We wear a lot of hats in the food industry: strategists, procurement leads, thought leaders, advisors, entrepreneurs, executives. For many of us, we are also parents.
If you’re lucky enough to find true friends in the industry, you support them in all of these roles. In 2020, we are navigating a lot together.
And when a friend shared the the work of her son, Jay, I was blown away.
Jay and his classmate, Karn, shortly after the death of George Floyd launched a fundraiser for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund.
You may think you’ve heard this story before, but you haven’t. The boys are fourteen years old.
One fourteen year old is African American and one is South Asian American. They are rising ninth graders who decided to very deliberately and clearly address why racism is on their minds and what they are doing about it.
We recently interviewed them on our podcast (link below). As you listen to these two young men share their thoughts, the wisdom is coming from a profoundly deep place.
It’s not the first time we’ve seen leadership this young.
As I watched today’s funeral procession of John Lewis, of his remarkable legacy crossing the bridge in Selma, Alabama, one last time, I thought of the legacy he has in these young men.
We’ve seen children lead before, when Malala began speaking out and writing about education at 12, when Greta Thunberg, at 15, began her climate protests .
It’s clear that the children are not only listening, they are also teaching and leading.
They are building justice into infrastructures where it didn’t exist, they are designing new organizations with justice at the roots and in the DNA, and they are building a better, more equitable tomorrow, for themselves, our children and their children.
On this episode of Take Out with Ashley and Robyn, I am proud and in awe to share the voices of these two young men who are working to raise $18,650 for the NAACP. They’ve already hit and re-set their goal several times.
John Lewis said, “You must be prepared if you believe in something. If you believe in something, you have to go for it.”
He also said, “You must be bold, brave and courageous and find a way….to get in the way.”
Please make the time to listen to these bold, brave and courageous fourteen year old, young men. They are not only getting in the way, but they are also showing us the way. They are a beacon of light and bring faith to a brighter tomorrow.
It’s becoming increasingly obvious that our global food system needs restructuring. Nine plants account for 2/3 of our global food system. Food security is national security, and if one of those crops gets wiped out, we are vulnerable.
But here’s the rub: You can’t fix a broken food system with a broken financial system. And right now, rather than allocate resources into sustainable practices in a meaningful way to combat the climate crisis, public companies are spending $1.1 trillion on share buybacks to appease investors.
If it takes three years to convert farmland from conventional agriculture (a system dependent on a genetically engineered operating system and a portfolio of agrochemicals) to one that is regenerative and organic, how are publicly traded companies expected to do that on the quarterly earnings’ model?
And is Wall Street even asking the right questions?
What would it look like if Mother Nature was a publicly traded company? What would the ticker symbol be for MN Inc?
The headlines keep hitting, connecting the climate crisis to agriculture. Thank goodness. How we use our land, soil and water plays such a key role in how healthy our planet is.
The United Nations published a report last week that stated that humans will not be able to escape the impact of climate change without making important changes to how we grow food and use land. But what exactly is regenerative agriculture? And why does everyone suddenly seem to be talking about it?
Let’s start with the opposite: Let’s talk about degenerative agriculture.
Degenerative agriculture is an operating system introduced in the mid 1990s that destroyed the economic livelihood of farmers, polluted our soil and exposed the food industry and CPG brands to glyphosate lawsuits, GMO labeling issues and so much more.
This operating system was introduced by Monsanto in the mid 1990s, a recurring revenue model not only for their signature product, Roundup, but also for their Roundup Ready seeds that had been genetically engineered to withstand increasing doses of Roundup. But this operating system had externalized costs that landed on farmers and the food industry. This fundamental change in agriculture required that farmers take on record debt levels to purchase genetically engineered seeds and the suite of chemical products, insecticides, pesticides, herbicides and fungicides, required to grow them. These newly traited and genetically engineered seeds also meant that farmers had to finance the royalty fees, trait fees and licensing fees required to use them.
Almost overnight, our farmers went from polyculture farming and planting many different crops, to planting just a few. We lost our diversity, and our farmers ended up fighting bankruptcies, suicides and opioid epidemics. In other words, this operating system, with all of its chemical inputs, degenerated the land, the soil and our farm economy.
And the food industry was left scrambling as thousands of lawsuits mount, targeting Monsanto’s products, and consumers kept asking for more and more transparency around how their food is made.
So why pay attention to regenerative agriculture?
Right now, our food system is broken. About 1 percent of U.S. farmland is organic, and we’ve designed an operating system heavily dependent on chemical inputs. The nutrient value of food is collapsing, with food today delivering only 50% to 60% of the nutrient levels it had for our grandparents.
