Myth-Busting Raw Milk
A frenzy of talk around food safety is currently buzzing around media outlets and across social media platforms. More awareness about the safety and nutrition of food should bolster our individual and communal health., right? Unfortunately many sources of information on food safety (wellness gurus, politicians and doctors with little to no nutrition, chemistry or policy background) seem to have agendas closer to deregulation and institutional distrust than they do on education and policy changes that make a difference. The guise often includes conspiracy to keep people sick for profit. Given the reality of free market, shareholder interest based capitalism, this is not hard to imagine. But imagining something does not make it real and deregulating our network of safeguards is a giant leap backwards in food safety. Increasing fear around food is particularly harmful to those who might struggle with health issues or those who are on a tight budget. Many of our Institutions have put in place processing practices to try and protect as many people as possible from food borne illnesses while increasing food availability. No one is saying that they are perfect or immune from corruption but these practices are still our best option in a globalized food market. An important example of such regulatory processes are the laws around pasteurization of milk and dairy products.
Is Aspartame Carcinogenic? No
We tend to lean into all or nothing statements, they appeal to our sense of simplicity ; “Good things always happen to me”, “I am never lucky”, “drugs are bad”. But the word drugs for example includes, marijuana, methamphetamine, metformin, Tylenol and psilocybin, Each compound being completely different and having wildly different affects on our bodies. In this small list alone we have the potential to relieve pain, alter consciousness, save a life or take one . Is there any real meaning in the statement “drugs are bad”?
Self Defence Classes Are Back!
I have been teaching self defence, in one form or another for about 30 years. Over that time I have whittled it down from an art to a system. The longer you teach martial arts the more you realize how narrow the scope of movements is that actually work.
A Plant Based Diet: Healthiest Option or Logical Fallacy?
Years ago I wrote a two part series called – is a vegan diet the healthiest way to eat? Due to website issues, those articles are gone and so I wanted to revisit the topic because I think it continues to be a relevant question.
I grew up vegetarian until I was about 12 and then animal sourced foods were limited for another few years after that. In my early 30s I began a 6 month on, 6 month off vegan/omnivore experiment that lasted about 5 years. I was looking to prove that I could thrive on a vegan diet despite my very high activity level as well as hit various goals of gaining muscle mass and managing certain blood markers. I did this with months of research prior to beginning and then continued this research throughout the process. So I am not coming at this from a one sided perspective.