on food...

This silly photo was taken last year at a cupcake bakery in the Philippines. I forget the name of the bakery. Though it looks delicious, the cupcake was a total shame to the goodness of red velvet. fathlete confession: I have a penchant for red velvet cupcakes. Also, the fleur de sel from Kara's Cupcakes makes me weak in the knees. Actually, I just have that general reaction to all things caramel. Yeah. Now you know.

Anyway... in today's CrossFit peanut gallery, Annie asked about the film Food Inc. I chimed in and mentioned I'd give my thoughts on the film. So here it is. I'll say that this has more to do with issues of food than the actual film.

I saw Food Inc. on my "me" day ('cuz I'm a nerd and that's what nerds do on "me" days). Granted, I could have rounded up a crew to watch it. But I wanted to see it by myself and not run into some heated debates with people I love. It's not that I don't like debates. It's that debate brings out the worst in me. I don't like to loose and I don't hesitate to go below the belt. I love people too much to do this. (If you've ever seen that episode of Speak Out with me in it, you'll know what I'm talking about. Yes. I've been on TV several times. I get called in when people need a smart ass bitch's perspective. It's kinda' embarrassing.)

Anyway, the film covers important things that are near and dear to my heart such as the relationship between food and chronic diseases such as diabetes. It also talks about healthy eating as a class issue, how meat is processed, the concern for profit over health, etc. I won't talk about all of these things.

I do want to focus on food and class. The film shows a lower income Latino family where the father is diabetic and the mother and one of the daughters is overweight. The family expresses that they're concerned about their health, but their finances don't allow them to eat as healthy as they want. A great example the mother mentions is that you can buy a hamburger from McDonald's for a dollar, but to buy two fresh pears costs more than that. It's not that people don't want to eat healthy, it's that to do so costs money. I'd love to eat free range meat. But it costs twice as much to have it. Of course, there's also the issue of organic and free range products actually being what it says it is... but that's another story.

A while back, I was interviewed for a documentary about food and class and this was my major issue - healthy food and access to lower income communities. It's no accident that those who are plagued with chronic diseases are people of color and poor people (because race and class are intricately woven). If you drive through any given ghetto, you're more likely to find a good number of fast food restaurants than one single grocery store. I'm sure these grocery stores aren't selling organic and free range. With that, I think the film could do a better job at showing this. I also think that the government needs to care about health education and food access for lower income people.

Along the same lines, to eat free range meat and/or organic produce is a privilege that many do not have. Seriously. To be a tempeh-toting food snob is an actual privilege. As someone who lived in Santa Barbara for almost six years and goes to school in Berkeley, I've met more than my fair share of overly judgmental, tempeh-toting, anti-meat cynics. To each her own. Your food choices don't have to be mine. What I cannot stand is when I meet a tempeh-toting food snob who feels that common food just isn't good enough for her/him. fathlete confession: this is my schtick, not yours. Granted, I respect people who can eat well all the time. What I will not tolerate is being judged for the things I eat. You do you and I do me. Agreed? Good.

I lived in the Philippines last year and concepts like free range and organic are still quite new. In a third world country, you can't be the Berkeley-Santa Barbara snobby foodie because people are just happy to have something to eat. When you're dealing with struggling families, there is no time to think free. range. organic.

During my trip overseas, I was amazed at how abundant fresh produce was. I loved the grocery stores (and street vendors) because you could buy your produce and they'd cut and prep it for you right there. Fish was fresh and actually looked like fish. Chickens were a reasonable size, juicy, and tender. Talk all the shit you want about balut, but it's a protein source, it's fresh, and I'm sure it's paleo approved. Also, the portion sizes were infinitely smaller than it is here, making healthy eating easy. However, to visit someone's home and tell them you can't eat something because you don't eat meat or you only eat organic is considered rude. Though I completely respect one's food choices, there are certain cultural lines that are hard to negotiate. When I did meet people who were vegetarian or vegan or had access to organic and free range products, they were always high elite. To eat "well" is a privilege.

With respect to the film, I loved how it showed that food and feed are relational. Early in the film, they show the inhumane ways in which animals are treated in order for everyday people to have meat available. It's pretty gross - especially when you watch them spraying chemicals on the meat to prevent e. coli. A great point the film makes is that instead of creating chemicals and technologies to make the meat bacteria free, they just need to go back and feed the animals grass instead of corn. It's easy enough. But legislation doesn't mandate this. WTF?!

They then show a farmer raising cows, chickens, and pigs. I loved that farmer guy and I forget his name. You see him and his team raising the animals, killing the animals, and then later on eating with their families. It reminded me of growing up on Guam. Our neighbor, an elderly lady who I called Lola Rocing raised chickens. I remember how I'd come over and pet a chicken, and then find that we were having that same chicken for dinner. It's not inhumane per say. That farmer and Lola Rocing just understand that food and feed are relational. So treating the animals in a humane way is part of that relationship. It's a very indigenous way of thinking and the world needs that these days, you know?

I was glad I saw the film and left with an awareness. But it did not scare the shit out of me and make me want to boycott meat all together. (I remember when I saw Super Size Me. It took me a year to look at a fast food place!) For example, Eric Schlosser, who wrote Fast Food Nation, is in the film. Eating a burger. Not a shmancy organic burger, but a plain old diner burger. For me, this was a way to tell the audience that you can eat healthy. The food industry is a huge monster that needs fixing. But on the daily, you can make small important changes in your life to sustain healthy living.

Like Mr. Schlosser, I'm not ready to get rid of my burger. I'm not rich enough to buy free range and organic ALL THE TIME. Though food is political for some, I still hold on to the cultural value of food. But I am willing to do things that will ensure healthier living such as shop at a local farmer's market, sign necessary petitions for legislation, vote, try to cut out as much processed foods as I can, and just have an overall awareness of what's out there. I'll engage in conversations. But I won't wave my snob flag when I don't agree with other people's food choices.

Warm-up
Row 700 meters
Stretching
Prep for WOD

CrossFit One World WOD
Power Snatch 53# 63#

Notes (to myself) about this workout:I hate snatches. Today I just worked on form. I could nail the 53# consistently, but 63# was my achilles heel. Bleh. After the WOD, I practiced swinging. It still sucks and makes my hands hurt. Along with Lori, we're trying to figure out a good way to tape our hands. Will keep you posted!