Right now, our food system is broken. About 1 percent of U.S. farmland is organic, and we’ve designed an operating system heavily dependent on chemical inputs. The nutrient value of food is collapsing, with food today delivering only 50% to 60% of the nutrient levels it had for our grandparents. When you regenerate the soil, you rebuild the nutrients and microorganisms, the soil’s microbiome, not only making soil more resilient to the climate crises, but you also restore the nutrient value of food.
There is a need for a new operating system when it comes to our food, recognizing that our most valuable inputs are human capital (our farmers and growers), soil and water.
Regenerative agriculture focuses on reinvigorating a food economy that is diverse and polycultural, supporting the regeneration of specialty crops and produce, not only healing the soil, but also serving as a powerful carbon sink that can help tackle our climate crisis. And no one recognizes that more than our farmers who are in crisis – with mounting debt, bankruptcies, suicides and opioid epidemics – as climate disruption, droughts and floods impact their livelihoods. It is fascinating but not suprising that farmers are some of the first into the regenerative movement, embracing the change from a chemically intensive operating system to one that is better for the health of the soil and the health of their farms. It is their family legacies they are fighting to regenerate.
Regenerative organic agriculture utilizes strategies like organic no-till, which uses cover crops to return nutrients to the soil while absorbing carbon dioxide, reducing GHG emissions. Because the soil is not disturbed in organic no-till systems, the carbon dioxide absorbed by the cover crop is sequestered in the soil instead of released into the atmosphere.”
By switching to regenerative, organic operating systems, not only is the food industry addressing the needs of the 21st century consumer, but it also rebuilding the soil’s vitality, allowing it to serve as a more effective tool to capture carbon. To manage this transition successfully will require metrics and definitions around “regenerative” for it to merit the value it serves and deserves.
But it’s not just about valuing this regenerative farming system, it’s also about valuing the billions of lives that benefit from regenerative agriculture and its powerful role in addressing our climate crisis.
In the last two weeks, students in Colorado had schools shut down, locked down, and sadly, shot down, making national headlines for a school shooting once again.
It is a fear that grips our children every day, from elementary school through high school.
As parents, none of us are equipped for this. For our teachers, faculty and administrators, it is an epic task that many would not have signed up for. How do we keep our children safe at school? What steps do we need to take to ensure that this violence and these deaths stop?
When 12 year olds are in the news saying that they want “to go down fighting” and a sixteen year old Colorado teenager authors pieces like the one below in response to her teacher’s request, it shows how deeply we have failed our children and how urgently we need to address this.
Please take a minute to read what it feels like as a student today. And think about what you can do to address this.
Student Perspective:
“I am writing this sitting at home at 11am on a Thursday. Today is the third day in the last month that I’ve had to miss school due to a school shooting threat.
Two days ago senior Kendrick Castillo was shot and killed in a shooting at a school a few miles away. Instead of attending his graduation, his family will be attending his funeral.
To say that gun violence has consumed and ravaged the education experience in America is an understatement. I think that as students we carry a great deal of fear in going to school. We practice lockdown drills at school regularly. We’ve memorized where we would hide in each of our classrooms if a shooting were to start. You want to not be in a 3rd floor classroom because it’s harder to jump out the windows if you have to.
When the lockdown starts you need to turn off the lights and hide in the corner so someone in the door can’t see you. If you’re in the bathroom when the lockdown starts, you need to stand on the toilet in a stall so they can’t see your feet.
This is the reality of being a student in America right now. And it’s infuriating. We are angry and we deserve to be. Our politicians are failing us.
A lot of people don’t want to “make this political” but the truth is that this is in every way political. But it shouldn’t be controversial. I cannot believe that we need to debate whether or not kids being killed in school is normal.
We need policy change.
But most students—the direct victims of our country’s lack of gun control—aren’t old enough to vote.
The people creating gun legislation are the ones who have no idea what it’s like to crouch in the corner and pray that the classroom door doesn’t open and a shooter walks through it.
As much as we’re desperate for change, our voices can’t yet be represented.
So I think I speak for most students in America right now when I beg people to do something. If you can vote, vote. If you can march, march. If you have a phone, call your legislators.
Don’t let yourself grow numb to this. This will keep happening, and kids will keep dying, until people finally say that enough is enough. Until then, we are all just waiting and hoping that we’re not next.”
More than 80% of U.S. households purchase organic food or beverages on a regular basis, which is great, but that still only accounts for roughly 5% of total U.S. food and beverage sales. Currently, organic alcohol makes up less than 1% of total alcohol industry sales which is pretty crazy.
I have always said, “Don’t make the perfect the enemy of the good. Focus on progress not perfection!”
And it has helped me navigate raising four kids, through their teenage years and into college!
