Water water everywhere...but soon, few drops to drink.

All during my last quarter of school, I have read several books, papers, proverbs even on water. Ok, maybe not proverbs, but it sounded appropriate.

Water, the ultimate "renewable" resource is being ever degraded, ever destroyed, and ever ruined. WE are over-using what has been provided on the Earth, and for wasteful means. I don't just mean "us" in the United States, though compared to the many in the rest of the world, we sure waste and use more than our fair share of water.

I mean, that we as humans, who have tried to conquer planet Earth with our technology and our brains, have managed to pollute, destroy, and waste the precious resource that we all depend on for life.

Water, gives us life, we are dependent on it. Water makes up over 2/3 of our body, and is required for the life of ALL foods we eat. Whether you're an omnivore, a carnivore, or an herbivore, every life on this Earth is dependent on water for its sustenance.

Water is required to grow crops, in fact nearly 70% of all water is used for crop growth/agriculture, and a large portion of these crops go to feeding cattle, and other livestock that humans consume. For plants, it takes nearly 1000 gallons of water to grow one kilogram. For cattle, you can multiply that number by another 1000...yes, it is wasteful!

We in America take it for granted, how rich we are, not just in wealth, but in water use. It is only during years of drought that we begin to understand just how much we use, and how little we truly have.

Now imagine living in a poor country, say in Sub-Saharan Africa, where money is scarce and water is even scarcer, where turning on a faucet is a luxury, one that many cannot afford. Imagine having to walk 10 miles at least once per day to obtain enough water to drink and for basic cooking, and that may have to be done more than once for additional family members, or when there is illness...

Or conversely, imagine that you live on less than $1.00 dollar per day, and the cost of a bottle of water is almost $1, and that cola is only fifty cents...it doesn't seem right that in some countries of the world, water is a commodity and the price for water is exorbitant, such that food is difficult to obtain...

It's frustrating. I will hopefully get to spend some time in Ethiopia this coming summer, learn about some of the struggles of daily life and be able to contribute to development plans to lessen this suffering and difficulties. I'm not trying to be a panacea, but I would like to help...

To learn more, I suggest reading:
1) When the Rivers run dry...
2) Blue Gold.

Good books.

Take control

I am ashamed to say it's been about 8 months since I last posted a blog on here...but nonetheless. I read an article today that really pissed me off and that I nearly 100% disagree with.

http://health.nytimes.com/ref/health/healthguide/esn-obesity-ess.html

"the notion that Americans ever ate well is suspect. In 1966, when Americans were still comparatively thin, more than two billion hamburgers already had been sold in McDonald’s restaurants...The recent rise in obesity may have more to do with our increasingly sedentary lifestyles than with the quality of our diets."

OK...well, let me be clear. I don't completely disagree with this statement, but, it also leaves out a key factor...the portion sizes have dramatically increased since 1966! American's are typically eating 50% more food now than they did then! Go to McDonald's now...I haven't been to a McD's in probably 15 years, but nonetheless, my husband goes occasionally. Their small fries now is the size of their large fries then...

A cheeseburger now, may be the same size as it was then, but back then, most people would be satisfied with 1, perhaps 2 cheeseburgers at the most for a meal...now, they order a minimum of 2 cheeseburgers, often more.

To say that obesity has little to do with diet quality and more to do with being sedentary really irks me. I agree, EVERYONE needs to move more, and that would prevent a lot...but I can tell you this, as much as anyone exercises, it is very easy to out-eat what you burn up. Plus, most American's do not exercise more than 30 minutes per day...which is not "enough" to constitute lasting weight loss, UNLESS diet is also changed.

Besides that...the article goes on to discuss that the foods in the 1960s were cooked with butter, and whole milk etc. Yes, this is true, perhaps the "ingredients" were still high in fat, but again, portion size was a lot smaller, and additionally, food was real...food was whole...butter is a natural food. Margarine, which came later and was thought to be healthier, was not. And...foods that may be made with skim milk, may have more calories from sugar. So, substituting fat with sugar doesn't make any food better.

