For those who go beyond corporate news propaganda and pay close attention, the pandemic continues to teach many of us critical lessons.
One of the most valuable knowledge gains is realizing most of the media is corrupt and dishonest. Chances are, all of us have fallen guilty to seeing a new claim and not doing our own research to confirm if what they presented is true.
This article goes beyond the political, Big Pharma, Big Tech and Academia mistruths and indoctrination to zero in on our health, wellness and nutrition.
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From the moment consumers experienced the toilet paper shortages of 2020 to the most recent supply chain scarcities on store shelves (along with lockdowns, business closings, controversial vaccine and mask mandates), the one thing most people concentrated on improving was their health.
We personally made several significant changes. We moved from an urban area to a less expensive home far out in the Texas Hill Country, built contingencies for essentials (water, power, communication…), started a food garden, increased our exercise, and enhanced our nutrition/supplement intake.
A heightened—and understandable—focus on health, natural and wellness products by consumers is increasing. Today, “natural and wellness” products make up a $187 billion market that is growing at 12.5%.
In fact, natural and wellness products are leading growth across consumer products in 2021.
As conventional positioned products grew 6.3% over 52 weeks in American grocery stores, specialty and wellness positioned products grew 14.1% and natural-positioned products grew 9.8%.
Lessons Learned
Remember what we learned about the dishonesty in news media, Big Tech, Big Pharma and Academia. The same strategies can be used in other media. Be cautious of convincing advertisements alerting us to the latest foods that will help us live longer and be healthier that are plastered on billboards, appearing across our TV screens, and in-between our favorite songs on the radio.
“Pomegranates cheat death.”
“Dark chocolate lowers cholesterol.”
“Almonds boost your memory.”
If we are seeing these claims everywhere, they must be true, right? Think about the disinformation the CDC, FDA, CNN, MSNBC, the New York Times dish out.
We count on nutrition science to help us make smart food choices, but when food companies paid for that research, can we trust the findings?
Beware Misleading News & Ads
In her latest book, Unsavory Truth, Marion Nestle exposes the unspoken agenda between nutrition researchers and the funding they receive from the food industry.
As Nestle so bluntly states in her books opening, “Unsavory Truth is about how food, beverage, and supplement companies fund nutrition researchers and practitioners and their professional associations, with the ultimate goal of promoting sales.”
When the experts of these scientific studies are merging with the marketing experts who emulate the results to the public, we get the uninformed and misled consumers we have today. Nestle remarks that this happens in all parts of the marketing industry, going back as far as the 1950’s tobacco campaigns. Even though industry executives were well aware of the connection to lung cancer, campaigns were still released casting doubt that cigarettes were harmful.
Current decisions we are making because of news media, government mandates and paid talking heads can be massively dangerous. Much propaganda and advertising is resulting in numerous public health issues, environmental concerns, and food insecurity.
Nestle states that, “Everyone eats. Food matters. All of us need and deserve sound nutrition advice aimed at promoting public health – not corporate commercial interests.”
It’s important to note that Nestle does make the distinction that “not all industry backed-research is biased” but, we must be cautious. Ultimately, Nestle is encouraging shoppers to vote with their fork and look at the contact information on food labels and have open conversations with the companies that make the food you’re consuming. Write letters, send emails, pick up the phone and ask to speak with someone. If we don’t do it, who will?
Like most health advocates, Marion Nestle concludes her book with recommendations for her readers to pursue. She motivates consumers to “eat your veggies, choose relatively unprocessed foods, keep junk foods to a minimum, and watch excessive calories.”
Future Survival
To survive and thrive this political and lifestyle turmoil, the wise will consider how wellness impacts our future. We really do have more choices and it’s smart to acknowledge opportunities.
One tactic to deal with product shortages is to consider alternatives and expand the breadth of products for our lifestyles.
The move toward online shopping in all its forms accelerated last year. For instance, most of our supplements and health regime such as Green Pasture Products are conveniently acquired by mail. The book we are reading now, Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon, is very informative. Shoppers have more options. We can get our groceries delivered at home, put in the car curbside, or packed up for in-store pickup. That’s here to stay and shoppers aren’t going to accept a retail experience where these perks are taken away.
Natural product shoppers now rely on internet ordering at nearly twice the rate of all customers and spend less at the biggest conventional outlets. That matters because it means that natural shoppers are tech-friendly, eager for convenience, and committed to spending their dollars at outlets that deliver a specialized experience they’re not getting at the Wal-Mart type big box stores.
Products with wellness attributes are performing in sales stronger than ever. Even keto branded products were up 31% over pre-2020 sales.
We are not taking it for granted that pre-pandemic times will be the future. Personally, for the most part we ignored lockdown restrictions and other government mandates. We traveled, ate in opened restaurants, turned off news, and improved our lifestyle.
Cynthia Leal Massey
During the pandemic, like so many others we have talked to, we rediscovered the joy of cooking at home–including the convenience and health benefits.
Many signs point to a different kind of workday for many office workers, which means more remote working and at-home meals. The economic situation for many workers has not fully recovered, and at-home dining is an affordable option.
Our suggestion moving forward is to build out long-term strategies but don’t forget to identify immediate opportunities as well. As we look ahead, keep these ideas in mind:
- Educate ourselves about nutrient dense and functional foods
- Adopt maintainable diet and lifestyles
- Evaluate broader ideas and alternatives as we personalize efforts fight back and survive the turmoil.
