•9:51 PM
My Grampa was born in 1913. He was an incredible man, a staunch conservative with an entrepreneurial spirit, who loved his family the most in the world. He liked to talk politics (...groan...), and he loved to entertain in his backyard, around the pool; and as he aged, he liked to reminisce and talk about the old days. He died, in his ninety-third year, in October 2005. I have found myself thinking about him a lot these last few days, while reading In Defense of Food, By Michael Pollan. Because, like most things, Grampa had some strong opinions about food and I wish I could talk to him about what the typical meal was like when he was a little boy. And I'd love to hear him tell about the changes he observed in the food industry.
However, I am not talking about the stories of Mabel the Pie Lady, who could pound out seventy pies in a day to prepare for a typical Saturday night at his banquet hall, The Pyranon Ballroom. 'Cause we (in the family) have all heard those stories too many times (... rolls eyes, like typical granddaughter). I'm talking about how he probably moved from buying meat and eggs locally, to having them delivered from a central warehouse. The thing is ... I understand now why Grampa was so amazed by Mabel being able to prepare seventy pies in a day. He knew how much work went into making a pie from scratch and he must have been amazed at how "progress" had brought things to the point where one woman prepared dessert for a party of one hundred and fifty guests in one day. He probably grew up listening to his mother complaining because she didn't have time to get more than one or two done in a day, and now his baker could pound out almost one hundred.
Grampa thought it was ridiculous to spend money on spaghetti in a restaurant ... because spaghetti was for poor people. He enjoyed prime rib, or roasted chicken, with squash and parsnips, and lots of potatoes ... with homemade stuffing and gravy. No Kraft Dinner or frozen food at his house. Food indicated status for a gentleman like Grampa. He enjoyed a salad, as long as it accompanied a big, thick steak.
His sweet tooth was never satisfied... no meal was complete without dessert. No afternoon was complete without a coffee break, either. Grampa made his food with love and I think that I learned to appreciate food from him. I mean, truly appreciate the taste of good food ... because he did.
In Defence of Food, Pollan talks about the three myths of eating: (1) what matters most is not the food, but the nutrients in the food, (2) because nutrients are invisible and incomprehensible to everyone except scientists, we need experts to tell us what to eat, and (3) that the only purpose of eating is to promote a very narrow concept of physical health. Food is also about community, and spirit, and togetherness. It can promote conversation and it can be about pleasure ... with no guilt attached. No people on earth worry about the consequences of their food choices more than North Americans. But if you eat real food, there is no need to worry. Have a chocolate cream pie, and make it from whole milk, free from hormones and steroids and antibiotics. And then, enjoy it.
The premise of the book is to make you think about where your food comes from and to encourage the reader to think in terms of food instead of nutrients. Because a vitamin eaten in its natural state, in a actual fruit or vegetable, is worth so much more than a "vitamin-fortified" product. Pollan explains that the fact of the matter is the chronic diseases that now kill most of us can be traced directly to the industrialization of food. Highly refined grains, the use of chemicals to flavour and colour foods as well as to raise plants and animals in large monocultures, the abundance of cheap calories in sugar and fat, the narrowing in the diversity of foods available to us. The human diet is now based on three main crops ... wheat, corn and soy. What? You don't eat tofu? Think again, because soy products are used in all types of manufacturing, just like corn. In fact, I once spoke to a gentleman who had taken an interest in food production because of a food allergy in his family. He told me that after much reading, he predicts the next big food allergy to be to corn. Because it is used in all areas of food production and soon our bodies will begin to reject it and fight against it.
