The Politics Behind Your Plate and Healthy Cooking Tips

BHC-03 Food Politics & Home Cooking

===

[00:00:00] Megan J. McCrory: Hello and welcome to the podcast all about becoming a health coach. I'm Megan McCrory, an aspiring integrative nutrition health coach and avid knitter. If this is your first time joining me, welcome. I'm happy that you found the podcast and a very special welcome to you. Um, you may want to go back and listen from the beginning to hear all about my health coaching journey.

[00:00:28] Let's dive right into week three, module three. So this week's lesson focused on food politics and cooking, and let me just say, wow, um, I am really in awe sometimes watching lectures by people who really know their stuff. You know, the best part of the lesson this week, uh, was listening to Marianne Nessel present on the topics of food politics.

[00:00:59] She presented in such a clear way with content that was super easy to understand. Um, she also, what I thought was the most interesting part, was presented information that correlated the climbing obesity rates, um, starting in the 1980s alongside deregulation of the agricultural industry and Wall Street.

[00:01:22] Um, Also correlating this to portion sizes that are increasing at the time and really the cost of whole foods on the rise. So while I was watching this, it made me a bit angry really to think about how much money is being wasted by big companies. lobbying against something that's good for us but not good for them and it seems that that the money always wins.

[00:01:57] The money always wins. So they're making processed foods cheaper because You know, the business to create the processed food has got shareholders and, you know, people they want, they need to profit, right? So you're making processed foods cheaper and more accessible, which really hurts more of the lower economic band that, and also increasing the causes of long term health consequences of obesity and diabetes and these kind of chronic diseases.

[00:02:27] illnesses, um, that can be, you know, kind of linked back to the way we're, we're eating nowadays. So people, just like water, will usually take the path of least resistance. So that's why it's, it's really important to make the important, Healthy choice, the easiest choice. Um, you know, you never really see a drive thru for salads and smoothies and healthy alternatives.

[00:02:56] Now, some drive thrus now have those healthy alternatives, but they're primarily, first and foremost, uh, fast food restaurants that are not focused on healthy foods. Um, No, if you want something healthy, you really usually have to stop. So you either have to plan ahead, make something at home, or you have to stop, get out of your car, go into a grocery store, health food store, and, and that's just not as easy as paying for, uh, as going through drive thru and paying a dollar for a burger.

[00:03:29] So, uh, you know, kind of jumping around here, but it's just, uh, big companies, and I don't know, it just kind of frustrates me. So it makes me a little angry, uh, to, to think about how, uh, our, at least the United States government is more interested in, in hearing what the companies have to say. And, and a lot of the organizations that are doing the research are also funded by these companies.

[00:03:58] So. You know, the research is saying one thing, but the research is also being funded by the company, the industry that wants it to say what it wants to say. So I think it's, yeah, it's kind of a cycle there. So anyway, Marjan Nessel has authored and co authored several books on the subject of politics and food, uh, food politics, what to eat, safe food, why calories count, I think these are just a few that I saw during the presentation.

[00:04:27] Some of the top points from her lecture were really to take a look at the food system as a whole from production to consumption. So starting with agriculture, moving to food, nutrition, and public health. So we have to really look at the whole system. Also, the cost of healthy eating has risen. Like, it's not like, uh, it's not an excuse to say eating healthy costs more.

[00:04:54] It really has risen when you take a look at the numbers. So items like beer and soda and butter have, the prices have dropped, and the prices of fresh fruits and fresh vegetables have risen over, since the 80s. So the consumer who might have made a healthier choice in the 1980s seeing two things side by side, now they see a drastically lower cost of healthy, for unhealthy foods, packaged processed foods that are more widely available.

[00:05:27] So. Um, she also talked about the school lunch proposals, uh, and I think there was a big campaign to have more vegetables and things in school lunches. And really, again, how big company money was able to sway Congress to pass a bill that states that pizza is a vegetable. Uh, so, you know, that, that the one tablespoon of tomato paste that's in the sauce is constituting a vegetable.

[00:05:59] So, um, I'm, I'm not going to go on any more about her presentation or lecture because I was actually able to find the same lecture on YouTube. I, I looked quickly, I didn't watch the whole YouTube video. It's about an hour long, um, but a lot of the slides that I saw when I was flicking through were the same.

[00:06:23] So I'm going to go ahead and I'm going to link that video for you in the show notes at mybestself. fit, and I encourage you to really go take some time and listen to her information because it's really important. It's, it's really, when you start to think about it, you're like, oh, and if you, if she points out what you look, you should be looking for, you're like, ah, now I see it.

[00:06:48] You know, like for example, the healthy claims on sugary cereal, for example. So that's just an example. I would really recommend that you go watch her presentation on, I'll link it below. So, after we got the daily dose of reality from Marian, which I think it was a real eye opener, um, then the course for this week turned towards whole foods and cooking.

