnosis of the food intolerance/allergy by a medical professional is critical, and that unnecessary elimination of entire food groups can be hazardous to health.
Please, enjoy life, enjoy love, enjoy food!
Eat fearlessly.
In many ways this is true, it is a great thing. The disadvantage of this type of communication is that false information can be spread, unchecked, under the guise of truth. The internet is chock full of such sources of information; some of it is merely innocent repetition of the original falsehood, and some is intentionally misleading with the intent of selling an idea, and oftentimes a product. "Miracles" in the forms of obscure foods, diets, peculiar exercise regimen and the like are sold to all-too-willing and often desperate people who just want a solution to whatever problem they feel they may have, be it extra weight, food intolerance/allergies, or just plain not feeling well. This becomes all the worse when the original false information becomes popularized, commercialized and mainstream. When television "doctors" spout nutritional falsehoods to trusting fans, the lie takes on a form of legitimacy.
The current enemy of the state in all things food-related are so-called food intolerances and allergies. While very real, "pop culture nutrition" likes to blame certain foods, like gluten, meat, dairy and soy for all of our problems including the growing waistlines of America, increased rates of autism in children and even something as mild as a stomach ache. It seems like briefly surfing the web, we should assume that bread is as poisonous as strychnine, the dairy industry is out to kill us and essentially the only safe food to eat are uncooked berries and seeds. With all the information out there, how can we hope to separate the truth from the lies, the substance from the filler, the glutenin from the gliadin, the casein from the whey? Okay, I may have carried that a bit far but essentially, we need to take a moment to step back and reflect on what food means to us as humans and how it relates our human experience. Food can be used to connect people, cultures, generations-- and let's certainly not forget that food is just a little bit important to life itself. We shouldn't be afraid of it, we shouldn't let people shame us into eating a certain way.
Being diagnosed with a food intolerance or allergy may mean reducing or completely eliminating a food group from your diet. It can be a life-changing event for some people, and can leave a person wondering what they are to do to go on with a "normal diet" knowing their condition. I am here to tell you that such diagnoses do not have to be dire, they don't even have to be terribly difficult to work with. Some of your favorite foods can still be at your reach, even if certain components are not friendly to your condition. With a little understanding of food science, the physiological response of food on the body, and some willingness to cook from home, you can help ease some of the fear the pop-nutrition industry relentlessly, and consciously, bombards you with. Please, take note that diagnosis of the food intolerance/allergy by a medical professional is critical, and that unnecessary elimination of entire food groups can be hazardous to health.
Please, enjoy life, enjoy love, enjoy food!
Eat fearlessly.