It is difficult to let go of some of the things we all learned growing up. I know this because it was difficult for me. About ten years ago, I was not feeling well. I mean, I was fine but I didn't feel good. I was working until seven or eight o'clock almost every night. I was leaving my house at six-thirty in the morning, headed for testing in order to monitor my infertility treatments; I was worried and stressed out and exhausted. I had put on some weight and did not feel good. So, I took a step back and started to read, and I learned about a different way to eat. This was NOT a diet; it was a lifestyle change, based on the book, Fit for Life by Harvey Diamond. The basic premise is to eat foods in combinations that would allow for easy digestion, while eliminating some well-known toxins. For one year, one month, and two weeks I did not consume any refined sugar, dairy products, red meat, or caffeine. Then, I had a little baby boy growing in my tummy who wanted some sugary treats and would not take NO for an answer. The hormones made me do it ... and I eventually abandoned all the things I had learned. For convenience, if you want me to be honest. And I have felt guilty about it a lot of the time.
When I was Fit for Life, I lost twenty-three pounds and I felt great. Not once did I count a calorie, measure fat intake or look for a particular nutrient in a food. I just ate whole foods and when we made these changes in our life, I threw out an entire black garbage bag of processed food. Within a few weeks, I had a ton of energy, my skin was flawless, and I felt healthy. And after a little less than a year of truly healthy living, I got pregnant ... without help from anyone but the man I love. Shortly after Caiden was born, we were arranging for some insurance, and my bloodwork came back as above-average healthy. The way I felt was a reflection of the way my body was functioning.
Guess what else Pollan dares to attack? Fat. Fat is not bad for you; in fact, you actually need fat in your diet. Your brain is sixty percent fat and each neuron is housed in a protective sheath of it. Did you know that? I find this information particularly icky, but I guess I'm just going to have to deal with it ... maybe even use it to my advantage somehow. The point is that if there is some fat marbled into your meat, enjoy the tenderness if brings to your steak. But eat it with other whole foods, like green salad and roasted potatoes and fruit. There are several cultures that live on diets that rely heavily on meat and they have been found to be some of the healthiest people in the world. But they don't eat at McDonald's or Pizza Hut very often. And, they probably sit down, with their families, to appreciate their meals.
For me, there is one study that says it all. In 1982, a researcher in Australia returned a group of Aborigines back to their traditional homeland, which was a remote and isolated region in the northwest (of Australia). This group of ten men and women had all developed Type II Diabetes, they had signs of insulin resistance, and elevated levels of triglycerides in their blood since leaving the bush for "civilization" some years before. The group were to remain in the bush and rely exclusively on foods they hunted and gathered themselves. They had knowledge of these methods, and were comfortable in doing them. They were also monitored for health and/or safety issues. They had access to coastal waters and inland locations and spent seven weeks surviving on fish, birds, crocodile, yams, figs, bush honey and much more ... natural food. At the end of the study, they had lost (on average) seventeen pounds; blood pressure dropped; triglyceride levels fell into the normal range; and all of the Type II Diabetes issues either greatly improved, or fell to within normal levels. When they ate "food," they became more healthy. It's easy, don't you think? On a lighter note, I can't help but wonder if this is where they got the idea for the Survivor reality show. These Aborigines were the original Survivors!
When I was younger, I wanted to be a farmer's wife; but then I fell in love with a Business major. I was always intrigued by the farm ... humans and animals living together, growing food for others to eat. Living off the land. Big machines, vast amounts of land, and family. I think maybe that is what drew me to the idea of farming ... the idea of a large family, working together. Feeling part of something, belonging. In any case, I could not talk Jonesy into farming for a living, and so we drive by farms instead. But I think we are going to start looking for the farms where we can stop and pick up some food for tonight's supper.
However, it is probably a good thing ... that Jonesy does not long for life on the farm. According to Eric Schlosser in Fast Food Nation, the suicide rate among ranchers and farmers in the United States is about three times higher than the national average. Just last week, I read about a dairy farmer in the state of New York who first shot each of his cattle and them himself. Something in the farming industry has been lost and in my opinion, I think it is important to get it back. We should be praising these families, not stressing them out.
