It seems as if it is a part of human nature to blame.
We don’t like taking responsibility, we don’t like being wrong and so we blame someone or something else.
It is easier this way and it seems like less work, but does it really help?
We all do it, I do it, my husband does it as do our girls. Blame is the viscous cycle we live in and it creates a platform for excuses.
In the nutrition world we do the same thing.
We love to blame the food industry, the disgusting commercials targeted at our youth, the mixed messages on magazine covers as well as the sickly thin models. I get it. It is confusing and deceiving, making it hard to decipher what the truth is.
Don’t we all know the truth?
I get that our children, our youth need to be taught what is good and what is bad and the consequences of the bad, but as adults we know. Don’t play the blame game. We know that broccoli is healthier than a Big Mac and apples are healthier than fries but we still buy the Big Mac and the fries.
Did you get that? We BUY IT!
And that is really all that matters to the food industry. They win when we buy their products and thus how the cycle of “food products” continues. We can and should fight the food industry at the wrong they are causing such as this group of concerned moms and food bloggers. And we should lobby for rights that consumers have when it comes to foods like labeling.
I applaud them for their efforts.
The truth is that the food industry, they make, they sell, they advertise for the very things we as consumers buy and right now that trend is junk.
Sugary cereals, highly processed “foods” that are cheap and convenient. And then we make excuses that the food industry is making us fat, McDonald’s is making us fat, but isn’t it our choice?
Change your view of buying food and start to think of it as a vote.
If we as consumers bought more organic, real, natural, wholesome foods, the food industry would get it. Majority wins and the more we “vote” by buying good wholesome, healthy foods the harder it is for the food industry to combat it. These healthy products would then get less expensive and become more “convenient.”
I think as a society we need to stop blaming and start taking responsibility.
You as parents can control what foods enter the house and more importantly, teach your kids about the importance of healthy eating. We as adults can be examples to our youth, if we choose to be.
They are watching.
They are curious and as a surprise to many they are willing to try new foods. But we have to give them opportunity to eat healthy and take away the temptation to eat junk.
Our oldest daughter is constantly telling family to “be brave” and try new foods? Why is she doing that? Because that is what we tell her. “Be brave, just try it and you might like it.” Many times she does. Positive experiences make it easier to get her to do it again next time.
Each one of us could make a small change that in the end could change the state of our health.
Be the change you wish to see.
Stop blaming, stop making excuses and start taking responsibility. It isn’t going to be perfect but just working to make a change, a small change will have a lasting impact. McDonald’s doesn’t care about our words or your health, they care about the money.
But what about this?
Isn’t it interesting to see the statistics in percentage of income people have spent on food versus healthcare.
In 1960 Americans spend 17.5 percent of their income on food and 5.2 percent on health care. Since then those numbers have flipped.
Spending on food has fallen to 9.9 percent while spending on health care has soared to 16 percent (1).
I challenge you to put your money where your mouth is.
Start taking responsibility, start making changes and most importantly be an example to those around you. It may cost you a little bit more but in the end it could save you thousands from healthcare bills that could pile on if we continue down the path of processed, fake foods. It is worth it in the end.
Will you join me in this fight?