But there is something that hasn’t caught up with the food industry, and that is the spirits category. So when the team at Prairie Organic Spirits first reached out, I was thrilled to learn what they are doing!
You may not have heard of them, but they are the nation’s leading organic spirit brand. You need to know them. Stat.
And with a new program that is simply awesome, they are toasting to the environment with a new, industry-leading initiative. Through its “Spirit of Change Fund,” Prairie Organic will commit 1 percent of sales to support the next generation of organic farmers and to help transition more conventional farmland to organic.
I mean, who wouldn’t love that!? Less than 1 percent of farmland in the United States is organic. Why not enlist the help of the spirits industry to convert it?
And heaven knows we need it. I’ve been preaching about the need to support farmers for decades, particularly those who want to shift from growing genetically engineered corn and soy to products that 21st century families want and need. If we are going to #dumpthejunk, then we have to convert our farmland. Period. And while we are doing that with food, we also need to do that with our drinks! So I absolutely love Prarie Organic’s mission to not only grow organic farmland but also to grow organic spirits as a category. They’re aiming for 5% which is where the food industry stands when it comes to organic.
But if you ask me, we can do better. If you think about it, 5% is only 1 out of every 20 items that you put in your shopping cart. We can do better than that. Think about the difference we would make if 1 out of every 10 things in our shopping cart, either spirits or food, was organic! Farmers would hear that message loud and clear and could work with brands and organizations to convert! We could drive change so quickly.
More than 80 percent of U.S. households purchase organic food or beverages on a regular basis [source: Organic Trade Association 2017 survey], which is great! But that still only accounts for roughly 5 percent of total U.S. food and beverage sales. Currently, organic alcohol makes up less than 1 percent of total alcohol industry sales which is pretty crazy, considering how much care we take with the products we put in our shopping carts (and home bars!) The bottom line is that we can do better.
“The spirits industry significantly lags behind food and beverage when it comes to organics,” said Mike Duggan, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Prairie Organic Spirits. “It’s time we lead the industry to do better, so we started the Spirit of Change Fund as our commitment to helping make a significant, lasting impact on our environment.”
Amen.
Imagine if other companies followed? Imagine if some of the beer companies committed to the Spirit of Change program? Think of what we could do together.
Thankfully, the Spirit of Change Fund’s primary partner will be Rodale Institute, a non-profit committed to growing the organic movement through research, farmer training and consumer education. Initially, Prairie Organic Spirits will provide 10 scholarships for interns accepted into Rodale Institute’s Next Generation Scholarship Program, which provides practical, hands-on organic agriculture knowledge and skills to future organic farmers. That is simply awesome and such a great start!
I have known the amazing team at Rodale for a very long time, and they are the real deal.
In Duggan’s words, “Rodale Institute is a pioneer in the organic industry, and its programming has pushed the organic industry to where it is today. We couldn’t be more thrilled – and proud – to begin a strong partnership with Rodale and its farmers to help promote the growth of more organic farmland.”
What Has to Happen Next?
We need others in the industry, including distributors, retailers, bars and restaurants, to work toward the same goal. This is so doable, and the wheels of change are already in motion. Did you see those Superbowl ads for organic beer? It’s happening, but these companies need a solid nudge from consumers. Whether you drink or not, you know someone who does, right?
New squad goal! Grow organic spirits to 5% of total US alcohol sales. The potential impact would be huge: approximately 8 million acres of conventional farmland would be converted to organic and about 7.4 million pounds of pesticides would go unused annually .
I love everything about this, and I hope that other spirits makers follow. It is so important to think about everything we put in our bodies, in our refrigerators and home bars. None of us can do everything but all of us can do something, and I am grateful that Prairie Organic Spirits is leading this important initiative!
This post was sponsored by Prairie Organic Spirits and is only intended for persons of legal drinking age (21+). Prairie Organic Spirits reminds you to enjoy their products responsibly.
All of us are exposed to a cocktail of toxic synthetic pesticides linked to a range of health impacts in our daily diets. Certified organic food is produced without these pesticides. But can eating organic really reduce levels of pesticides in our bodies?
In this peer-reviewed study, we compared pesticide levels in the bodies of four American families for six days on a non-organic diet and six days on a completely organic diet. We found that eating organic works.
An organic diet rapidly and dramatically reduced exposure to pesticides in just six days.
Organic Works
We found 14 chemicals representing potential exposure to 40 different pesticides in every study participant, including organophosphates, pyrethroids, the neonicotinoid clothianidin and the phenoxy herbicide 2,4-D.
Levels of all detected chemicals dropped an average of 60.5 percent in just six days on an organic diet with a range of 37 percent to 95 percent depending on the compound.