Do you know where your food comes from? Maybe it's time to shake the hand of the one that feeds you. I have recently found a flour mill near my house. They took my kids and I on a tour of their facility, explaining each step in the process; and the kids got to grind some wheat into flour themselves. The older kids enjoyed learning about how flour is milled; that is a much better way to learn than reading about it in a book. I had no idea that flour was milled around here ... it's not bleached and it has all the parts of the wheat. It is ultra healthy and full of fiber; and the kids don't know the difference. A cookie is a cookie ... unless your mother replaces the chocolate chips with raisins. Then, that is not a cookie. If you live in Southwestern Ontario and visit Windsor sometime, check out the whole grain difference that Sartaj Flour offers.
You should know where your food comes from and you should know what you eat, has eaten. It's okay to ask questions. If the soil is in some way deficient, then the grass that the cows eat is not meeting their needs and the milk and meat they produce are sub-standard. It seems to me that the food industry is coming under question by many and hopefully, that means that change is coming, too. I saw Michael Pollan interviewed once, and he was asked what he thought would force the food industry into making the changes it needs to. Pollan responded by saying that the mothers would change things. They will become frustrated with the quality of the food offered to them to feed their babies and they will not stand for it any longer. So, I say let's unite and demand that change. For our children and our selves.
Pollan makes the suggestion that going backwards to the dietary lifestyle of our ancestors may be the answer. So, that is what I am planning to do ... enjoy food, like my Grampa taught me, but know where it is coming from. Eat it for fun and pleasure and don't rush through it; sit, enjoy. Lingering around the table to chat and munch on vegies can be therapeutic and relaxing.
It will involve making some changes in our house and doing a little research, but it will be worth it, to know that I am providing my family with the best food I can find. But, we're not perfect, so we might still see you at McDonald's on occasion ... Grampa Jones says everything in moderation ... so we'll apply that principle, too.
And, while I am enjoying my food, I will enjoy moving on to a book that does not involve food or food production in any way. Whew ... can't wait to start Presumed Innocent ... which is presumably about the law.
However, I am not talking about the stories of Mabel the Pie Lady, who could pound out seventy pies in a day to prepare for a typical Saturday night at his banquet hall, The Pyranon Ballroom. 'Cause we (in the family) have all heard those stories too many times (... rolls eyes, like typical granddaughter). I'm talking about how he probably moved from buying meat and eggs locally, to having them delivered from a central warehouse. The thing is ... I understand now why Grampa was so amazed by Mabel being able to prepare seventy pies in a day. He knew how much work went into making a pie from scratch and he must have been amazed at how "progress" had brought things to the point where one woman prepared dessert for a party of one hundred and fifty guests in one day. He probably grew up listening to his mother complaining because she didn't have time to get more than one or two done in a day, and now his baker could pound out almost one hundred.
Grampa thought it was ridiculous to spend money on spaghetti in a restaurant ... because spaghetti was for poor people. He enjoyed prime rib, or roasted chicken, with squash and parsnips, and lots of potatoes ... with homemade stuffing and gravy. No Kraft Dinner or frozen food at his house. Food indicated status for a gentleman like Grampa. He enjoyed a salad, as long as it accompanied a big, thick steak.
His sweet tooth was never satisfied... no meal was complete without dessert. No afternoon was complete without a coffee break, either. Grampa made his food with love and I think that I learned to appreciate food from him. I mean, truly appreciate the taste of good food ... because he did.
In Defence of Food, Pollan talks about the three myths of eating: (1) what matters most is not the food, but the nutrients in the food, (2) because nutrients are invisible and incomprehensible to everyone except scientists, we need experts to tell us what to eat, and (3) that the only purpose of eating is to promote a very narrow concept of physical health. Food is also about community, and spirit, and togetherness. It can promote conversation and it can be about pleasure ... with no guilt attached. No people on earth worry about the consequences of their food choices more than North Americans. But if you eat real food, there is no need to worry. Have a chocolate cream pie, and make it from whole milk, free from hormones and steroids and antibiotics. And then, enjoy it.
