Hi everyone! I am a dietetics student and this is my final year of university. As health professionals, dietitians are usually related to “diet” itself only-as keeping a healthy diet for people. However, dietetic practice actually includes all aspects of food and food system.
Nowdays numerous health concerns have emerged under the industrial era we are living. The original farming system has been increasingly replaced by industrialization due to the conventional science and high technology induced effective production of the latter. A plenty of evidence have revealed that our health is negatively affected by the modern industrial agriculture (check out the documentary called “Food Inc.”). The present food production system produces greater yields in less time, inexpensive but potentially dangerous products.
Due to this system, the distribution of our food is also changed-the food is “delocalized” and we are moving further away from our food sources. Foods are no longer considered as aliments as they used to be, but as “commodities” by the system. (sad 🙁 )
“Everything we are done in modern industrial agriculture is to grow it faster, fatter, bigger and cheaper.” One of organic farmer said in Food Inc. “Nobody is thinking the E. coli, type 2 diabetes and ecological health of the whole system.” One example, the ubiquity of high fructose corn starch derived from mass produced corn (as they are highly subsided) and it causes deadly health effects such as obesity, insulin resistance, hypertension and dyslipidemia. Moreover, corn has been added to feedstuff of domestic animals which leads to E. coli in their bodies to evolve and becomes more harmful in turn increases the incidence of food poisoning.
However, there are many we can do as individuals to make a difference in our current food system. For example, if we choose to purchase local food or buy food directly from the farmers, then we can effectively increase the income of local farmers and keep their farms alive, and in turn improve our own health through eating foods that are safer and less contaminated.
The future of food is in our hand! Trust our power in creating a better world for us and our generations. Buying local and organic is one way to promote our own health and health of the society and environment. Joining our farm is even better as you are supporting traditional farming as opposed to the detrimental modern agriculture.
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