"Once there is seeing there must be acting, otherwise what is the point of seeing"
~Buddhist Monk
I have realized recently that as I slowly uncover the truth about our food system, the more skeptical I become. The more Nutritiously Curious I become. I can no longer look at a piece of chocolate or a bag of coffee as just a commodity. I wonder how it may be unfairly cultivated and produced. Eating organic is not only for the benefits of my own health but for the health of the farmers who harvested the crops for me. And I do not see a piece of meat without thinking about the workers who slaughtered them and treatment of the animals for the sake of our large consumption of meat in the United States. The quote (above) encourages me to start the change from within. Mahatma Ghandi said it best, "Be the change you want to see in the world".
Recently, I was honored to meet (again) Mr. ...I mean Dr. Eric Schlosser at the Occidental College where he received his honorary degree. Author of Fast Food Nation and muckraker, Schlosser inspires me to look at our food system differently and find the Upton Sinclair in all of us. To question our food manufacturers and producers, not always in the negative light but with inquisitive endeavors.
In a recent trip to the grocery store, I heard a man on the phone asking, "what is the difference between butter and margarine". This is what our food system has become. Similar yellow substances coming together in one market where one is made from ingredients our grandmothers would recognize while the other may be a contributor of heart disease. While some of you may think, well, "I know what the difference between butter and margarine is", but can you imagine how many more of these questions are out there that tickles us with Curiosity?
"What does being Nutritiously Curious mean?", my friend, Brian asks. In a strange way, it's like being that annoying kid who just kept on asking why? Pick up any random product and try to pronounce all the words on the label. Go to your local farmer's market and just explore. Ask simple questions like, "where does your food come from". My greatest pleasure comes from reading snippets whenever I can while enjoying my fair trade chocolate and coffee and exploring further what interests me. Some are silly, others serious and some are just head-tilting interesting. As I continue to peel away the layers of our food culture, I am inspired every day to practice MY food rules that I can sustain to nourish my body and to feed my Nutritiously Curious soul. I am excited that I can use my blog as an outlet to share my passions and to share my curiosities. I hope you will join me and explore this journey with me!
