Entry #7. FRESH.

"Cheap food is an illusion; the real cost of the food is paid somewhere." 

This is one of my favorite and most accurate statements pointed out in the movie FRESH; take a few minutes to watch the trailer I've provided above. This is not even a sliver of information the documentary covers on food production and industrialized farming versus organic/natural farming. The movie publicly acknowledges farmers, business people and thinkers all across the United States who are re-inventing our food system. Specific witnesses are followed and share their perspective on the huge transformation in our agriculture and food production.

As nerdy as this sounds, I am a huge fan of this topic and love to watch and read new information about it- so personally I enjoyed every minute of this movie. The past four years of my life have been dedicated to altering my eating habits and choosing healthier diet options. I was overweight in junior high and the beginning of high school and my initial goal was to simply be a skinnier, healthier version of myself. Nevertheless, a year and a half ago I was greatly impacted by a film similar to this one called "Food Inc." and started researching in great depth about food manufacturing. I then decided to not just eat "healthy" foods but to specifically choose organic/natural products over others.  On top of that, I also made the decision to cut beef, poultry, chicken and turkey out of my diet.. I am considered a "pescatarian" because I do not eat meat, however, I consume fish. 

Watching FRESH reiterated the standpoint and perspective I had when I originally came across the documentary "Food Inc.". This concept of mass food production from industrialized and "factory farms" is simply wrong and unhealthy. The industry injects hormones and anti-biotics into their animals to fatten them up quicker and produce more for the farmer's profit. Pesticides and poor fertilization on crops are also used and ultimately serve the same purpose. All of these substances are incredibly toxic to the human body, especially when ingesting large amounts of them. Let's face it, we see obesity all around us. And we are also well aware that a lot of the world really just looks for the cheapest and most convenient food choices; this is why processed and fast-food are so popular.

One of the most interesting parts of the movie, in my opinion, was the focus on farmer Joel Salatin and his natural style of farming using a nutrient cycle. In other words, he preserves the soil and rotates his crops to keep the farmland healthy without using artificial fertilizers. The cows on the farm are moved from one pasture to another rather than being centrally corn fed. Afterwards, his chickens follow behind the cows in these portable coops; they dig through the cow waste and eat protein-rich fly larvae while fertilizing the field with their own waste. I just love that Joel's focus is to keep nature all in harmony with one another; which ultimately is the most ideal farming style. 

This is such an important movie for all; I strongly recommend that everyone watches it and re-evaluates their own personal diet/ food sources. So many of our country's health issues can be avoided or reduced just by choosing to eat a clean and natural diet. You don't have to go all out like I did and restrict yourself completely from certain foods, however, making small healthy choices and attempting to eat less junk can positively impact your life. Read the nutrition labels. Do your research. You only get one body in this lifetime so why not feed it the best way possible. :)