Please Support These American Owned Businesses
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Get Your Natural Vitamins A & D from the Sea!
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Unearth the Mysteries of Those Who Lie Beneath the Oldest Graveyards in the Lone Star State
Texas, the second largest state, both in land mass and population, has more than 50,000 cemeteries, graveyards, and burial grounds. As the final resting places of those whose earthly journey has ended, they are also repositories of valuable cultural history. The pioneer cemeteries—those from the 19th century—provide a wealth of information on the people who settled Texas during its years as a Republic (1836-1845), and after it became the 28th state in 1845. In What Lies Beneath: Texas Pioneer Cemeteries and Graveyards, author Cynthia Leal Massey exhumes the stories of these pioneers, revealing the intriguing truth behind the earliest graveyards in the Lone Star State, including some of its most ancient. This guide also provides descriptions of headstone features and symbols, and demystifies the burial traditions of early Texas pioneers and settlers.
More titles by Cynthia Leal Massey.
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Goettle HVAC and Plumbing services are located in Phoenix, Tucson, San Antonio, Austin, Las Vegas areas as well as regions in Southern California.
Clever Journeys 
300 lbs of me, down to about 255 and declining. How I ever tolerated that weight is beyond me. How I lost it is by eating less, eating better, and exercising in spurts. But long ago, a Cardiologist (lifetime nuisance arrhythmia that is now Afib, and one former Cardiologist told me that unless I lost weight, I’d end up in Afib, but the current one says that is not necessarily true) told me that it’s simple, Eat Less and you’ll lose weight. I suspect that is true, in this sense, if I eat a certain way, and weigh 300 lbs, and I continue to eat that way, but less of it, I’d have to lose weight, but you can’t change your diet and eat less higher calorie food or higher carbohydrates, not with an assurance of losing weight.
We eat less, much less. A medium Pizza lasts 2 days, we used to eat a large one in a day. And we used to eat Pizzas often, not anymore, we eat wholesome food, Fish, Corn, and Rice tonight, a limited portion, there was no more for a “second helping”.
Snacks for the largest part are a thing of the past. Coffee in the morning, decaffeinated for me, with sugar, but that’s all for the day, and no Soda Pop (we call it Pop here), or similar. Fruit Juices Infrequently, Milk (mostly for me, she doesn’t like it as much anymore) and Filtered Water.
We use a service that delivers weekly groceries from local farms, customized to our needs. 300+ different local products, including vegetables, fruits, milk, cheese, eggs, and meat, plus kitchen staples and more….. (this wording is partially from the Service Web Site, and I changed the sentence structure, but I would have written similar).
I have a Watch and a Wearable FitBit One (Pocket Clip), that measure and record Flights of Stairs, a Flight being 10′ Increase in Altitude to the Watch, and I suspect 9′ to the FitBit (Note: Both These Devices can be Finicky on Flights of Stairs, but also count Steps Walked, Distance, etc.). I measured the Grade on my Hill at 9.85°, and I calculated that 30 Steps is a Rise of 10′, so I walk 60 (20′ Rise) or 90 (30′ Rise) steps, several times a day, for a minimum of 15 Flights of Stairs per day and I’ve done as many as 30 Flights of Stairs (that’s a climb of 300 Feet) in a day (just got in from adding 6 to my total, I did 3, then 1, then 2 more flights). It takes X amount of Energy to Climb 10′, you can do it on Barrel Ladders as I often had to do while working, 10′ and much more, that is the most effort for the least amount of time, or walk the 10′ Rise over a longer distance, and that is less effort for a longer time, but the total effort should be about the same.
I agree with your article. Eating Better, and Selectively, is a pathway to improved health, and exercise within the limitations of the individual. My doctors know how I exercise, and anyone with health issues, such as Blood Pressure and Heart Issues should consult their Doctors before beginning to exercise in a more aggressive or sustained way. I’m on Coumadin, and I need to be careful about Vitamin K in food, so when I make changes, even natural changes, I need to research.
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You certainly have improved. In 2006, I weighed 313 lbs. Now I’m down to 245 and still losing. In August 2021, had double bypass.
Like you, I eat far less, far healthier. I only drink water & drink ocassional iced tea (unsweetened).
We live in the country and hike. We also have a track (60 steps each round) & lately I’ve been walking up to 122 laps a day.
In spring, summer, fall we grow much of our own food organically. Jar some of it for winter. Behind us is a pristine river with water straight out of the ground nearby. We filter all water to be sure.
Congratulations on your lifestyle change. It is inspiring.
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You’re doing fine. We should eat to survive, not survive to eat. One woman at work commented one day “You sure are big”. It was an overall thing, I’m 6’2″ as well – less with age I think. I stalked an employee at work to startle him, as I ran forward, he later said “I didn’t know what it was, all I knew is it was big”. I wish I took the hint and modified my eating earlier in life. At 21, I was as thin as a pencil. And even at 300, I carried a full tool pouch at work up 85+ stairs hundreds of times. I simply was eating too much, exercise at work was there, I had a large area of responsibility in maintenance and it was all walking.
Keep up the diet, reduced food, and exercise, it’s well worth losing weight and you’ve done much better than I.
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