Commercial

The commercial meat industry has been the subject of great controversy. Many people are greatly concerned about the treatment of animals meant to nourish and feed us. I am one of those people. 

Yes, some animals are raised in deplorable conditions so bad that they can hardly stand or breathe. I did not know the extent of the situation until I watched the film “Earthlings.” The documentary is so revealing and startling that it’s under horror in the film category. If you want to watch it, here is a link, but I must warn you it’s pretty gruesome. But it is also very eye-opening. Update – This film has been removed from YouTube so I have removed the link. Sorry about that inconvenience.

Live Kind

So, what does it mean to live Kindly? It simply means choosing more sustainably and humanly raised animals. Or, for some, it can mean going meatless completely. I am not here to judge; I am okay with whatever you choose. We should treat animals as we did many years ago when family farmers were the cornerstone of our existence, and profit was secondary. Animals such as cows raised on a natural diet of grass are better for the cow and provide more nutrients for our bodies. 

Kind to me means being both kind to the animals and our bodies. We could achieve a better world if we treated animals more humanely. Just think of it, you would be consuming meat that lived its life humanely and in a suitable environment. That means the animal lived naturally healthy lives and could socialize, build relationships, and create offspring. It is as nature intended the animal to live, and in turn, it would produce a far superior quality of meat versus that of a commercially raised animal that spent its life in fear and pain. 

Organic Vs. Conventional

I could give you a million reasons why you should choose organic over conventional, and all would be valid, but I suggest showing you instead. Follow the link to a wonderful site that breaks down the fundamental differences between organic and conventional foods, then judge for yourself. Watch the documentary Food Matters to gain even more perspective on the subject. It is crucial to be informed to make healthier food choices for you and your family. It’s another life changer, so be prepared to feel very different afterward. Okay, enough said!

Growing Organic

I am not going to kid you. I had a brown thumb and couldn’t grow fungus in a dark room of a haunted house. Since I don’t have a backyard conducive to growing food, I tried my hand at potted gardening. Growing organic herbs took a long time and a lot of practice. And after a few failed attempts, I finally had an abundant herb crop capable of feeding my entire family.

I can not tell you how satisfying it was to eat herbs I had grown myself. The great part was that I knew precisely what nutrients I fed my plants and only used natural insecticides such as cayenne pepper and neem oil. It was a great experience. If you are thinking about growing your own food, here is a link to the natural insecticides I used to keep my plants safe and pest free. For me, it’s been a truly authentic experience, one I continue to enjoy yearly, and by the way, my first harvest was delicious. It gave me a renewed spirit to continue growing my food. It was a true taste of farm-to-table for me, and I am hooked.

I started gardening when I read about the age of the food in our supermarkets. The crazy part is most people never think about how old the product is in the market. They don’t know that many plants are weeks old and lack nutrients by the time they’re purchased. So growing your food is a great way to get more nutrients and control what’s on your food. However, if growing your food is not an option for you. Try joining a co-op or finding a farmer’s market near your home. The food will be much better than buying conventionally farmed produce by a long shot.

The point is the more control you have over your food, the healthier you will become. So, try to buy organic produce as much as possible and stay clear of conventional chemically laced farmed foods.

Buying Clean Packaged Foods

Buying foods free from GMOs and MSG is easier than you may think. The first thing you must do is become an avid label reader. To do that, you must learn to avoid all the flashy tags and colorful banners on the front of the package. They are just there to distract you from what’s inside. So stay focused and become a food detective by reading labels thoroughly. Be aware of phrases like 100% natural or fat-free. 100% natural does not necessarily mean GMO or MSG-free, and fat-free typically means loaded with sugar.

The second thing you must do is to shop the outside aisle of the supermarket. Stay away from the center rows, which hold all the commercial junk food. If you really must have junk food make sure you choose the healthy stuff from the natural section. It is unbelievable just how many natural alternatives are out there. There is an organic or natural version of just about any junk food you can imagine. I have had everything from chocolate chip cookies to almond milk ice cream. And to stay on track, I generally live by the 5 to 6 rule. I only choose packaged foods that contain no more than 5 to 6 natural and recognizable ingredients.

So, browse the health food aisle and discover the available wonders. An excellent documentary I watched about 100 times is Hungry For Change I found it one day while browsing Netflix on a TV binge day. This Documentary changed the way I viewed dieting. I gained great insight into why we gain weight, feel insatiable cravings for food, and how to avoid products that cause disease and sickness. If you don’t have Netflix, no worries. I have placed a link to their site. The video is very profound here is the link to their website, which has the video available but I think you must purchase it first. If you are serious about this journey, please take a few moments to watch it. And no I do not get paid for promoting it, I just loved the movie.