Anyway...I do agree with some of the assertions the article makes, where it discusses the misconception people have about the number of calories they burn v. the number they eat...but, to say that we cannot control our urges is too easy, it's a copout.

I wake up every morning and I either swim for 70 minutes (distance to be determined based on how fast I swim that day), or I go to spin class for 60 minutes, walk, or ride a bike...I exercise for an hour a day.

I choose to eat healthy foods whether that be salad, or fish, or sushi, or eggs. I choose healthy items and prepare them in a healthy way. But...I also eat dessert. I'm not afraid of it or the calories. I don't worry about getting fat overnight. I think it's a cop out to say, we have a set point. Our set point for weight is maybe 10% influenced by our genetics, but is 90% influenced by our behaviors...what we choose to eat, whether or not we get physical activity.

I'm tired of hearing that people cannot maintain a healthy weight, I think people give up to easily, I think people are not willing to work...heck, if I didn't need to work, maybe I wouldn't...(who am I kidding?), but, people will always try to take the easy way out. The path of least resistance, and sometimes you have to force yourself to take the path of most resistance for your own health.

Very Voluptious Venison

So...I did something I normally NEVER do in a restaurant or in general.

I not only tasted and tried some "red" meat, but I ordered Venison at a restaurant in Granby, Colorado.

This venison was lean, delicious, and well cooked. It was a light dish while being very satisfying. On the whole, I was glad I ordered the venison because venison is a very healthy meat. It is "grass-fed" meaning it is rich in omega-3 fats, and it is an amazing source of protein.

Plus, it's rich in Iron, helping those red blood cell levels in high-altitude colorado, where going cross-country skiing and snow-shoeing through 2 foot deep snow can make you ravenous!

All-in-all, I would recommend Venison to anyone who is looking for a lean meat that will give them great flavor and the satisfaction of eating a beef steak, without all the guilt. In fact, you'll have a great amount of room for a delicious dessert after this meal!

Thoughts on the Future

When looking to the past, we see that civilizations that were strong and thriving appear to have died suddenly and without warning. What common thread is there that led to the downfalls of these civilizations and what do we need to be looking out for now? Are we on an imminent fall as well?

With so many factors contributing to one’s health including environment, food, money, and customs, it would be fascinating to discover what specific aspects of these elements contributed to the downfall of the great civilizations of the past, and what the 6.2 billion people of the world should worry about for today.

We are all aware that climate change is occurring. The data is inarguable, the temperatures are rising, the CO2 levels are increasing, and the distribution of rainwater is changing. Areas around the world that at one time had free flowing rivers and full lakes, are now dried up and arid while other areas are so flooded that lives are at risk with disentary, untreated water, and other water-borne diseases.

A November 1993 Lancet article evaluates the potential effect of climate change, induced by greenhouse gases on crop yield. Overwhelmingly, the potential staple crop yields of wheat, rice, maize, and soybean decreases as both CO3 levels and temperatures increase.

We tend to forget where our food comes from, that conditions for growing food need to be just right. We always assume that our food will have an endless supply, and it will always be there when we want it and need it. Unfortunately, the environment does not work to our will.

By studying what is happening in the environment and the approaches that can be taken to reverse some of these changes on a global scale, much can be done to save the food supply. By studying the way civilizations have reacted to and adapted to climate changes in the past whether by migrating, changing their eating habits, or changing their cultural habits, we can determine what key characteristics the civilizations that survived had and project that onto key characteristics that people will need today to maintain their nutritional and health statuses.

We do not live in a vacuum, what effects one country affects another. The climate changes in one area of the world may be exacerbated or alleviated by the effects in another part of the world. As temperatures keep rising, the ability to grow food where it is grown now may decline, as the use of fertilizers increases, insecticide use increases, and the continued use of fossil fuels increases all the while top soil erodes and crop yield erodes.