[00:07:14] Um, there's an IIN teacher that went through what they're called Joshua's 17 keys to healthy cooking. And things were like, Um, eat local, fresh foods. Those are the best. But if you can't get local, fresh foods, then frozen is a really good second place because they, uh, which I've heard before, they pick it.

[00:07:38] And as soon as they pick it, it's put into a freezer. And so a lot of the nutrients are retained, um, much more so than buying something from halfway around the world and having it shipped, uh, to you where in the meantime, a lot of nutrients are getting lost and so on. So, that was interesting. Also, they, um, keep cooking simple, cook larger meals so you don't have to cook every night, and experiment with new foods and use spices and condiments and other things.

[00:08:11] So, he had, uh, 17 different, like, little tips to use to do that, to, to, to get into more healthy cooking. Um, One of the handouts that they gave us this time, uh, for this module was all about the different kinds of spices. So, salty, sweet, sour, nutty, and spicy. Uh, it was, it's really nice to have this kind of list handy.

[00:08:38] Um, but it's also nice to see how many items on the list I had on hand. So, that was also very nice. Um, we had a new guest speaker in module three, her name was Andrea Beeman. Um, she, uh, was a graduate of IIN and has her own, I think, own cooking show and has done some more things. So she was presenting basically, um, basic types of cooking.

[00:09:03] kitchen equipment that you should have and that you can, you need to prepare for recipes. But I mean, honestly, you don't really need so much to, to, to eat cooking, uh, to cook healthily. So, um, and then she also prepared several recipes. Uh, she, she's nice to watch. She's a funny lady, uh, but, uh, I'm an avid America's Test Kitchen watcher, so I don't really need any techniques, but I did like the fact that her recipes were more focused on, uh, Alternative grains and other things that you could do.

[00:09:35] And, and then of course she has that kind of IIN vibe to, you know, bring love to your cooking and be in joyful and be mindful when you're there. Like be in the presence when you're cooking. And I mean, I think I don't need to be told this because I cook because I love to cook and because I also find it meditative.

[00:09:54] I, I wonder often why I cook so much. Um, Uh, and I cook also more when I have someone to cook for. So when I was living alone, I didn't cook quite so much. Um, but now that I, I have someone to cook for, I, I'm, I really enjoy cooking more for somebody else. And that also tells me again, it's like, it's part of the love thing, right?

[00:10:18] Uh, you know, uh, my husband says that, uh, I definitely, uh, love him through his stomach and, uh, and. I like that. It makes me happy. It makes me smile when he's very satisfied with the meal. But in general, I mean, it's just very meditative for me to chop some vegetables and cook and hear it sizzle and smell it and all those things.

[00:10:42] And I think it's really interesting because in the past I would put like a podcast on or some music, but now I'm trying to, when I cook, you know, be just, Be quiet, listen, smell, and enjoy the time that I have to make something fantastic with the food. Yeah, and so today at the grocery store, I bought bok choy.

[00:11:03] I've never cooked with bok choy before, so I'm going to try this. And the other day I pulled out of my cabinet some mung beans that I have, uh, created a mung bean stew with. If you want more information on that, I have a article written at mybestself. fit called my first attempt with mung beans. Um, it is super, it's super easy, but I didn't know.

[00:11:28] I thought it was going to be hard. Uh, so that was nice. And then I have some other ingredients that I have stashed in there because. I don't know if you guys have ever done this, but I like walk into an Asian food market or an Indian food market. And I'm like, that looks cool. That looks cool. I don't know what it is, but I'll Google it when I get home.

[00:11:48] So I have some of those types of ingredients in my pantry. So, um, yeah, so I'm also expanding what I know how to cook with and, and, and, um, getting some ideas for different types of cooking, um, that I haven't done yet before. So I'm really excited about always trying new things. So I have bok choy today and let's see what I make with my bok choy.

[00:12:15] So at the end of the, uh, module, Joshua showed up. and had a few presentations where he was dressed up as a chef and was showing how easy it, it is to really cook. I think one of the demonstrations that was the, for me, the most interesting and actually, actually quite easy, if you think about it, was like a soup.

[00:12:36] You throw some cooked beets into a, you know, because In, I don't know about in the US, but in, in Europe, you can just buy beets already cooked, kind of like vacuum sealed in a pack, and you just throw them in a blender, add some cream or almond milk or what, or chicken broth or whatever, and blend it up and put it on the stove and heat it up, and you have soup.

[00:12:58] I was like, Yeah. Okay. I can see this. Maybe his notions are a little too simplistic, but in general, I mean, the idea is there, you know, you don't have to be making some elaborate meal in order to eat healthy or also just to try new things. So actually trying new things, you should try the easy way. easiest recipe the first time before you know what to do with it.

