Conscious Choice: Is There Anything Left to Eat?

April 2004 | Health Conscious

Is There Anything Left to Eat?

by Bonnie C. Minsky

You don’t have to be super health conscious to realize there’s something wrong with our food supply. If you eat beef, there’s Mad Cow disease and the risk of contracting a variant of it. So you’ll stop eating beef. If you eat or drink U.S. dairy products, you could be consuming a hefty dose of bovine growth hormone (BgH), an estrogen hormone used for the sole purpose of forcing dairy cows to produce more milk. Moreover, milk products made from it will likely contain antibiotic residues. This is nothing to sniff at, since antibiotic residues can make us antibiotic resistant. OK, you don’t mind avoiding dairy products as there are many high calcium substitutes from which to choose.

Since protein foods are necessary for your survival, you may want to try eating more fish. But wait! What about the toxic levels of mercury found in fresh tuna, swordfish, shark and king mackerel? Or the cadmium in shrimp, the vibriovulnificus organism in oysters and the PCBs in farm-raised salmon? This is more than a mouthful of heavy metals, pesticides and unwanted parasites. Your healthy fish idea is blown right out of the water!

You like poultry and know dozens of ways to make it. If undercooked, chicken could harbor salmonella organisms. Even cooked chicken can contain a high level of arsenic. The sausage and deli sliced varieties of turkey and chicken may also be pumped full of potentially cancer-causing chemicals such as nitrates and nitrites.

You are now forced to limit your animal protein choice to eggs. You’ll need to make sure they are pasteurized or cooked for at least three minutes, since 95 percent of our eggs harbor salmonella. Then there are the antibiotic and hormone residues you may also be ingesting if your eggs aren’t organic. So cross eggs off the list.

It appears you have no choice but to become a vegan (no animal foods or derivatives). Vegan fans will tell you this is a healthier lifestyle that’s easier on our planet. Despite the fact that it’s hard for those of us with Paleolithic genes to thrive without animal protein, it seems that it’s worth giving the vegan concept a try. Bring on the soy!

Yet, watch out if you feel that soy hot dogs, soy burgers, soy cheese and soymilk are the only palatable ways to eat it. Several disturbing studies show that large amounts of textured soy protein and soy protein isolates found in these products may contribute to thyroid disorders, certain cancers and severe food allergies. Fermented soy products such as tempeh, miso and tofu are shown to be more absorbable sources of soy. If your soy products aren’t organic, they’re likely laced with toxic pesticides and herbicides, along with GMOs. It’s time to look for a soy substitute.

Peanuts are a great snack food and contain some protein and healthy fat. Yet, peanuts have become a life-threatening food allergen. The aflatoxin mold found within our recent peanut crop can also suppress your immune system. OK, pass on the peanuts.

Your taste buds love bags of potato chips, pretzels and popcorn. Watch out for the hidden trans fats (hydrogenated oils). They’ll clog your arteries. Your final, desperate move is to become a fruitarian (eating only fruit). But what about those pesticides...

You’re beginning to get the picture. Limiting your food choices is not an answer to dealing with tainted, toxic food. Rather we need to do the following:

* Support farmers in moving from factory farming (agribusiness) and toward environmentally sensitive farming. Trader Joe’s is already doing this successfully.

* Hold our food protection agencies, especially the Food and Drug Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency accountable for food safety issues. It’s not enough for them to warn us of the potential dangers. They must work diligently to remove the source(s) of harm.

* Lobby to change state and federal laws that are now protecting agribusiness and drug/chemical companies that have been poisoning our food.

* The most powerful move that each of us can make on a daily basis is to stop purchasing toxic or tainted food. Buy organic foods, when available, and in the least processed method possible.

The consumer has power. If we refuse to buy it, they’ll stop making it. I want to be able to eat real food. How about you?

Disclaimer: This column is for information only and no part of its contents should be construed as medical advice, diagnosis, recommendation, or endorsement by Ms. Minsky.

Bonnie Minsky is a Licensed and Certified Nutrition Specialist, Public Health Educator and Certified menopause Educator with a private practice in Northbrook, IL. She can be reached at nutritionalconcepts.com.

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