The rising cost of food is another key factor in nutritional status. As more countries become industrialized, they tend to lose land for growing food in favor of adding more factories to produce more textiles and factories. As land is lost, the ability to grow food is lost, and food must be brought in from other countries. The cost to transport food into the country is far greater than it would have been to grow it for themselves, and this higher cost of food translates into people being able to afford less of it. As food becomes less affordable, children and older adults will be most at risk for nutritional depletion and risks.

So, the reality of the future of public health and nutrition are in fact a focus on preventing further climate change. To do that we must understand the history of the world’s climate, what that means for food production and historical disease risk. As temperatures rise, mosquitos, pine beetles, and other animals also have to migrate and change their living habits to stay alive. All living things are competing for the same resources. What will happen if the temperatures get too high that animals used for farming cannot survive? In poor countries where these animals represent a farmer’s livelihood, the risks are tremendous.

The reality of the future of public health and nutrition in concert with preventing further climate change involve understanding our human history. This goes back to my desire to understand how civilizations of the past either perished or adapted and survived. I recently was on a trip to Central America where I learned about the Mayan culture. I was so fascinated by the wealth, the prosperity, the knowledge, and then the sudden fall of the ancient Mayan civilization. Yet, Maya people do still live, they still speak the language, they still live in family units, and they still retain some of their old customs.

Why is it that the Mayan kingdoms fell, but the Mayan people still live and thrive? So, to improve public health for the future in a world that is rife with environmental change and increasing health risks, we must understand the cultures of history, study them, study their ways of life, and take the lessons we can learn to project to the future.

Finally, the reality of the future of public health and nutrition is to realize that nutrition plays such a key role in the overall health of an individual, a family, a city, a country, and of the world. In order to survive, plants and animals must have enough water and enough energy. The sun provides energy to plants, but they must have enough water to sustain them. Plants provide energy to animals and humans, but without enough plants, animals and humans will not be able to survive.

Our world is a delicate balance, one that is a perfect distance from the sun, has a magnetic field that shields us from the harmful solar winds, one that has so far sustained life as we know it, though there have been falls and mishaps along the way.

Yes, there is the risk that we have reached our growth potential, we have maxed out our resources and that to continue adding people will bring our eventual death. But, as with all human nature, there will be more children born, there will more people added to the world, and the resources we have available to us must last as long as they can. That is why studying climate change and trying to prevent any further damage and reverse what damage has occurred must be our number one priority. That is why studying past cultures and their history can help us predict how climate changes can effect us and use that knowledge to make changes that will protect us.

As a dietitian, I know that food and nutrition are what sustain us, keep us healthy, and keep us alive. I see it on an individual level at the hospital. But, it is my passion for life, for sustainability, for studying people and their cultures, and my own personal interest in green living that I know that I have the ability to do more, that I have the ability to help more people on a global level.

Poverty + Famine = Biggest threats to civilization

While on my most recent trip, our guide who had a lot of wisdom, an anthropolgist said to us, that poverty is the biggest threat to democracy. When there is poverty, people will do anything including looting, killing, injuring for money to buy food.

In Guatemala City, the largest city in Central America, if a person has lost their job, the city will "hire" them to clean the streets. Rather than pay them, they provide them food. The interesting thing about Guatemala is that people own their houses because they build them by themselves. They buy the raw materials and put them together, so at least no one has to worry about foreclosure and the bank taking their houses.

But, food, nutrition, they are so important to a person's overall wellbeing. That is why paying the people food and eventually moving them into paying positions is such a wonderful idea. The U.S. certainly has a lot to learn about what works.

As we are all aware, food has become more expensive as gas becomes more expensive. Well, unfortunately even in third world countries, gas and food are also more expensive and it has become signficantly more difficult for people to feed themselves and their families. The cost of food is a much higher percentage of income for the people down there than it is for American's.

So, really, poverty, the inability to purchase the necessities of life, and famine brought on whether by lack of food, lack of purchasing-power, or by naturally occuring events (read: honey bees dying off), these will become the downfall of modern civilization!

