Recently, I have:
*Perused two other “real food” books, one by Marion Nestle, and one by Nina Planck, until I basically overdosed on seriousness and needed to step back a bit in my pondering.
*Visited the local co-op, decided for the most part, it wasn’t worth it when considering cost, convenience, and selection. Wished I felt otherwise, but it’s true. Maybe for a few items here and there.
*Signed petition re: food and politics, hoping to do my small part in supporting BETTER FOOD in America. Posted said petitions to Facebook profile like crazy person. Oh, btw, sign it already!
*Eliminated as much high-fructose corn syrup from company fridge and cabinets as possible—until the point where I was vetoed by rest of staff. Now consume HFCS in very small, discriminatory amounts. Husband thinks I’m weird and/or nuts; is possibly correct.
*Started eating a lot more fruit. Fresh and dried, no sugar added, when there is a choice.
*Naturally begun greening the cleaning as well, wherever possible. Will probably still use up cabinet full of non-green products so it’s not a total waste? And don’t foresee axing things like ammonia and bleach for heavy-duty cleaning needs.
*Downward spiraled a bit into Green. I am (and this is the point of the post here) no longer sure where to draw the line on some things. I guess it’s a “wherever possible” thing? An “increased awareness” thing? I don’t know. Because obviously truth is so nebulous today, who is to say whether any of this green & natural stuff really matters. I think it does, it has to some, but to what extent. I’m not ready to jump on 100%.
Because, here is the thing. Some products were created as a cheaper, easier-to-produce alternative, the long-term effects of which were not considered, or else were ignored. Are ignored. Other items, however, were created to meet a true need, and who is to say whether those products aren’t actually better? Science doesn’t tell the whole story, or answer so many of the questions, but to completely discount it feels wrong. Like, for instance, when I take my Bug to the doctor with a raging ear infection, and she’s better in mere hours, thanks to those wonderful antibiotics. Thanks to science. (Thanks, science!)
So, when examining products to determine their value, their safety, their risk, how does one really decide. For foods, fewer ingredients are generally better, as well as ingredients one recognizes. Pesticides and non-sustainable agriculture = bad, but seriously, I’m still going to buy the waxed, perfect apple. Because that’s what available, and you know what? It’s still an apple.
What about cleaners? I recognize BLEACH, but that doesn’t make it a good thing—or something I’m about to stop using to scrub down the bathrooms and door handles after a bout of the flu. I also recognize TALC, which is supposedly not too great either, and that one’s in my baby’s diaper cream. The tried and true diaper cream that has worked like a charm for both of my kids, and that I continue to use. But is it carcinogenic, because of the talc, or anything else it contains? I can find information that tells me yes, and also information that tells me no, don’t worry about it.
Maybe I’m getting too nitty-gritty.
But, I still don’t know whether it’s worth it to change out the diaper cream. I’m left to sort of throw my hands up in the air, wondering to dismiss the issue altogether because hey, it’s a mainstream product, so it can’t be bad… but HFCS is also mainstream, and my gut says that’s not good, that it’s totally a sham. Diaper cream is applied daily, for two years or more, directly to skin. The “natural” diaper cream I’m guessing doesn’t work as well, and is like, $10+ for 2 oz., no exaggeration there.
What to do, what to do. Maybe think about something else. Eat something, clean something, change a diaper. Oh wait…
10 comments:
talk to jerry. he can answer most of your questions you posed. but it may pose other questions that may make you want to pull your hair out more and consume great deals of hfcs simply to make the end come faster... ;) it is all confusing. good for you for learning and (attempting to) making choices that work for you and your family.
good for you. it's like you went LA on me all the way over there. soon you'll be biking everywhere and weaving plastic bag rugs. ;)
and it's like i'm totally with you and who knew it was something we ever might have felt differently about.
it is all about balance and ultimately everything can get in a line with what kills you-- since regardless we're going to die anyway... cuz we're mortal... but at least the hope might be to be ultimately biodegradable human beings... and fertilize the earth in the process... don't get me started about pine boxes and saying no to deathperserving toxins. if you're going to carry your philosophy to the heart of things thats where it should go to lie. (yah you heard me, i said it ;)
I developed contact uticaria with dermagraphia many many moons ago. It was an allergic reaction that allowed my kids to play a very slow game of tic tac toe on my skin. The red itchy rash took about ten minutes to show up after they made their moves. Well this itchy red rash that came after pressure to my skin, (like changing clothes or turning over in bed) and left in about thirty minutes, but new itches would start because, well not much pressure was required. So it kept getting worse, and I finally went to the doctor who gave me a magic little green triangular pill that managed the symptoms, ah sleep, no itching. He said, pay attention to what you eat and what you come in contact with. Well it took months. Light bulb: ant spray, head lice treatment, flea dip. Pesticides, such a common part of life triggered my allergic reaction. Don't use pesticides, ailment went away.
Wowza, about the pesticides allergy!
E, so what does Jerry say about talc? I have to know.
m, I heart you. Now I want to hear you talk about pine boxes, just because.
great post! hi! try the country fresh produce store on Carolina beach road (right after greenfield) across from entrance to sunset park. Cheap -- and mostly local. Also there's another hispanic place over on wrightsville with good, cheap, and often local produce. It's an alternative to the food coop. And try Barbara Kingsolver's Animal, Vegetable, Miracle when you want a balance of the food studies/info/horrifying news you want to ignore and admissions that, well, her kids like cheetos.
hope you're doing well. take care, jessica
Awesome, Jess, thank you for your thoughts!!
I skimmed and will fully read tomorrow, but my impression on the talc was that the problem comes mainly from inhaling the powder (lung stuff, presumably). So in a cream it would be ok?
I think in the wiki about talc, it mentioned skin contact as well... sigh.
My word verif is "moveystr." I like it!
I heard the author of "In Defense of Food" speak on NPR radio. It was highly enlightening.
One thing that stuck. He said, "If your grandma couldn't make it, don't eat it." (or something along those lines)
I like that line, too. I really like his (Michael Pollan's) style.
Post a Comment