Food vs Health Industry

"People are fed by the Food Industry, which pays no attention to health, and are treated by the Health Industry, which pays no attention to food."

Okay, stop. Reread that first sentence and then come back. Finished? Okay.

Powerful, stuff for your Monday reading I know, but that statement is so so so true!!! Let’s dissect it a bit further.

First, people are fed by the food industry. Yes, this is very true. The food industry provides us with real foods, packaged foods, and everything in between. But, it’s the second part that is the kicker: which pays no attention to health.

(Okay, yes, I’m sure that there a companies out there that truly to care about their consumers health and well-being. Most of these are small businesses that truly aren’t in the business for a profit. They are in it to truly help people.)

However, barring all of those exceptions, most companies in the food industry are simply creating products to make money. Duh, Olivia, isn’t that what every company wants??

Seriously, though, the food industry just follows the trends of the time and works to create products that will appeal to consumers. Take for instance the low-fat craze of the 1990s. Food manufacturers went crazy making fat-free products (Snackwells anyone?). Did anyone get healthier as a result of this craziness? No. But did people make a ton of money? Yes.

The same principles hold true today. If low-calorie is in, what floods the market? Low-calorie, processed, packaged foods that have little to offer nutrition-wise and a lot to offer chemical-wise. If low-sugar products are all the rage, then products featuring artificial sweeteners appear everywhere.

I’m also seeing this applied in the real food/Paleo-sphere. Now that a Paleo style of eating is gaining popularity, food manufacturers are creating product after product and labeling it Paleo. While yes, some of the products may have “real food” ingredients, a lot of the products still contain a ton of sugar and other junk! Just because something is labeled as "healthy" or "natural" or even "Paleo" does NOT mean that it is indeed what it claims to be! Read your labels carefully and don't trust the pretty packaging.

Alright, let’s move onto the second part of the statement: people…are treated by the health industry, which pays no attention to food.

Yep. It hit it right on point again. The health industry can be so focused on pills, pills, and more pills that it forgets that nature has given us the most powerful medicine of all: real, whole food! It’s amazing what food can do to heal the body. (Need more proof? See Terry Wahl’s story here)

So often we turn straight to a pill when we don’t feel well, are depressed, or lacking energy. We spend so much money on pills that will never ever work, when instead, you could buy an avocado, a carton of blueberries, and a bunch of kale for under $5. With these three foods, you will provide yourself a healthy source of fat, tons of antioxidants, and a multitude of vitamins and minerals.

What’s my take home message? Like always, Eat. Real. Food!! You will be amazed at what it can do to heal your body, mind, and spirit. Let’s work towards a food industry that pays attention to health and a health industry that pays attention to food. Together, we can make a difference!

xoxo Olivia