Food anxiety is trending. We are rightly concerned about what we eat and why what we are eating may or may not be good for us and the environment. We are worried because food companies seem to be more interested in selling food than supporting personal and planetary health.
Michael Pollan, in the PBS Special, “In Defense of Food”, (trailer below) takes a very straightforward approach . I have not read his book but have watched the PBS special twice. I encourage you to watch it – it is linked here – Michael Pollan explores a cure for today’s industrially driven Western diet.
In straightforward terms this special helps us be less anxious about food as it directs us to eat things that everyone, especially our grandparents, would agree should be called food. To lessen our anxiety and with great scientific support he recommends we eat real food while staying away from technology created processed foods – for the most part. He acknowledges we cannot be perfect and helps us see a way to do better for ourselves and the planet.
The “In Defense of Food” special also supports and describes the overload of sugar in our food today as Katie Couric discusses in FedUp. (see trailer below) FedUp is an excellent documentary about food that you can see on many venues including on NetFlix. One of the most enlightening aspect of FedUp is how it demonstrates how Big Food has become like Tobacco to mislead the consumers, described in this post. The charge that big corporations are misleading consumers to generate more sales is also now being leveled at the NFL in the revealing movie “Concussion” with Will Smith.
Overall, Michael Pollan recommends we go as close to a plant strong diet as possible for the benefits and if we can’t always do it, relax, eat better next time. As I have posted here, here, here, here, and more, making plant strong food choices will benefit personal and planetary health. This is another way to have both as described earlier and is a way to practice paneugenesis by making food choices that generate comprehensive benefits by creating interactions with food that benefit everyone and everything.
I like and intend to follow his clear message, “Eat Food, Not To Much, Mostly Plants” to Make 2016 a Great Year. I know that if I follow his recommendation I will be Creating Interactions so Everyone and Everything Benefits. I look forward to hearing about how you are making 2016 great!
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Craig Becker
Positive Health Leadership 