[00:13:23] So, so those were kind of what we talked about in the class. The, um, the assignments this week were also interesting. So the first assignment we had was to take a picture of our fridge. And, um, we have a Facebook group for the class, and a lot of people were posting their pictures of their fridge, and this always reminds me of how big American refrigerators are and how small European refrigerators are, and I don't know about anywhere else in the world, but, uh, I have lived in those two places, and, and, It is just a amazing I my refrigerator is quote a bigger refrigerator for for Europe, but it's not huge and and I'll put a picture up on the show notes for this episode so you can see my refrigerator and.

[00:14:17] I just find that I don't really have very much stuff in there, you know, I have condiments in there that, you know, don't go bad, uh, and then I usually have like, uh, some fresh vegetables in there, and I also have, you know, almond milk, and some butter, and some other things, but I really don't have a lot of stuff, I mean, the only time my refrigerator gets full Full is if I'm going to have a dinner party and I have to have a lot of stuff in there.

[00:14:45] So, um, It's just interesting to see the contrast between the two, uh, between the two regions. So at any rate, I feel like my, my refrigerator is pretty good and my pantry. I need to. Probably, I've said in the last two months, I really would like to clean out my pantry. Um, for the most part, I have it well stocked in, meaning that if I try a new recipe, a lot of times I have an ingredient that I can use in it.

[00:15:14] So, um, I don't want to get rid of too many things. Uh, the second assignment was to look at the integrative nutrition plate. So this is like, Those nutritional guidelines that the government's put out, uh, the, in the class notes, they gave us an example from France, from Japan, from, um, uh, England, uh, from Germany, I think.

[00:15:43] So, and integrative nutrition has also developed like their own plate, like what would, what should be on your plate and see how, what, what, what are you eating? And, and also going back to the, the primary, uh, Versus secondary foods that I explained in the first couple episodes where primary food is your relationships, your career, your physical activity, and your spirituality, and how that feeds into you as well as whatever you put on your plate.

[00:16:12] So, are you eating really healthy, uh, But you don't really know who you are in life, you know, your, your spirituality, you don't have like a higher sense of what you should be doing. Um, maybe this isn't the, maybe you need to spend some time on that. Um, so that was assignment number two. And then the last assignment, um, uh, actually the, the third assignment is noticing the effects of food advertising.

[00:16:41] And this is also interesting for someone who's living in a native country because I am very more, uh, aware in, uh, the U. S. of all the advertising on the food because I can, uh, I can just read it more quickly. Um, in, uh, In Germany and in Switzerland, I have to really take time to read, uh, the packaging and really understand it.

[00:17:04] And I don't do this a lot. Like I'm not reading the fine print. I do know how to read all the ingredient lists, but they're talking about like. Look at an ad for food and like, how are they trying to get someone to buy it? Is it emotional? Is it logical? Is it spiritual? Is it physical? What, like, what are they using in order to try to get someone to buy this food?

[00:17:29] So I've been trying to do this when I'm walking around and I see billboards, usually for McDonald's or Burger King. So it's always interesting to see those. Um, and I usually take the time to try to, uh, translate what it's trying to say. And like in the U. S., those kinds of advertisements usually have some kind of plot.

[00:17:46] play on words, so it's even more difficult for me in German to understand what they're trying to say. So yeah, it's not as easy here as it is for me in the U. S. to do this kind of assignment. And then the last one was really to try a new healthy recipe this week. So I've done that already with my mung beans.

[00:18:05] I'm super happy with that. So those were the activities for this week. I enjoyed this week much more than I did in the past, uh, two weeks. Uh, like I said, but they, I understand why they, they need to do more of goal setting and intention setting and, and those types of things. So, but I did want to update you.

[00:18:26] I did meet a real health coach in live, in flesh for the first time, and I had lunch with her. And I was able to ask a lot of questions. Um, About, you know, how she found it, how, how she came about for, um, to be a health coach. And she gave me a lot of great insight on the best practices in our region and our area for, um, finding new clients and, and, uh, different, uh, like groups for coaching period and that kind of stuff.

[00:19:01] So it was really, Really, really great to talk with her and, um, yeah, it was, uh, kind of, you know, refreshing me a little bit. Not that I needed to be refreshed, but it's also, you know, kind of keeping my energy going for this. So yeah, that's it for today, uh, I start module four next week, uh, so I'm excited to see what that brings and I'm nearing the half of the first way through the first test, so I'm also curious to see how that goes.

[00:19:35] But if you have any questions or if you're interested in becoming a health coach, um, let me know. And if you are a health coach or you're, I mean, like if you're in the health coaching program right now, uh, not at IIN, at a different health school, I would really love to, uh, get in touch with you because I want to do some special episodes in between with some interviews with, uh, with other health coaches from other programs.

[00:20:00] So please. Uh, drop me a line at becoming a Health Co Becoming a Health coach@gmail.com or, uh, comment at my, my best self fit, uh, in, in the art, uh, podcast section, uh, where I, where I host my podcast, and that's about it for the day. So thank you all for joining me and goodbye.