The premise of the book is to make you think about where your food comes from and to encourage the reader to think in terms of food instead of nutrients. Because a vitamin eaten in its natural state, in a actual fruit or vegetable, is worth so much more than a "vitamin-fortified" product. Pollan explains that the fact of the matter is the chronic diseases that now kill most of us can be traced directly to the industrialization of food. Highly refined grains, the use of chemicals to flavour and colour foods as well as to raise plants and animals in large monocultures, the abundance of cheap calories in sugar and fat, the narrowing in the diversity of foods available to us. The human diet is now based on three main crops ... wheat, corn and soy. What? You don't eat tofu? Think again, because soy products are used in all types of manufacturing, just like corn. In fact, I once spoke to a gentleman who had taken an interest in food production because of a food allergy in his family. He told me that after much reading, he predicts the next big food allergy to be to corn. Because it is used in all areas of food production and soon our bodies will begin to reject it and fight against it.
It is difficult to let go of some of the things we all learned growing up. I know this because it was difficult for me. About ten years ago, I was not feeling well. I mean, I was fine but I didn't feel good. I was working until seven or eight o'clock almost every night. I was leaving my house at six-thirty in the morning, headed for testing in order to monitor my infertility treatments; I was worried and stressed out and exhausted. I had put on some weight and did not feel good. So, I took a step back and started to read, and I learned about a different way to eat. This was NOT a diet; it was a lifestyle change, based on the book, Fit for Life by Harvey Diamond. The basic premise is to eat foods in combinations that would allow for easy digestion, while eliminating some well-known toxins. For one year, one month, and two weeks I did not consume any refined sugar, dairy products, red meat, or caffeine. Then, I had a little baby boy growing in my tummy who wanted some sugary treats and would not take NO for an answer. The hormones made me do it ... and I eventually abandoned all the things I had learned. For convenience, if you want me to be honest. And I have felt guilty about it a lot of the time.
When I was Fit for Life, I lost twenty-three pounds and I felt great. Not once did I count a calorie, measure fat intake or look for a particular nutrient in a food. I just ate whole foods and when we made these changes in our life, I threw out an entire black garbage bag of processed food. Within a few weeks, I had a ton of energy, my skin was flawless, and I felt healthy. And after a little less than a year of truly healthy living, I got pregnant ... without help from anyone but the man I love. Shortly after Caiden was born, we were arranging for some insurance, and my bloodwork came back as above-average healthy. The way I felt was a reflection of the way my body was functioning.
Guess what else Pollan dares to attack? Fat. Fat is not bad for you; in fact, you actually need fat in your diet. Your brain is sixty percent fat and each neuron is housed in a protective sheath of it. Did you know that? I find this information particularly icky, but I guess I'm just going to have to deal with it ... maybe even use it to my advantage somehow. The point is that if there is some fat marbled into your meat, enjoy the tenderness if brings to your steak. But eat it with other whole foods, like green salad and roasted potatoes and fruit. There are several cultures that live on diets that rely heavily on meat and they have been found to be some of the healthiest people in the world. But they don't eat at McDonald's or Pizza Hut very often. And, they probably sit down, with their families, to appreciate their meals.
For me, there is one study that says it all. In 1982, a researcher in Australia returned a group of Aborigines back to their traditional homeland, which was a remote and isolated region in the northwest (of Australia). This group of ten men and women had all developed Type II Diabetes, they had signs of insulin resistance, and elevated levels of triglycerides in their blood since leaving the bush for "civilization" some years before. The group were to remain in the bush and rely exclusively on foods they hunted and gathered themselves. They had knowledge of these methods, and were comfortable in doing them. They were also monitored for health and/or safety issues. They had access to coastal waters and inland locations and spent seven weeks surviving on fish, birds, crocodile, yams, figs, bush honey and much more ... natural food. At the end of the study, they had lost (on average) seventeen pounds; blood pressure dropped; triglyceride levels fell into the normal range; and all of the Type II Diabetes issues either greatly improved, or fell to within normal levels. When they ate "food," they became more healthy. It's easy, don't you think? On a lighter note, I can't help but wonder if this is where they got the idea for the Survivor reality show. These Aborigines were the original Survivors!
