Betraying the Heartland

I am born from a long line of farmers. In my "spare" time I am also a genealogist and have researched most of my family lines back to when they came to America from some far off land. And most of them were farmers who happily pursued the life their fathers set before them–agriculture. My ancestors planted, tilled, harvested the food that today is now useless if not downright harmful to our bodies! They didn't know, they didn't do it on purpose, they did not set out to harm people. Actually, the seeds my ancestors started out with are not the same seeds we have today. Of all of the genetically modified foods (GMO) that are grown, wheat, corn and soy beans are probably the worst and they are in every kind of processed food. I hope you read your food labels. You will see ingredients derived from corn, soy and wheat.

My family and I just returned from a visit to my family that remains in Ohio where I grew up. My grandfather owned an 80 acre farm outside of Perrysburg, Ohio where he grew corn, soy beans and wheat until he became unable to farm any longer. As a child I would happily ride along in the tractor while he tilled, planted or harvested. They also had a very large garden on their farm where they grew fresh vegetables, some of the only fresh vegetables I ate as a kid since my parents moved me into the city and we only ate canned vegetables most of the time. My favorite thing to do was to take a salt shaker and head into the garden where I would eat fresh, juicy tomatoes right off the plant with a little salt!

My point is, times have changed. My grandparents ate a pretty good diet of food they grew on their farm. But as food got cheaper and easier to just buy at the store, we started buying food at the store. We bought all kinds of processed food. My grandma used to make her own egg noodles, now we can spend no time at all doing that and just buy them at the store. Grandma used to make her own ketchup! Now, a bottle is like $2.00 and you spent no time making it. The less time making the food the more time for other important things ... like going to work (to pay for the big fancy house or the car or the iPad2) or to party with your friends, or to travel to far away places. Whatever your situation is, I'm doing the exact same things. But to who's benefit? What are we gaining by not spending time doing these "old fashioned" activities? I'm not sure what we are gaining but I'll tell you that I see all around me that we are losing our health.

The way I think about what to eat is simple. How close to God is the food? I don't mean that to be a religious idea so much as how close to Nature is it? Is that the way it is found in nature? (A box of macaroni and cheese ... most definitely not.) Did God intend the food to be that way? (GMO food ... I don't think so.) If it wasn't alive a few seconds/weeks before you're eating it, you probably shouldn't be eating it. Things that have a long shelf life are full of additives and preservatives that are harmful to our bodies and contributing to our health problems. If we would go back to eating fresh, locally grown, non processed foods, I am certain that a lot of our health problems would go away.

So when I was back in Ohio last week, my family tried their best to accommodate our "weird" way of eating. But I want them to all know that that "weird" way could be changing their lives too! We used the fact that my husband and kids are gluten intolerant and can't eat gluten as our reasoning. They can't argue with a medical condition... but I felt a little bit like I was betraying my ancestors by being negative about their way of life, of the way they lived and survived that I might be here today, here today touting that grains are bad for us! Ironic I think. But I have already seen huge changes in myself and I am hoping it isn't too late for me to not develop cancer or diabetes or heart disease by changing now.