The more I read, the more I realize that there is so much going on in our world than we realize! My own little world with my family, our school, our neighborhood, our jobs, our church... it's all so small when you realize how BIG the world is! The more I learn, the more I understand that so much of what we are exposed to occurs without us realizing it, or having a choice about it. Exposures such as what the media tells us, what the government tells us, what our health care professionals tell us, what our educators tell us, it's all filtered information. Sometimes it may be filtered for our good, but ultimately, we should ask ourselves, "Who should decide what I am eating, drinking, smoking, watching, listening to, reading, or what I'm cleaning with?" (BTW: I don't smoke but with marijuana becoming legal in some states, and cigarettes being banned in public places in some states, it is an issue for some people.)
Because I have an interest in nutrition and health, the nitty gritty of what I am referring to is our food and water supply. Why do we have increased rates of asthma and allergies? And cancers? And autoimmune disease? And autism or autism spectrum disorders? I believe the "cure" for cancer (and many of these other conditions) is not that hard to find. If we look at everything that has and is changing in our world, we may be able to decrease these things if we take away the causes.
What has changed, you may ask. Here are a few major changes in the last several decades:
1. increased use of food additives, colorings, preservatives, etc
2. increased intake of fructose and other sugars
3. increased intake of processed/packaged foods
4. increased intake of artificial sweeteners
5. increased intake of genetically modified(GMO) corn and soybeans (a HUGE detriment to our health)
6. increased microwave use and less "real" cooking
7. fluoridated water intake
8. increased numbers of vaccinations given and with that mercury and other preservatives and adjuvants and contaminants (I'm not saying that ALL vaccines are bad, just that we are giving so many, especially to our youngest population, and yet do not know how this is truly impacting their health)
Some of these things, we don't even realize nor have we been given the choice to choose otherwise (mainly GMO foods). Many of these things have not had proper research or studies done to prove they are safe and thus the public has become guinea pigs to those in the top ranks making big bucks (vaccines are an example of this).
Now, more than ever, we need to be advocates for our own health. I'm not a paranoid person, but the more I read, the less I trust. We need to know who our doctors are, get second and third opinions about major health decisions, know what we are eating and where it is coming from, have an awareness about what we are giving to our children whether it be food, soda, or vaccines. I worked in family practice for 10 years and authorized hundreds, maybe thousands of childhood vaccines to be given, yet have never known exactly what was in those vaccines. I ordered them because that is what I was taught to do. Know why you do what you do and make the best decisions you can daily with what information you have.
Ultimately though, as I get worked up and into a frenzy about this stuff, we need to remember that I, nor you, nor your doctor, is responsible for the day you die. Only God knows this. However, we need to do the best with what we have today.
Uff-da. Glad I got that off my chest. More to come though, so beware!
Blessings on your day.
Elizabeth
