Distance: 3 miles
Start time: 9:35 am
Run Duration: 32 minutes
Pace: 10.67 minutes/mile
Temperature: 83 degrees
Humidity: 84%
Location: Rice University Track, Houston
I watched "Food, Inc." last week. Brilliant movie. I'm an independent film junkie so I'd been waiting for Angelika to bring this one to town. It was worth the wait. I come from farm country in Kansas and I thought I had a decent understanding of feedlots and grain farming. Wrong. I will admit that this film is obviously presented from a certain viewpoint and many of the corporations discussed weren't officially represented, but many times the narrator stated that Monsanto, Purdue, or Tyson declined interviews.
Since viewing the movie, I've been very aware of my food options and I realize - as I type this - that I haven't eaten any beef in a week. I'm not opposed to consuming beef (I don't think I am, anyway), but I absolutely don't want to consume corn-fed beef anymore. I picked up a brochure this week that listed local restaurants that serve grass-fed beef, so there are options.
I'm logging my dietary intake at mypyrimad.gov. The site allows me to track not only calories, but also essential nutrients and it's been very helpful to me in noting where I've been deficient, especially calcium. (I underwent a hysterectomy 8 years ago and am at risk for osteoporosis.) I'm also logging my runs at the site and I can see how my physical activity translates into caloric needs. It's helpful to me.
So, back to the movie. Another change I've made since watching "Food Inc." is to try to purchase more organic products. It's not that much more expensive, given my desire to eat fresh food at home instead of eating out in restaurants. I'm stopping by the grocery on the way home from work and purchasing the ingredients for salads. Fresh fruits are a sweet treat in this hot weather. Something's working. I'm feeling better, my clothes are certainly fitting better, and I'm taking more of an interest in what I eat. I feel more active about it, more involved - less passive.
Thursday night, I was at dinner with a couple of friends. While waiting for our meals to arrive, I mentioned that I had seen the movie. The response I got from one was, "I wanted to see it, but I was afraid I'd want to change the way I eat."
O.K. I smiled and waited for my fish, my spinach and my lentils.
I really need to see that movie. It is important to know where your food comes from. Everything is mass produced and it's a shame that it includes our food. We have mass produced diets in America.
ReplyDeletemypyrimad.gov is great! I like that it tells you the nutritional value of what you are eating. I was convinced I needed supplements and then I found out I was already getting what I need! And I figured out that all the olive oil I love might be a little too much :) Have fun- and to your health!
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