I wonder what would happen if you were to take all the fitness equipment, our barbells, clubells, kettlebells etc.., and replace them with Styrofoam replicas. How long would it be before people took notice? I think that there would be an immediate reaction. People would say, “This is not helping me build muscle, in fact it is a total waste of time.” Well the same thing is happening to our food, it is being replaced with substances that look like food but are not providing the building blocks that our bodies need to maintain and restore our health and fitness.
I am a big proponent of nutrition in martial arts training. I have posted about Martial Arts Nutrition and about dangerous foods. I have recently watched two very informative videos about the dangers in our current food system. One is “Food, Inc.”
“Food Matters” looks at food from the nutrition aspect and how people are eating food that is seriously lacking in nutritional value. As far back as Hippocrates in ancient Greece, we were told that food is our medicine. This is not some secret that is being held back but is being ignored by most people. The medical profession for the most part is more interested in dispensing drugs then using nutrition that could heal many diseases, diabetes being a case in point. Food companies are more interested in selling unhealthy food that has a long shelf life and provides profit margins then providing the most nutritious and healthful foods. The food companies try and fool us with labels like natural and healthful; but these are just marketing ploys. “Food Matters” examines all these issues and challenges you to do your own research and find a more nutritious diet.
“Food Inc.” approaches the issue from the standpoint of how our food is grown and processed. While we are sold on the concept that our food is coming from green pristine farms with happy animals, the truth is far removed from that image. Most of our fruits and vegetables are grown using chemical fertilizers and dangerous pesticides that get into our environment and our bodies. Our animals are cruelly treated and kept alive by high dosages of antibiotics. The result is unhealthy animals and the increase in salmonella poisoning. “Food Inc.” gives a comprehensive overview of our food production machine and offers some alternatives in the end.
I would urge you all to get your hands on these movies and do more research into your own nutrition. Nutrition is a major factor in the health problems that we are seeing today and to ignore this issue is to put your and your families health in danger.
In relation to martial arts, you want to have the best weapon available for your protection. That weapon is your body. Build it up with the best building blocks that you can find. Those blocks are clean, organic, nutritious foods. You cannot get the nutrients from junk food that you need to build the bones and muscle that will support you in your training. You have to work hard to get and cook good foods to build your health but it is well worth it.
Watch the “Food Matters Trailer” trailer and visit the “Food Matters” official site at http://foodmatters.tv/
Watch the “Food Inc.” trailer and visit the “Food Inc.” official site at http://www.foodincmovie.com/
Buy Food, Inc.
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