The most significant drops occurred in a class of nerve agent pesticides called organophos- phates. The metabolites for malathion (MDA) and chlorpyrifos (TCPy) decreased 95 and 61 percent respectively, and a set of six metabolites representing organophosphates as a class (DAPs) dropped 70 percent. These pesticides are so harmful to children’s developing brains that scientists have called for a full ban.1 Chlorpyrifos is a neurotoxic pesticide linked to increased rates of autism, learning disabilities and reduced IQ in children and is also one of the pesticides most often linked to farm worker poisonings.2
The neonicotinoid pesticide clothianidin dropped by 83 percent. Neonicotinoids are among the most commonly detected pesticide residues in baby foods.3 They are associated with endocrine disruption and changes in behavior and attention, including an association with autism spectrum disorder.4,5 Neonicotinoids are also a main driver of massive pollinator and insect losses, leading scientist to warn of a ‘second silent spring’.6,7
Levels of pyrethroids were halved. Exposure to this class of pesticides is associated with endocrine disruption, adverse neurodevelopmental, immunological and reproductive effects, increased risk of Parkinson’s and sperm DNA damage.8,9,10,11
Finally, 2,4-D dropped by 37 percent. 2,4-D is one of two ingredients in the Vietnam War defoliant Agent Orange.12 It is among the top five most commonly used pesticides in the U.S.13 and is associated with endocrine disruption, thyroid disorders, increased risk of Parkinson’s and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, developmental and reproductive toxicity and damage to the liver, immune system and semen quality.14,15
We All Have the Right to a Toxic-Free Food System
The science is clear. Organic agriculture can produce enough food to feed a growing world population while protecting our health and the environment.16
We have the solution. And yet, our government subsidizes pesticide-intensive agriculture to the tune of billions of dollars while organic programs and research are woefully underfunded.17
Pesticide companies spend tens of millions of dollars lobbying legislators and funding false science and front groups that mislead the public about the harms of pesticides to keep their toxic products on the market.18
The top four pesticide manufacturers reap over $150 billion in profit each year.19 Meanwhile, the estimated environmental and health care costs of pesticide use in the U.S. is estimated to be upwards of $12 billion annually.19
We Should Not Have to “Shop Our Way Out” of Exposures to Toxic Pesticides
Elected officials must protect the health of people and the planet and stand up to corporate influence. And the food industry has a responsibility to consumers, the environment and society at large.
We all have the right to food that is free of toxic pesticides. The farmers and farmworkers who grow our nation’s food, and their communities, have a right to not be exposed day in and day out to chemicals linked to cancer, asthma, reproductive and developmental harm and other serious health problems. And the way we grow food should “Everyone has the right to clean organic food. That is a human right.” Tara, study participant, Baltimore protect rather than harm the ecosystems that sustain all life.
Together, We Can Make Organic For All
Together, we can demand government and corporations step up to create a healthier world for all people. We can work together to pass laws in our cities, states and nationally that decrease pesticide use and expand organic farming. We can change the national Farm Bill — a major piece of legislation that determines how food is grown in the U.S. and what food is available to us as eaters. And, we can tell food companies and grocery stores to end the use of toxic pesticides in their supply chains and expand organic offerings.
The solution is here — we just have to grow it.
Link to Study, Organic diet intervention significantly reduces urinary pesticide levels U.S. children and adults: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0013935119300246
SOURCES
1. Hertz-Picciotto, I., Sass, J. B., Engel, S., Bennett, D. H., Bradman, A., Eskenazi, B. and Whyatt, R. 2018. Organophosphate exposures during pregnancy and child neurodevelopment: Recommendations for essential policy reforms. PLoS medicine, 15(10), e1002671.
2. Cimino, A.M., et al. 2017. Effects of Neonicotinoid Pesticide Exposure on Human Health: A Systematic Environ Health Perspectives. 125(2): p. 155-162.
3. Hoshi, N., Hirano, T., Omotehara, T., Tokumoto, J., Umemura, Y., Mantani, Y., Tanida, T., Warita, K., Tabuchi, Y., Yokoyama, T. and Kitagawa, H., 2014. Insight into the mechanism of reproductive dysfunction caused by neonicotinoid pesticides. Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin, 37(9), 1439-1443.
5. Bijleveld van Lexmond, Maarten et al. 2015. Worldwide Integrated Assessment of the Impact of Systemic Pesticides on Biodiversity and Ecosystems. Environmental Science and Pollution Research. 2(1).
7. Go, V., Garey, J., Wolff, M.S. and Pogo, B.G., 1999. Estrogenic potential of certain pyrethroid compounds in the MCF-7 human breast carcinoma cell line. Environmental health perspectives, 107(3), p.173.
8. Quiros-Alcala, L., S. Mehta, and B. Eskenazi, 2014. Pyrethroid Pesticide Exposure and Parental Report of Learning Disability and Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in U.S. Children: NHANES 1999–2002. Environ Health Perspect.
10. Jurewicz, J., Radwan, M., Wielgomas, B., Sobala, W., Piskunowicz, M., Radwan, P., Bochenek, M. and Hanke, W., 2015. The effect of environmental exposure to pyrethroids and DNA damage in human sperm. Systems biology in reproductive medicine, 61(1), pp.37-43.
16. DeLonge, M.S., Miles, A. and Carlisle, L., 2016. Investing in the transition to sustainable agriculture. Environmental Science & Policy, 55, pp.266-273.
19. Pimentel, D., 2005. Environmental and economic costs of the application of pesticides primarily in the United Environment, development and sustainability, 7(2), pp.229-252.
A groundbreaking peer-reviewed study published in the journal Environmental Research found that switching to an organic diet significantly reduced the levels of synthetic pesticides found in all participants – after less than one week. On average, the pesticides detected dropped by 60.5% after just six days of eating an all-organic diet (see www.OrganicforAll.org).
The study found significant reductions in pesticides that have been associated with increased risk of autism, cancers, autoimmune disorders, infertility, hormone disruption, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.
Researchers from UC Berkeley, UC San Francisco and Friends of the Earth tested the urine of four racially diverse American families in Oakland, Minneapolis, Atlanta, and Baltimore after eating their typical diet of conventional food for six days and then after a controlled diet of all organic food for six days
The most significant declines involved organophosphates, a class of highly neurotoxic pesticides linked to brain damage in children: the study found a 95% drop in levels of malathion, a probable human carcinogen, and a nearly two thirds reduction in chlorpyrifos. Organophosphates are so harmful to children’s developing brains that scientists have called for a full phase out.
The neonicotinoid pesticide clothianidin dropped by 83%. Neonicotinoids are among the most commonly detected pesticide residues in baby foods. They are associated with endocrine disruption and changes in behavior and attention, including an association with autism spectrum disorder. Neonicotinoids are also a main driver of massive pollinator and insect losses, leading scientist to warn of a ‘second silent spring’.
Levels of pyrethroids were halved. Exposure to this class of pesticides is associated with endocrine disruption, adverse neurodevelopmental, immunological and reproductive effects, increased risk of Parkinson’s and sperm DNA damage.
Finally, 2,4-D dropped by 37 percent. 2,4-D is one of two ingredients in the Vietnam War defoliant Agent Orange. It is among the top five most commonly used pesticides in the U.S. and is associated with endocrine disruption, thyroid disorders, increased risk of Parkinson’s and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, developmental and reproductive toxicity and damage to the liver, immune system and semen quality.
Other recent studies have found compelling evidence of the health benefits of an organic diet. One study found 25% reduction in cancer risk for participants who ate the most organic food. Other studies have found fertility benefits for women who ate organic food.
MAKE ORGANIC FOR ALL
We all have the right to food that is free of toxic pesticides. The farmers and farmworkers who grow our nation’s food, and their communities, have a right to not be exposed day in and day out to chemicals linked to serious health problems. And the way we farm should protect rather than harm the biodiversity, soil and water that sustain all life.
Organic works. We already have the solution. And yet, our government subsidizes pesticide-intensive agriculture to the tune of billions of dollars while organic programs and research are woefully underfunded. This misdirection of public dollars is one of the main reasons many people across the country still don’t have access to, or can’t afford, organic food. This is unacceptable.
We should not have to “shop our way out” of exposures to toxic pesticides. Elected officials must protect the health of people and the planet and stand up to corporate influence. And the food industry has a responsibility to consumers, the environment and society at large. Together, we can demand government and corporations step up to create a healthier world for all people.
Working to make organic for all means investing in a food system that is healthier for you and healthier for farmers, farmworkers and rural communities. And it means investing in a system that protects bees, helps mitigate climate change and safeguards water, soil and the ecosystems that sustain all life.
We can work together to pass laws in our cities, states and nationally that decrease pesticide use and expand organic farming. We can change the national Farm Bill — a major piece of legislation that determines how food is grown in the U.S. and what food is available to us as eaters. And, we can tell food companies and grocery stores to end the use of toxic pesticides in their supply chains and expand organic offerings.
Right now, farming with toxic pesticides is the norm. But, we can turn the system around. The science is clear that we can grow abundant food without pesticides. We need to organize, raise our voices, demand that our leaders step up and shift support, research and policies to create a system where organic is for all. The solution is here—we just have to grow it.
The article below was originally published in the ZachBushMD.com newsletter.
Over the years, I’ve had many experiences with patients which led me to begin questioning the way Western medicine approaches illness and treatment. In the majority of cases, the goal has become managing a disease, rather than inducing health.
My questions led me to discover some uncomfortable and astonishing statistics.
Starting in the 1990’s, something alarming began to happen in the United States.
Diseases—in what seemed like completely different organ systems—were going epidemic, almost simultaneously.
Dementia in women increased.
Parkinson’s in men increased.
Autoimmune diseases hit an all time high.
Today, 1 in every 2 people will be diagnosed with cancer before they die.
And 1 in 36 children are now diagnosed with autism, compared to a mere 1 in 5,000 in the 1970’s.
Why are so many diseases, in such unrelated parts of the body, increasing at such a rapid rate? What’s the relation?
The connecting factor is chronic inflammation.
And chronic inflammation is the root of all disease.
By definition, inflammation is actually a normal biological response to an injury. It’s the bodies reaction to tissue or cell damage caused by harmful pathogens or other stimuli.
Our gut has a very thin membrane that protects it’s cells from inflammatory causing compounds and bacteria.
If that thin membrane becomes permeable, our entire immune system feels the effects, and we experience inflammation.
We know our diet certainly plays a role in our gut health—but unfortunately, we can’t just throw out the snack cakes and start eating vegetables and hope our health takes a total turnaround. It may help, but as I found, it’s only a piece of the puzzle.
I have focused on holistic health and nutrient rich foods to heal disease for years at The M Clinic.
But initially, the statistics were not what I had hoped for.
About 30% of my patients had a complete and miraculous turnaround of disease while implementing diet changes.
Another 30% saw some improvement.
But a surprising 40% saw zero improvement, or an actual worsening of symptoms with their new, health focused plans.
So then I asked, if the cause of disease is inflammation, what is causing our guts to be so affected, and our bodies to be so inflamed?
If the problem isn’t less sugar and more vegetables, then what is it?
To answer this question, we must first understand some of the history of our countries food sources and farm lands.
After World War II, the United States was left with an excess of petroleum that they no longer had use for. They found that petroleum could be used as a chemical fertilizer, and they marketed it as such.
For the first time in history, farmers ignored the generational wisdom of good crop practices. They stopped letting their soil rest, they stopped rotating their crops. They forgot the hard lessons of the 1930’s Dust Bowl.
The farmers became convinced that fertilizing crops with chemicals saved time, increased yield, and created healthier, greener plants.
The plants were greener, but they weren’t healthier—they were now weak and lacking major nutrients. (In fact, a tomato grown today has almost no lycopene left in it, compared to one grown in 1950.)
Weak plants are more subject to disease and pests, so the solution became to add more chemicals—this time in the form of pesticides (which are essentially an antibiotic)—to the soil, and ignore the failing biology just underneath the surface.
It was, and still is, an environmental version of exactly how we are treating disease in humans today.
The most widely used commercial pesticide is a glyphosate-based herbicide called Roundup. Today, Roundup’s use is so profuse, that it has become impossible to avoid its affects all together. In fact, 99.99% of Roundup never even hits a weed—instead, it’s found primarily in runoff, and ends up in the water we drink and the air we breathe. In the southern United States, 75% of the air and the rain are contaminated with glyphosates.
Before you even take a bite of food, you are being hit with an antibiotic every time you inhale.
So how, specifically, does this prolific chemical affect our health? Glyphosates increase the permeability of the gut membrane. This means that the side effects of Roundup are direct injury to the very protein structure that holds your gut together—and every macro membrane in your body is held together by the same tight junctions that the gut has.
Our environment has made us into leaky sieves, and the very blood vessels in our bodies that are supposed to be delivering an immune response or getting nutrients, are also leaking and affecting the blood/brain barrier, leading to an abundance of neuro disorders like Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and autism.
When we breathe, drink, eat, or stand in the rain, we are being subjected to antibiotics that are killing the healthy bacteria that we need to thrive. Our innate capacity to heal ourselves is being stripped away, because our biome has been obliterated by all of the glyphosate.
We have created a war in both our internal and external environment. So how do we rectify this bleak reality? Where do we even begin?
One good piece of news is that Monsanto (the distributors of Roundup) have leaked an encouraging statistic – if 16% of food in the United States was purchased organically, the chemical fertilizer industry would lose financial stability.
Just 16%.
The truth is, if we stopped spraying Roundup tomorrow, it would take 50 years before we saw a drop in toxic levels.
But—there are bacteria and fungi in our soil that can digest the glyphosates. Our world, like our bodies, has an innate ability to heal itself. If we let it.
We have to begin to do things differently.
At the current rate of health decline, in the year 2035, 1 in 3 children will be diagnosed with autism. That statistic alone would send our country into total financial collapse.
A change needs to happen, and it can happen.
We, the consumers, are the solution.
So which actions do I recommend we take to help change things for our own health, and for society’s future?
Macro Ecosystem Shifts
Breathe as many different environments as you can. This means, get out of your house. Leave your immaculate lawn. Hike a mountain. Go sit by a waterfall. Read under a mossy tree. Visit a swamp. Get into as many different ecosystems as you can, and just breathe them for a few hours. Shifting your environment is one of the simplest ways to repopulate your microbiome (and rejuvenate your mental health).
Eat Fermented Foods
Before refrigeration, we used fermentation as a preservation method. As we have lost this need, we’ve also lost its benefits. Fermented foods contain immune boosting bacteria, and you only need to eat a few forkfuls of homemade sauerkraut to get your daily dose.
Buy Organic Food
This one is for your own health, of course, but it’s also for the betterment of the future. Remember – if only 16% of the population bought organic food, Monsanto would collapse. Organic food can be more expensive in some cases, but if we all found ways to make the sacrifice now, the price of chemical free foods would dramatically decrease once spraying ceased.
Share The Message
Get people thinking and talking about these issues and the various misconceptions. Listen to the latest interview with Rich Roll here and share with your friends, family and local farmers.
Human hope is contagious, and if a few of us can become more conscious of ourselves, our environment, and our communities, it has a ripple effect.
It can happen quick. And it has to. Do what you can, where you can, with what you have.
There are some huge trends emerging in 2019. And I’m not talking about CBD, plant protein or mushrooms, as that would be a ‘year in review’.
There are trends that are coming hard and fast at the food industry that few are discussing and that need to be addressed, so we are going to lay out all eight of them here:
Racial Advertising: Our food system is not only loaded with artificial ingredients, but also systemic racism. In no way is that more obvious than in the excessive advertising that targets people of color. In 2017, black teens saw more than twice as many ads for unhealthy food products as white teens, researchers found. Statistics show that growth in consumption of organic food by communities of color is outpacing that of the total population, so someone tell the ad agencies and marketing directors: targeting black teens with junk food has to stop.
Whitewashed Venture Capital: Less than 1% of American venture capital-backed founders are black. Less than 1%. So venture capital is failing to invest in diversity of innovation, and it’s costing us: in 2016, the Center for Global Policy Solutions reported that due to discriminatory financing practices and a bias towards companies primarily operated by white males, America is losing out on over 1.1 million minority-owned businesses, and as a result, foregoing over 9 million potential jobs and $300 billion in collective national income, according to Forbes.
B Corp: This certification is exploding. Danone officially became the world’s largest B corp in 2018, defying any and all excuses. A challenge within the certification itself is that due to its costs, it inadvertently burdens minority groups who do not have the same access to capital, as discussed above. There has always been some backlash against the certification and the suggestion that it is yet another “Winner Take All” strategy. However, that can be addressed, and given the intent of the board of B Lab, I am certain that with increased noise and pressure, it will be.
The Bullshit Factor: Consumers are calling out companies that fake authenticity. RXBar is the poster child for this one. For almost 18 months, consumers complained about reactions they were having to these products: from life-threatening allergic reactions, to GI upset, to vomiting to skin rashes. It took 18 months before a recall was issued. So if a company promises “No B.S.” in their products, chances are you want to take another look.
Food Waste: It’s seismic in our food system, from soil to shelf. Imperfect produce is not accepted at the grocery store and antiquated “sell by” dates fill dumpsters with products fit for a kitchen. Almost 40% of the food that we produce is wasted. The bottom line is that we need it to feed the world. Around the country and world, we are now seeing everything from food recovery programs to zero food waste bloggers to ambitious European Union (EU) food waste reduction targets. Food policy in the U.S. needs to get with the 21st century.
Melatonin-infused Products: Anxiety and depression are impacting millions of Americans. Is it any wonder? The steady stream of headlines put us into fight or flight mode, and stories of “climate grief” and the growing emotional toll of climate change are mounting. Climate grief is yet another reason why sleep is elusive to millions. What helps? Melatonin. So look for melatonin-infused supplements, teas and snacks to help pillow our heads and settle our minds.
A New Labeling Debate: With lab grown and cell-based ‘milks’ and ‘meats‘ in production, the FDA and USDA are playing a game of “Who’s on First”? Nobody is quite sure by whom or how these products are going to be regulated. There are no long term testing models. On top of that, the meat industry is suddenly getting defensive about who can label what “milk” and “meat.” Is a tofu sausage really a sausage? Stay tuned.
