Last night I had the privilege of seeing the new documentary “Food, Inc.” compliments of Chipotle (to whom I would like to say thank you for the movie ticket and free taco). For those of you who have not seen it, GO NOW before it’s out of theaters! It’s worth the $10 movie ticket, trust me.
Upon watching this film, I realized my own level of naivety while casually strolling down the aisles in the grocery store. Being the self-proclaimed health nut that I am, I take grocery shopping very seriously and was somewhat appalled at the amount of information that is being hidden from me as a consumer. I always try to make the best decisions when I shop for food, choosing organic when it’s available and making sure that the meats I buy have been raised naturally. However, this film brings a whole new perspective to where our food comes from; the bottom line being– we need to buy food from companies who treat their employees, animals, and the planet with respect.
The most alarming part of this film was the testimony of Barbara Kowalcyk, whose two year-old son died in twelve days after eating a hamburger infested with E.coli. Hearing her speak about her little boy brought tears to my eyes and I was shocked to learn that he went from being completely healthy to dying in twelve short days. Can you even imagine losing your child from a hamburger? Barbara and her mother are now active advocates fighting for stronger food safety legislation. According to the CDC, approximately 76 million Americans are sickened, 325,000 are hospitalized, and 5,000 die each year from foodborne illnesses. To learn more about current legislation fighting for food safety, check out the Center for Foodborne Illness.
In addition to Barbara’s story, there were a number of other issues presented in this film:
1. The practices of factory farming (which essentially made me want to become a vegetarian)
2. Pesticides in your food
3. Genetic engineering
4. Cloning livestock
5. The environmental impact of transporting food around the country
6. Diabetes and obesity
Although 75% of the film focused on exposing the truth and raising awareness for everything that is wrong with the food industry, the last 25% of HOPE is what caught my attention the most– we all have a choice in what we eat. Every time we buy a product, we are casting a vote for that company and everything they believe in. Without even realizing it, we are supporting hormone-fed animals, genetically modified foods, and companies who treat their employees poorly. Despite the high amount of corruption in our food system today, the power resides in the hands of the consumer–YOU can make a difference and YOU can change this system for the better.
Buy local. Buy organic. Cook dinner. Visit your farmer’s market. Read your labels. Fight for healthy lunches in schools. Support the passage of laws related to food safety. SEE THIS FILM.
You are what you eat– so eat healthy, be healthy, and spread the word.
Check out the following links for more information:
