Letter to The Editor,
I have long thought that finding what I hold in common with someone is a better way to get along with people than to point out our differences. It is the Venn Diagram concept. I viewed the nomination and subsequent approval by the US Senate of RFK, Jr. for Secretary of the US Department of Health and Human Services as controversial, if not questionable, given some of his fringe beliefs about health. However, we do have a few areas of over-lapping agreement regarding nutritious food.
I also see that the West Virginia legislature is working on a bill (HB 2354) that would ban certain food dyes and preservatives. This would mostly establish limits on these chemicals in processed foods at stores, and more importantly in meals provided through West Virginia schools.
This bill lines up with one area of agreement that I have with Secretary RFK, Jr: certain food dyes and preservatives, consumed during development and over a lifetime are not a good idea for a healthy body. When you are young, you need good nutrition to learn, develop skills, and become productive at your work and in your community. When you get to my age, much of what makes the retirement years golden is good health. We all have our genetics, and what we can control is what we eat. We can either pay for good nutrition up-front, with anticipated increased educational achievement, household income, and robust health; or we can pay for impulsive and convenient food with marginal grades, lower quality of life, early illness, disability, and higher health care bills later.
This all begs the question of whether processed foods (e.g. stuff that comes in boxes, bottle, and tins) are nutritious overs decades of consumption. Those items are usually high in sugars, simple carbohydrates, saturated fats, and salt.
Our household has gone the route of avoiding those boxes, bottles, and tins for years. Fortunately, we enjoying making meals from scratch and believe that the process of preparing meals is part of what is good about getting them to the table. That requires quite a bit of organizing one’s daily routine. It does not leave much time for social media, which might be another plus these days.
Some years ago, a friend who is a dietitian commented that you should shop around the outside of the grocery store. That is where the “real food” is. We have heard this from many sources subsequently. Go to the fruits and vegetable sections, around to meats and dairy. Limit trips up and down aisles of boxes, bottles, and tins. You will be making your own nutrition decisions that way. Otherwise, someone else, whose over-riding goal is to turn a profit, is presenting processed foods it ways that mostly gratify eye-candy and mouth appeal impulses.
To be reasonable, when you do want a loaf of bread, crackers, or jam buy them thoughtfully. Otherwise, most of us could prepare meals with some time and practice. Better yet, spend an hour or so cooking, invite some neighbors or family over and share the meal and conversation. No need for cell phones there. Real food. Real relationships.
Sunday Supper used to be a generational tradition in this area. Might be a good idea to re-invent this without food dyes and preservatives.
Oscar Larson
Baker, WV