Climate Calories:Two-thirds of the U.S. military installations are threatened by flooding, drought and wildfires driven by climate change, the Defense Department said in a new report required by Congress. But it’s not just impacting the Department of Defense, climate change is a national security issue, a food security issue and so much more. It’s disrupting agriculture and farming. So put it on the balance sheet, measure the risk and mitigate it. We need to think about it this way: How many climate calories does your product consume? And what plans are you putting in place to mitigate climate risk?
“Unnerved by fundamental economic changes and the failure of government to provide lasting solutions, society is increasingly looking to companies, both public and private, to address pressing social and economic issues. These issues range from protecting the environment to retirement to gender and racial inequality, among others. Fueled in part by social media, public pressures on corporations build faster and reach further than ever before.”
Heading into 2019, make sure you are managing your business for purpose-driven profits that align with the values of 21st century consumers.
There is too much at stake, and the risk of obsolescence extends far beyond a company’s bottom line.
This post was created in partnership with MegaFood®.
Walk into almost any grocery or drug store right now, and you are greeted with aisles and aisles of Halloween candy! I’m not sure how these guys are able to lay it out alongside the back to school supplies, but man, it is there!
And if you thought back to school was expensive, check this out:
According to the National Retail Federation, consumers spent about $9 billion for Halloween last year. In total, the organization said people will spend $2.7 billion on candy alone, purchasing mostly from discount, grocery and drug stores. And according to a new study by Ibotta, Americans will spend an average of $16.45 per person on candy!
That is one big old sugar high!
According to WebMD, “eating or drinking too much sugar curbs immune system cells that attack bacteria.” In other words, your health warriors are curbed, increasing your odds of getting sick.
Now as a mom of four, I understand that this is once a year, so what can a parent do to try to boost their family’s immune systems ahead of this sugar rush and just in time for the dreaded cold and flu season?
Enter my friends at MegaFood. As you know, MegaFood creates the highest quality supplements made with real, whole foods, so there’s no question what I reach for to support my immune system all year long.* Here are the products I recommend for boosting your family’s immune systems:
My Immune Health Boost Go-To’s:
Kids Daily Immune Nutrient Booster PowderTM—Promote your kids’ healthy immune response with this delicious booster; they won’t even know they’re consuming organic astragalus, echinacea and FoodState® Elderberry, for optimal wellness.* This booster is packed with whole food nutrition and essential antioxidant protection.*
Gummy C Defense Tangy Citrus—You’ve heard me RAVE about these adult gummies already, but these Gummy C Defense are a must for this season. They boast 180 mg of FoodState® Vitamin C to help support immune health.* Plus, only the most delicious and juicy fresh organic whole oranges give these gummies a kick of tangy citrus you’ll love while complementing its key ingredients to deliver the widest range of health-promoting compounds.*
MegaFlora Probiotics—I’m a big fan of using a probiotic to keep all that gut flora happy, which promotes…. you guessed it: a healthy immune response!* MegaFood currently has options tailored to the specific needs of kids, adults, seniors, and even expectant moms. I also happen to have the inside scoop: MegaFood is debuting their NEW collection of Shelf Stable Probiotics this month. This new product line actually comes in 5 different formulas: Digestive Health, Mood, Energy, Immune Defense and Women’s Health. Each of the varieties support overall gut health and immunity* with 5-20 billion CFUs of shelf-stable and acid-resistant probiotics. They’ll be on shelves this fall; I’ll be on the lookout!
Acute DefenseTM—Another newbie for MegaFood is its Acute Defense tablets. As soon as you feel something coming on, Acute DefenseTM is your go-to—the tablets feature the highest quality echinacea, vitamin C, zinc and elderberry, to support a quick immune response and optimal immune health when you need it most.*
Try these four superstars this fall and your immune system will thank you!
Giveaway Alert:
I am super excited to be giving away one of each of these amazing products to (4) lucky winners! Check out my Facebook page and let me know what other tips you have for keeping your family healthy as they head into winter for your chance to win. Four winners will be chosen at random!
*This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
This post was created in partnership with MegaFood®. I’m proud to work with brands that care about the health of its consumers and the planet. As always, all opinions and text are my own.
As I watched today’s funeral procession of John Lewis, of his remarkable legacy crossing the bridge in Selma, Alabama, one last time, I thought of the legacy he has in these young men. 
On this episode of Take Out with Ashley and Robyn, I am proud and in awe to share the voices of these two young men who are working to raise $18,650 for the NAACP. They’ve already hit and re-set their goal several times.
