It's been quite awhile since I have written out a heart felt PUREmamas post. Mainly because nothing has really jumped out at me lately {not to mention I've been wining and dining up in napa - going to concerts and enjoying the Summertime in Encinitas more than usual}. Some things have gotten me thinking while on my latest adventures but usually these topics have been too controversial for my blog. Usually I like to avoid those overly "debatable" subjects that might upset some readers. Afterall, I'm here to encourage, not discourage people from being the best versions of themselves.
Well, YIKES. This one might be most "serious" one of all. Here goes.
The other day I was out with a few friends and we got talking about pregnancy {both girls want to get pregnant soon with their first child} and the topic of folic acid came up. One of the girls mutual friend's had a baby with spina bifida and hadn't taken folic acid during pregnancy. That made me really sad. I felt sad for several reasons: a) what mother wouldn't be sad hearing that? b) this mother could have prevented it by taking folic acid? if so, how is this not MANDATORY that she be told this over and over again by her doctor? and c) that this mother might have to live with the pain of thinking she could have prevented it? For the rest of her life? She shouldn't have to live with that.
This was just too overwhelming for me to want to think about. But at the same time, our health and diet and lifestyle is everything to do with the state of our childrens' health. If this one supplement can prevent birth defects, think about what the LACK of vitamins, minerals and enzymes can have on our bodies and that our unborn babies' bodies. So crazy, right? I say this over and over and over all of the time - food is not just about carbs, protein and fat. Those darn nutrition panels leave out the most important information. Food cannot be medicine if it's not full of micronutrients, life, enzymes and water.
I know, this is a very touchy subject for some and yet not all that uncommon either. But it got me thinking not only about our diets and nutrition but also about modern medicine and mainstream information -- think about the amount of money we spend on research, insurance, etc. and yet the lack of education {power and control} we as a society have as a whole!
Remember my post awhile back -- about giving water to infants. My midwives told me not to ever give a baby water in a bottle because too much can poison them. As a new mom I was shocked at not only the fact that this information wasn't on every formula bottle, in every baby book and all over the news but that I saw so many people giving their babies water before they were a year old. And even heard stories of children dying.
This is perfect example of what I'm getting at. Our daily lives are dictated by the misinformation, the lack of information that we are given. Even at school. Have you seen the movie Waiting For Superman?
This whole theme has been running through my conversations these past few months and it finally fueled a blog post.
I remember when I first talked to Wes {my kids' father} about Veganism years ago: the evils of factory farming and importance of getting meat and dairy from ORGANIC, grass-fed sources. I showed him video after video and his first main reaction was "why doesn't everybody know about this then?"
EXACTLY!
Why don't they?
This post might be a bit depressing, sorry. But it's the truth. The point I want to make is that we are going to have to THINK and study our way through life if we want to THRIVE and succeed. If we want to be healthy. If we want our children to be healthy. We truly can't rely on our doctors or our naturopaths our teachers our government and definitely not our media. NOT because these people don't care, not at all {don't think I'm saying that} but we ultimately have to speak up for our rights, our health, and often that means take measures into our own hands. Nobody is going to solve our problems for us. Even if each individual person means well and is doing their best at their job, he or she still isn't giving us all the information, all sides of a story and/or the whole picture. What we "learn" from the experts is VERY controlled. {remember my post about the so-called expert?}
Even our history books are one sided.
Ok, so are you confused yet? Or are you following me?
Another recent frustration was hearing from {my wonderful} fellow mom bloggers about the McDonald's nutrition courses. I know, sounds like an oxymoron, right? Well, it is. Some of us might think "wow, at least they are trying to better their menus"! That's not what I think. I think they are just trying to get that last niche market of moms, like myself, that don't eat fast food, to start spending money at their local franchise.
It's all about money and this I know as a former owner of a food company. Does this mean we can't trust people? No. But there is a bottom line. And we have to remember that most things, including education, science, even yoga studios, have an agenda and it's not always our best interest. It's somebody else. That's all I'm saying.
You think McDonalds cares about your health? Really? McDonalds started this whole factury farming problem to begin with. BUT phew, thank goodness they sell really inexpensive fruit smoothies and serve apples! {when fruit is sold that cheap...I'd question the "other" ingredients}.
Well, that said, the campaign is working {google it and you'll see}.
Why do companies lie? Same reason Netflix lies: Greed. Money. Power. Control. Profits. Share Holders. Every company has to make money to survive.
Profit is unfortunately more important than anything else when it comes to big {and little} business. When I say big business, I am talking about Pharmaceuticals, McDonalds, Starbucks, even NAKED juice - aka medical industry, politics, and food chain/PR & Marketing.
And the FDA is there to protect us though and doctors want to help save our lives. Right? They too are invovled in this incestual financial relationship.
I think the doctors themselves do. But those that fund and create the educational system are the big corps that care more about their share holders than the health of our society.
Don't believe me. Watch the intro to this video and make up your own mind.
Burzynski: Cancer Is Serious Business from BurzynskiMovie on Vimeo.
I mean, look at our screwed up our health care system is in general. We can't guarantee FREE healthcare to all US citizens? Other countries do.
What about all the "research" that proves the claims being made? Well, look further into who funds the research?
Think twice next time you "race for the cure"!
It's true: follow the money and you'll also see where all the research comes from.
Yogurt commericals, thanks to the relationship between the FDA and Dairy industry, are somehow allowed to make claims that say "dairy helps you lose weight?" But Folic Acid packaging at Whole Foods is not allowed to make claims like "this will prevent birth defects"? FDA doesn't allow it. If you have enough money you too can create a controlled study that shows yogurt can help you lose weight. Hell, we have already seen it done with twinkies. And it's those studies that become fact and those studies that guide our education system.
Big Corps care mainly about one thing -- money! And if a company is small enough and have an ethical agenda {genuinely love what they do and want to change the world} then it's only a matter of time and running out of MONEY before they eventually care about agenda #1 -- money.
It's a terrible cycle. I know this first hand because my company, Kookie Karma, is often on the verge of disappearing becuase of my almost-throwing-in-the-towel each month trying to compete with the big guys and also stay ethical {not use cheaper ingredients in my cookies}. Staying true to my goals and passions - the reasons I started the company - is almost impossible.
The rules and fees associated with being Certified USDA Organic, for example, are as strict and crazy as they are because of those that lie and cheat the system. The agency owners have told me this first hand.
Companies that are doing unhealthy or unethical things, will spend more money than you could ever imagine to somehow justify {or hide} that what they are doing is right and what others claim is wrong. Then the little voices that are speaking up will never get heard because they can't win! They eventually run out of money.
Yogurt commericals are somehow allowed to make claims that say "dairy helps you lose weight?" But Folic Acid packaging at Whole Foods is not allowed to make claims like "this will prevent birth defects"! FDA doesn't allow it. If you have enough money you too can create a controlled study that shows yogurt can help you lose weight. Hell, we have already seen it done with twinkies.
Money can buy companies way out of PR hell. And hey, those WITH money WIN most lawsuits. Thank about the OJ case.
It's all smoke and mirrors. So, who can we trust then? Basically, NOBODY - nobody that makes big profits, pays lawyers, advertises via PR & marketing, has shareholders, and/or is in politics. Sad. OK, so those were the thoughts that went though my head over the weekend. Sorry if it was depressing. And of course please feel free to cheer me up and tell me I'm totally wrong and just making this all up in my head. I'd love to wake up tomorrow finding out that this is just not the case.