I just read that American consumption of fruits and vegetables continues to decline based on new research from the “Produce for a Better Health Foundation.”
This is absolutely heart breaking. With Covid-19, the old excuse of not having the time to cook is gone. Now we have the time.
At the onset of the pandemic, cooking and baking increased. However, as the months dragged on, we lost interest and cooking fatigue set in (for it was running out of ideas).
Humans have spent tens of thousands of years connecting to nature. We spent so much of our lives cultivating, growing, cooking, and preparing food right from the ground. Now, we are eating food so removed from source. We have no idea how to plant, grow, harvest, save seeds, cook, and preserve. This huge change has also happened in a fraction of the time - just a bit over one hundred years. Yet, we persist in the name of lack of time.
By living a packaged processed life, we not only impact our own health, but create ripples. This form of consumption rewards mass farms run by conglomerates damaging the livelihood of small farmers and growers. It also negatively impacts the planet with excess packaging (mostly plastic).
It’s time to ask ourselves about how we live. If more than a quarter of our diet is packaged and processed, what would help get me back to eating Whole food and fall in love with cooking?
How can my eating habits support the environment?
Do I believe my health and well-being is more important than convenience?
Part of living consciously is to ask questions. To seek information and listen to the answers - even if they are hard.
How are we living in harmony with ourself, others, and our environment. Are we living a life that is non-harming (ahimsa)? And if not, what steps can we implement to get us more towards that conscious non-harming life?