“I care not much for a man’s religion whose dog and cat are not the better for it.”
~ Abraham Lincoln
Lots of important material to share with you here with information about natural food, health and wellness issues of particular concern to children.
Follows is a clip from Robyn O'Brien - former food inudstry analyst and mom of four - her philosophy is similar to mine as well as her passion for increasing awareness - I'm grateful to Ms. O'Brien for all of her efforts - check out her book(s) as well! Robyn O'Brien's video clip
Another source of concern for school age children is what's happening in the U.S. school lunch programs - while there have been improvements - by and large, I'm finding in my research that they have a long way to go to get to a place where they will serve foods to our children that are free of toxic, addictive contaminants, chemicals, antibiotics and growth hormones not to mention genetically modified organisms. Perhaps you prefer to control what your child is eating and prepare their lunches at home - good for you! I think that this is admirable and have more tips that can help save time and cost for this program that I will be sharing in the near future. Meanwhile, I hope you will find this article helpful...
Also, our hearts go out to our beloved beasties of this planet, always looking for the many ways we can improve their lives as they so richly deserve...
This just in - link to a fabulous animal rescure organization's newsletter - check out their amazing accomplishments this past year! http://www.caretransport.org/2011newsletter.html
You will find that the main focus here for food advocacy is organic, vegan/vegetarian for I am finding that the closer we can get to a plant-based nutritional lifestyle, the healthier and more vibrantly we will live without disease or the need for medications. However, I am the first one to understand and appreciate that no one likes to be preached to - that we all need to discover the reasons for change ourselves to make up our own minds. I have been making positive changes to my nutritional choices over several decades as I come upon a greater awareness of the "cause and effects". It was only just recently that I decided to eliminate fish and seafood and cut way back on egg and cheese consumption. Now, I will have an occasional egg or cheese, but do make sure that they are organic, coming from humanely raised poultry/dairy with no added hormones or antibiotics.
My husband does continue to enjoy meat but now understands the cruel treatment animals endure at factory farms - "confined animal feeding operations" (CAFO's). Therefore, he/we only purchase meet from cruelty-free sources. I had occasion to follow a cow through slaughter process in my 20's and that experience, in addition to a lot of reading, caused me to eliminate red meat from my diet. I dearly love animals, know how they suffer at the hands of those in the business of processing them for a profit. The more they can pack them in, the faster they can "fatten them up" and get them turned around from animal to product, the better their profit margins are. From a business standpoint, I get that. From a humanity and ethical perspective, I hate that.
It's been my observation that many folks who choose to eat animals do not really want to know how their burger or filet or slab of ribs get to their plate, under the condiments. I believe that the animals "destined for human consumption" - the vulnerable voiceless - deserve for their ultimate consumers to better understand what they are made to endure to be part of their meals. There are better ways. There are humane operations and retailers who strive to be ethical in their practices - here is a link to more information on how to find them in your area:
Many may find the information and information disturbing. It is not my intention to upset readers but to inform. If you are truly unfamiliar with the practices of factory farms, I believe it is important to have this understanding.
CLICK HERE to sign pledge - thank you...
