As long as food and agriculture policies like this exist. Big Brother doesn’t want you to be healthy. He only cares about taking care of big business. Read this, and then decide for yourself who really benefits from these policies.
Every time you see a TV commercial for pizza, dairy, beef, pork, poultry or pastries, odds are it may have been funded in some way by a department of the USDA called Dairy Management. Additionally, the USDA’s food policy’s, benefit big farms allowing them an unfair advantage, putting smaller farms out of business. These smaller farms typically receive no subsidies.
Dairy Management’s budget is about $140 million annually. Their job is to increase the consumption of pizza, dairy, beef, pork, poultry or cereals. In contrast, another department of the USDA is the Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (The Midget), which promotes healthy diets and lifestyles; their total budget is a whopping $6.5 million. We have $140 million to promote disease and illness causing foods (big agriculture business) and 6.5 million to promote health and wellness. The USDA has the task of increasing the sales of illness promoting unhealthy foods and Americas health through consumer education and advocacy. Something smells fishy and there is a fly in the ointment. Hopefully you can see the huge conflict with this situation. There is something rotten here. Sorry, that’s all the pun’s I could come up with. But this is a serious conflict of interest and a misuse of our tax dollars.
You should also know that processed and junk foods are the largest source of calories in the American diet. Topping the list is grain-based food such as breads, pasta, pastries, pizza and desserts like cookies, doughnuts, granola bars and dairy desserts like ice cream. These foods are also among Americans’ top 10 sources of calories. The advertising budget for these processed and junk food giants; over 4 billion annually!
Why are processed foods so cheap?
What would happen to America’s health if the government shifted the dollars in subsidies to healthy foods and took it away from unhealthy foods? Could we see a decrease in many of America’s diseases? Subsidies make foods less expensive. These current subsidized foods end up in processed foods, which are full of toxins and have little nutrition causing poor health.
Why does healthy food look to be more expensive?
Granted, we do have the cheapest processed and refined foods of any country on this planet so its easy to think this way. Processed foods are cheep because our government subsidizes the manufacturing cost to make the foods. (you should be asking why would they do that?) On the other side of this food issue is the fact that very little funding subsidies exist for healthy foods like produce, fruits, nuts, seeds, beans, lentils and whole grains. This makes those foods more expensive to buy. There must be a reason the government wants to make processed foods so cheap. Just think about this for a moment. Making unhealthy foods very cheap is going to push the public, particularly the lower income and indigent into buying unhealthy foods because of the tax (yes its a form of tax) on healthy foods. They can’t afford healthy foods that build healthy bodies. Who benefits from promoting illness in America?
If we review this situation a few points become obvious.
- Processed and refined foods are cheaper. That’s a given. The dollar menu is really the billion-dollar menu because of the billions in health care cost it causes.
- Studies show that the consumption of processed and refined foods are the root cause of most illness and disease for Americans.
- Our most recent data indicate that 75% to 80% of America is suffering from a preventable illness and disease. Preventable means a choice could have been made that could have prevented the illness or disease.
- Recent studies also indicate that less than 12% of the American population eats the government recommended 3 vegetables and 2 fruits per day. (That’s not enough to promote a healthy body, it’s just enough to prevent some illnesses)
- If only 12% are eating the recommend 5 a-day.
- 88% are eating nutrient depleted and toxic chemical laden foods. 75% of Americans are suffering from illness and disease such as heart disease, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, arthritis, IBS, depression, anxiety, obesity, eczema, psoriasis. I see a relationship between these facts, do you?
- Your food may be cheap but your health is costing you in doctor’s visits, medications and eventually quality of life.
- We have $140 million to promote disease and illness (big agriculture business) and 6.5 million to promote health. Geezzz, I wonder what is most important to them?
Tips for buying healthy foods at low prices
- Every grocery store has a certain day they take produce off the shelf and replace it with fresher produce. Usually a couple of days before they restock produce they will have sales on those items. Ask the Produce manager and he will gladly tell you when the sales happen weekly.
- Buy produce in bulk and freeze, can or dehydrate vegetables and fruits. You can also buy in bulk and store root vegetables, winter squash’s and whole grains and keep them in cool dry storage for a long time.
- Join a local farmers and growers co-op. Just about every city has a few of them. This allows you to buy produce weekly at very reduced rates. You are buying direct from the farmers.
- Visit your local farmers markets and get to know and support them through your purchases.
As a smoothie and juicing fan; vegetable, fruits, nuts, seeds, herbs and spices are part of our everyday life. We see and feel the benefits. However, that’s not the case for most of the American population. America’s diet is primarily processed and refined foods. Our culture has evolved into a society of fast and easy. We eat on the run to any convenient source of quick and easy food, which is high in calories and toxic chemicals and bankrupt in nutritional potential.
Sadly, The truth is, you cannot afford to keep eating processed, fried and refined foods. It is costing you much more than you think. You will pay for it with your health and your pocket-book sooner than you may think. The actual cost of healthy food is much cheaper than you may be thinking. Our friends at Spark People did a recent blog comparing different meal values for fast foods and processed foods versus healthy food choices of the same value. The blog with comparisons is found at this link. http://www.sparkpeople.com/blog/blog.asp?post=what_20_will_buy_at_the_drivethru_and_at_the_supermarket
If you want to help your body build real health, eat a diet rich in real foods, particularly organic plant-based foods and cut or eliminate toxic and inflammatory foods.
I wish you the very best in health and wellness,
Wally Bishop C.N.C., I.N.H.C.
www.wellnesswithwally.com
Resources
https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/07/19/how-the-government-supports-your-junk-food-habit/ ( very good look into this world our tax dollars are funding to promote disease)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3662288/
The contents of the email or written communication are not medical advice and should not be considered as such! This blog is for informational purposes only. Please consult with your physician or health care provider if you have medical issues and before changing your diet or lifestyle or taking herbal or dietary supplements. Never start an exercise program with getting your doctors approval. Never quit taking medications unless advised to do so by your doctor. Only your health care provider, personal physician, or pharmacist can provide you with advice on what is safe and effective for your unique needs.