It is postulated that ancient civilizations including the Romans, the Greeks, and the Mayans may have perished due to nutritional consequences, the Romans may have lead in the water pipes, Greeks and Mayans may have grown to big to have their land sustain them.

Malthus, a demographer saw that societies through history experienced at one time or another epidemics, famines, or wars: events that masked the fundamental problem of populations overstretching their resource limitations:

"The power of population is so superior to the power of the earth to produce subsistence for man, that premature death must in some shape or other visit the human race. The vices of mankind are active and able ministers of depopulation. They are the precursors in the great army of destruction, and often finish the dreadful work themselves. But should they fail in this war of extermination, sickly seasons, epidemics, pestilence, and plague advance in terrific array, and sweep off their thousands and tens of thousands. Should success be still incomplete, gigantic inevitable famine stalks in the rear, and with one mighty blow levels the population with the food of the world."--Thank you Wikipedia.

Well, aren't we in contemporary society at risk for overpopulation? Stretching our resources to the max so that we may run into finding that we have fun out of food? out of clean water? When there is not enough food production or there is a blight to destroy all foodstuffs, will there be massive nuclear wars strong enough to wipe out the world as we know it?

Well, I truly believe that it is very possible. I think there is a big risk that we will find ourselves in famine and poverty sooner than later. If we can learn from civilizations from the past, and I know there is a lot to learn, maybe we can take the necessary steps to prevent world calamity for the future.

I think the bandwagon to change the way our world works, ie. different energy sources, green living, health change, may finally be taking hold.

Knowing that food is a basic need that must be fulfilled before anything else, I would love the opportuntiy to study cultures of the past and apply that knowledge to what is occuring now, with modern civilization...

I know it's been said before, but we can learn a whole hell of a lot from our past...let's use it.

Central American gastronomy

I have recently returned from a trip to Central America where I visited the countries of: El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, and Belize.

While on this trip we visited mayan ruins and saw the way today's Maya people live within their villages, using their long-used cultures, language, and lifestyle, the lifestyle of survival.

On this trip we were given the opportunity to eat local fare, and mind you back in the states while I like Mexican food, I am by no means a big fan, and so I wasn't looking forward to trying the food. Lo and behold, the food often far exceeded my expectations, as it was always fresh, very healthy, very tasty, and very simple.

In El Salvador, we tried to food of El Salvador in a pupuseria, from the galery of Fernando Llorte. The food was delicious, the tamales, pupusas, even the cabbage dressing was delicious, healthy, and very simply prepared. Pupusas are a lot like tortillas stuffed with either a zucchini flower, or cheese, or some sort of meat.

In Honduras and Guatemala, the common foods were tortillas, black refried beans, and plantanos. Again, all simply and healthfully prepared. The thing that probably shocked me the most was how full I got on small portions, portions that are much smaller than anything you'd find in the U.S., but by the end of the trip I was very full from these foods.

Most meals started with a soup, either a brothy soup, or an asparagus soup, or even a spinach soup, probably the most interesting. Then we had a choice of: Beef, chicken, fish, and sometimes pork. I usually chose the fish, and it was usually tilapia.

Usually it came with a small portion of rice and a small portion of vegetables, also very flavorful.

Then, we usually got a dessert, and it was usually either a very small scoop of ice cream, or a small slice of cake, or pie, or something sweet to satisfy our taste buds.

None of the food was fried, it was all healthy, and I really enjoyed the foods of this trip.

It was so interesting to learn about the mayan cultures and see all these ruins, my favorite being Tikal, one of the largest "mayan kingdoms."

If you you get the chance to go, I highly suggest it, it's educational, it's conscience inducing, and it is truly a not-to-be-missed experience.

Go Soy Go!...

I'd forgotten I'd even done this interview about the benefits of soy...check it out!

http://209.85.141.104/search?q=cache:IjdiZMdDZAIJ:findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0ZRT/is_12_4/ai_n25337765+dana+ellis,+dietitian&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=9&gl=us