Liberation or Bondage?

Do you ever have the feeling that you need to cut some things out of your life because you are simply too busy?  I do.  During those times, I often think about the amount of time I spend in the kitchen and wonder if I should buy more packaged foods in order to gain myself a little more time in a day.  But each time I am tempted to make these changes, I am reminded of how healthy my family is and how little we spend on health care (time and money).  Although it's a lot of work, it is worth it because in the end, I wouldn't be gaining any time.  What is life if you don't have your health?  Miserable!  Who cares if you have lots of time if all you can do is lie around and be sick, or spend your days with aches and pains that consume your thoughts because you just can't get rid of them.

Unfortunately this is what has happened in most kitchens.  We have abandoned the work involved in making us healthy and subcontracted it out to others - grocery stores and restaurants.  And what's worse is that we have put our faith in these people to take good care of our bodies.  Deceiving ourselves into believing that they are taking the time that we are not, to prepare foods full of nutrition that will produce good health.  In order to be profitable, businesses have responded to consumer demand by producing foods that are cheaper and faster, but less nutritious.  Their main goal is not our health because we have not demanded that it be so! 

Sure, there are good-willed people out there who want to produce the best foods they can for you, but they cannot compete on price alone.  If we made different decisions tomorrow about our foods, the industry would change, but it doesn't look like that is happening any time soon. You must do as much as you can yourself, and then look for those who are concerned about the nutrition in food and buy what you must from them.  In other words, know your farmer.

Blanching and freezing garden produce

In our efforts to be liberated from our kitchens, we have created our current food system where cheap food is mass-produced and our health care costs are skyrocketing!  When the average family spends less than 10% of their income on food and much more on health care, are we really gaining anything?

In order to see some changes, we must get back to traditional foods and take the time to prepare them.  We must stop buying cheap foods and fast foods.  It is the only way to regain our health.  Sure science is making advances and doctors are learning new treatments, but the question is: "Why do we want to be dependant on them?"   Isn't being healthy a better option than learning how to treat diseases?

That said, I know that eating healthy is not the only factor in maintaining good health.  There are other factors that are at times beyond our control, but much of our health problems could be solved by eating well.

It's true that many of us need to cut some things out of our schedule because life is too busy at times, but we must cut things that will truly give us more time.  Turning off the TV and instead peeling, coring, and drying apples may actually be a good long term investment in our health.  Even turning our backs on the computer for a day while we make bread from scratch or cook a roaster full of squash and freeze it would be a wise investment.  We must make sure our actions are actually liberating us and not bringing us into more bondage.  Spend the time that is necessary in the kitchen for good health.  What you will gain will be priceless!