Directing Judgement

Whole Wheat Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Dear Evan Hansen, Los Angeles, CA, 2018

First of all, I’m not judging you. I am judging Big Ag, the food industry, and hundreds of other things…like Congress, the FDA, and Monsanto, but likely, NOT you. These are entities that are really really good at what they set out to do…make money….Their main function, and we can argue whether this is good or bad later, is to make money off of you. They’re succeeding…and if nothing else, the number of times I’m told, “I don’t even want this”, proves how RIDICULOUSLY good they are at it. The sheer volume of processed “foods” involved in most celebrations and community gatherings speaks volumes to the intricate involvement of the food industry in our lives. More on that later, for sure.

Once you start to “get healthy”, it seems people assume that you are concerned with what everyone is eating all of the time. Let me clear this up. I am. I am concerned with what people are eating. I am EXTREMELY concerned with what people are eating. I believe that we have a broken and unequal system that continues to foster oppression, social injustice and chronic disease. It’s built on racism, greed, and ignorance. I believe our food system is destroying the country. I believe that our system is a horrific cycle of despair and fatigue…Think I’m exaggerating even a little bit? Look around with an honest gaze. How many people do you know who feel great? More often than not, you could feel great, but we have a broken system and ALL of us have to fix it.

While I am BIG about personal responsibility, I’m not here to make you feel bad about yourself. It’s really not your fault. BUT sometimes, I am going to make you feel bad about your choices because there is a difference between blame and responsibility. Have you seen this Will Smith rant?

If you’re reading this, you’re an adult so let’s be frank with each other. You know a good food choice from a bad food choice. I’m not telling you to never eat a cookie again or to cut out all additives, but I want to help you make a choice that won’t need to be justified, not listen to your justifications. I want to help you practice that if it doesn’t feed your cells or your soul, it doesn’t belong in your mouth. That’s right…your cells OR your soul!! Life isn’t just leafy greens. I want to help you learn that eventually your body will help make the best choice for you…if you listen…but that takes time and effort and intention.

Quitting processed garbage crap was the hardest. Not because I miss processed crap. Quitting processed garbage crap is the hardest because being honest about what you are eating and making consistently good choices can feel like constant work. Quitting processed garbage crap was the hardest because not enough of the people I am surrounded by WANT to be or, more importantly, believe they CAN be real food people. Quitting processed crap was the hardest because the tide hasn’t completely turned yet…finding a community is hard. Quitting processed garbage crap is the hardest because now it looks like I am judging you. I’m not judging YOU, but, you’re right, I am judging. I’m judging shitty “food” and the people that make you addicted to it. Just to be clear…