A Sinking Ship
Throughout our evolutionary history we have developed certain defaults in our sensory system so that we know something is safe to eat. Sweetness is one of those defaults. When a human tastes something sweet, he/she knows intrinsically that it is probably edible and not deadly. For millions of years humans ate vegetables no sweeter than a carrot and occassionally fruit, which would require work to obtain, be quickly metabolized, and include plenty of fiber and co-factors needed for optimal gut absorption. Our diets were high in nutrients, low in glycemic index, and completely unrefined for millions of years up until a few decades ago. This is an extremely radical change and nothing less than a bombardment on our physiology.
Without question, our food system is unsustainable for us and the earth. Today's industrialized food system is literally killing us. How long would a type II diabetic last without insulin?
By observing how our healthcare system works the next logical question might be...
So, how do we maintain our sedintary, deadly diet lifestyles and not get sick or die prematurely?
You don't. You just get sick and die. And Americans are doing just that. The Center for Disease Control reports that, "About 600,000 people die of heart disease in the United States every year–that’s 1 in every 4 deaths." That's big folks. It's the number one leading cause of death for both men and women in land of the free.
And when we step back and look at the big picture, the whole system, we see a very disturbing relationship between government, big agriculture, and big pharma. When one realizes that the average american diet is directly linked to the leading cause of death in this country, one might wonder why the government subsidizes the very foods that are costing us 108.9 billion dollars a year to manage coronary heart disease and 174 billion to manage diabetes. (1)
I would speculate that it might have something to do with the fact that it is very lucrative for big ag and big pharma, represented by how much money they invest in lobbying Congress. You can look up the numbers on your own. The point here is that the system is fundamentally failing. Detach from the status quo. It's a sinking ship.
Take control of your health and the health of your family. You are ultimately responsible for your health and happiness. Not your government. Not your doctor. Not your pharmacist. You.