When I was younger, I wanted to be a farmer's wife; but then I fell in love with a Business major. I was always intrigued by the farm ... humans and animals living together, growing food for others to eat. Living off the land. Big machines, vast amounts of land, and family. I think maybe that is what drew me to the idea of farming ... the idea of a large family, working together. Feeling part of something, belonging. In any case, I could not talk Jonesy into farming for a living, and so we drive by farms instead. But I think we are going to start looking for the farms where we can stop and pick up some food for tonight's supper.
However, it is probably a good thing ... that Jonesy does not long for life on the farm. According to Eric Schlosser in Fast Food Nation, the suicide rate among ranchers and farmers in the United States is about three times higher than the national average. Just last week, I read about a dairy farmer in the state of New York who first shot each of his cattle and them himself. Something in the farming industry has been lost and in my opinion, I think it is important to get it back. We should be praising these families, not stressing them out.
Do you know where your food comes from? Maybe it's time to shake the hand of the one that feeds you. I have recently found a flour mill near my house. They took my kids and I on a tour of their facility, explaining each step in the process; and the kids got to grind some wheat into flour themselves. The older kids enjoyed learning about how flour is milled; that is a much better way to learn than reading about it in a book. I had no idea that flour was milled around here ... it's not bleached and it has all the parts of the wheat. It is ultra healthy and full of fiber; and the kids don't know the difference. A cookie is a cookie ... unless your mother replaces the chocolate chips with raisins. Then, that is not a cookie. If you live in Southwestern Ontario and visit Windsor sometime, check out the whole grain difference that Sartaj Flour offers.
You should know where your food comes from and you should know what you eat, has eaten. It's okay to ask questions. If the soil is in some way deficient, then the grass that the cows eat is not meeting their needs and the milk and meat they produce are sub-standard. It seems to me that the food industry is coming under question by many and hopefully, that means that change is coming, too. I saw Michael Pollan interviewed once, and he was asked what he thought would force the food industry into making the changes it needs to. Pollan responded by saying that the mothers would change things. They will become frustrated with the quality of the food offered to them to feed their babies and they will not stand for it any longer. So, I say let's unite and demand that change. For our children and our selves.
Pollan makes the suggestion that going backwards to the dietary lifestyle of our ancestors may be the answer. So, that is what I am planning to do ... enjoy food, like my Grampa taught me, but know where it is coming from. Eat it for fun and pleasure and don't rush through it; sit, enjoy. Lingering around the table to chat and munch on vegies can be therapeutic and relaxing.
It will involve making some changes in our house and doing a little research, but it will be worth it, to know that I am providing my family with the best food I can find. But, we're not perfect, so we might still see you at McDonald's on occasion ... Grampa Jones says everything in moderation ... so we'll apply that principle, too.
And, while I am enjoying my food, I will enjoy moving on to a book that does not involve food or food production in any way. Whew ... can't wait to start Presumed Innocent ... which is presumably about the law.
discussion,
food
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2 comments:
Jill, you're really informed and proactive about your family's health and well-being. i think it's great and not an easy thing to do. I have one great eater and one very picky eater. I blame myself for the picky eater (Megan, my second child, i let her get away with a lot) We always try to eat together ( whether it be grilled cheese or a roast beef dinner) but there's lots of nights that we are running in and out quickly to sports, etc. or i'm working afts that i know my family is not being fed nearly as well as i would like.I have a teenager that fortifies himself with pizza pockets and cereal. I wish we had a Whole Foods here in Windsor . I sometimes go to the market on Ottawa St. but not as often as i should. i must say , though, nothing beats a great BBQ steak on Friday nite in summer.( Would i still love it as much if i read the books?; i'm afraid to read them for this reason!!! I know, i know, terrible)
Loved reading about your very accurate & loving memories of Grampa, Jill. I think of him often too and miss him terribly. He would be so proud of your writing if he could read your blog entries. You know--- much of what you read and passed on in this entry are common sense eating ideas and it is good to refresh our memory about good balance and food choices. Did you know that there is another grocery store chain like WHOLE FOODS down here in Destin called MARKET FRESH --- also excellent!