A powerful 4 letter word........

FOOD! 

I'm experiencing another incredible class weekend.  Yesterday we heard form Mark Hyman and Howard Lyman.  Both interesting, passionate men. 

Mark Hyman (MD) talked alot @ functional medicine.  That is looking at your body as a whole system; treat the system not the sympton.  Ask WHY, not WHAT?  Dr. Hyman has written lots of books but really centered on causes of disease (5 - toxins, allergens, infections/bugs, poor diet, stress) and identifying what we need to GET RID OF and what we need to ADD.  He spent little to no time on what you should/shouldn't eat; that's not his gig but more importantly in his words "food is the most powerful medicine."

What a fantastic and seemingly logical approach but why then are 72% of Americans considered overweight?  The US spends $2.5 trillion (how many 0's is that?!) or 16% of our GDP on healthcare.  Or as Dr. Andrew Weil terms it "sickcare."  In the US, there's been a 700% increase in diabetes since 1983.  These are stagering statistics that no one can argue, whether vegetarian, vegan, gluten or dairy free, meat eaters, etc.  All agree on one thing - WE ARE GETTING FATTER AND UNHEALTHIER as a nation. 

Then bring on Howard Lyman.  Whoa boy!  He's most remembered as the man on Oprah's show talking @ mad cow when Oprah said something like - I'll never eat another burger.  Then both Oprah and Lyman were sued for $180M by the cattleman's association.  They won after a long legal battle.  He's a funny, 72 year old, guy from Montana who grew up on a cattle farm, ultimately took it over and now he's vegan!!  We heard his story and after watching a short video on "factory farming," I'm not sure if I can eat meat, chicken or anything from either.  OMG, how disgusting. 

Factory farming was a new term to me.  I knew the concept existed but I really never thought @ it all that much until yesterday.  It's a vision that's hard to get out of your head.  The mistreatment of the animals is awful, the filth of the environment is disgusting.  While the film was rolling, you could almost smell it's awfulness.  So this has me thinking............do I need it (animal products) to feel good?  I really like a great steak but ooooooh?

Making good choices is complex and yet the right thing for me on many levels - my long term health, control my weight, humane treatment of animals, care for our environment....it's much more complex to me now.  When I started this journey, making good choices as Dan always reminds me really only meant eating well, picking the right foods.........did he know that I would uncover so much more?  Hmmmmmmmm.....