The Stuff Of Life

Over breakfast this morning I thought back over the past decade and realized that if I had met myself eight years ago I would have run from the hills and never returned. I was an environmental bore. I had discovered the issues around the Pacific Gyre as well as ranted and raved about the estrogen in the water and how it is effecting living beings on our planet, long before Ted Talks got chatting about it. Organic Farmers were telling David and I about chemicals being pumped into the earth whilst we were staying in their B&B's and I was an avid fan of Turtle Bags. I bought organic products as much as possible and bored our dinner guests for hours about the subjects. 

And now....

I still believe every word I said. 

The media is telling us that in the new economy the organic movement is one of luxury and so should be shunned. Plastic bags are seen more and more now as the canvas alternatives are seen as more expensive. The problem that our dairy farmers are not being paid enough even to cover the costs of producing our pint of milk is not headline news. Basically, we are being told that although we have a new economy, the health of our world is not important enough to invest in. 

So, why I am I telling you this and how does it link in to what I do every day, which is treat my clients for skin care and massage? Because I care about your insides, not just your outsides. 

This week there has been a few things trending on Twitter: What are you eating today? Was just one question posed by the Jing Institute yesterday and the theme also co-in-sided with the new book by Michael Pollan; 'Cooked'. There have also been conversations about how we can live a bit more simply and regain out equilibrium and how slowing down just a fraction can boost how we feel. 

As I said in my last post, I am not asking you to meditate under a tree and I don't think birdsong for 90mins at lunch time is helpful when you have stuff to do at the office. BUT, I think maybe just carving out some time to eat would be a good thing for us to do. Or, if you don't plan to do it, at least you can think about it! 

I am not asking you to bake your our daily bread. I work from home and am really fortunate that a sourdough loaf that takes 8 hours to make is something I can reasonably do three times a week ... I know that is not normal for you guys who work in an office and have families to organize. What I would challenge you to do though is take a walk down the road on your lunch break and find a baker who has his own bread for you to buy. Find out what types he makes, where he bakes it and what flour he uses. Get a connection going with the guy who makes your bread. Why put up with the basic stuff of life being mass processed in a cold factory using the Chorley Wood Method in less time than it takes me to do a facial?!

I have tried, (often failed), to grow some our own salads. I use organic seeds and compost. There is little financial gain in growing my own, but then again I know what has gone into making my salad today: Sun, water, earth and a seed. In the U.K Neonicotineoids are allowed to be used in farming. The E.U have banned them. If you want to eat products that have been sprayed with this stuff, then fine, go ahead! But I really want you to research the chemicals that go on your food before you do. If one seed has Neonicotineoid sprayed on it, it can kill a small song bird in a day and a mallard duck within two weeks and it isn't pretty. The U.K is talking about the bees, and so we should, but it's the birds that we will loose as well if we don't get rid of these chemicals soon.

Finally, this all does take time. I have to think about the half hour it takes to look after my tiny crop every other day. I do worry about the fact that I was too brutal with my tomatoes yesterday when hardening them off, (three snapped in half due to the high winds on my balcony). I am passionate about sourcing good food and that does take time and because cooking is not instant I was very happy to visit our local pizza joint last night! There is a balance to be set between looking after ourselves and our planet as well as getting on with the day-job. 

Good luck to all who take this on, but I am pretty certain that you are guaranteed a different, and arguably better, way of life if you take a bit more interest in the stuff you put in your mouth.