By guest blogger and leading health-and-wellness expert Jillian Michaels
Here’s a statistic for you: One dollar will buy you 1,200 calories of processed garbage that will likely make you fat or sick, or both. Conversely, that same buck will only nab you 250 calories of healthy food (fruits, vegetables, organic meat, whole grains) that can help maintain a healthy body weight and prevent disease.
Bummer, right? What’s wrong with this picture? How did this happen? While I can preach personal accountability until the cows come home with regards to health and wellness, the bottom line is that for most American families subsisting on 50K a year, 250 calories for a dollar doesn’t cut it. Healthy food simply isn’t accessible or affordable to them. It’s tough to blame people for not living a lifestyle that is simply out of their reach.
Here’s another stat for you: In the 1960s we spent 18 percent of our annual income on food. Today we spend 9 percent. But before you get too excited… In the 1960s we spent 5 percent of our annual income on health care. Today, we spend 17 percent. Yay? I think not. I don’t know about you, but I would much rather spend that income on broccoli and chicken than on chemo treatments, Lipitor, or gastric bypass surgery.
As a result of these statistics, obesity and disease in America have run rampant. Two in three adults and one in three children are overweight. Diabetes, heart disease, and cancer rates have skyrocketed over the last 30 years. Our children are predicted to have a lesser life expectancy than their parents, for the first time in human history.
So what the hell is happening here? How has it come to pass that our food system sets Americans up to become fat and sick? Well, in large part we have our federal agribusiness policies to thank.
Although the USDA’s food pyramid recommends two to five cups of fruits and vegetables per day, its budget—mandated by Congress through the Farm Bill—encourages different behavior altogether.
Under the Farm Bill, the great bulk of USDA largesse flows to five crops: genetically modified corn, genetically modified soy, cotton, wheat, and rice. Of the $113.6 billion in commodity subsidy payments, a.k.a. your tax dollars, distributed by the USDA between 1995 and 2004, corn drew $41.8 billion—more than cotton, soy, and rice combined. And, to point out the obvious, NONE of our subsidy dollars are going toward fruits and vegetables (with the exception of apples, generally processed into cheap sweeteners).
The huge corn and soy payouts encourage overproduction, and have helped sustain a long-term trend of falling prices. And cheap corn and soy, underwritten by the subsidy program, have subsequently changed the diet of every American. These crops in particular lend themselves perfectly to the processing of cheap consumables that are passed off as food. A perfect example of this would be the booming market for high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), which has been linked to obesity and type 2 diabetes. HFCS now accounts for nearly half of the caloric sweeteners added to processed food, and is the sole caloric sweetener for mass-market soft drinks. Between 1975 and 1997, per-capita consumption of it jumped from virtually nothing to 60.4 pounds per year. Yikes.
Why would our government set us up for failure in this way? Simple. Because the special-interest groups who stand to gain from this policy, such as Monsanto, Liberty, and so forth, lobby our representatives in Washington and make generous contributions to their election campaigns. You see, companies like Monsanto own the patents on these GMO seeds. In addition, they sell the pesticides and synthetic fertilizers the seeds require to thrive. Without the Farm Bill, these guys would be in big trouble.
So what do we do, and how do we get out of this mess? The solution is multifaceted. First, grassroots, community-driven efforts are critical in fighting federal policy to transform the American diet. Make efforts to support your local farmers. Join a CSA. Grow your own. Reallocate your funds so that you stop wasting money on bottled water and toxic cleaning or beauty products, and put it into organics whenever possible.
Second, stay educated and aware of what’s going on, so you can fight back. Did you know that President Obama has approved three new GMO crops in the last year, despite the fact that the garden in his own backyard is organic? Attend one of the anti-GMO rallies that are currently taking place across the country. Sign petitions to demand that GMO foods be labeled. Write your representatives and ask them to reverse the Farm Bill in 2012. Demand that our tax dollars go to subsidize organic fruits and vegetables, so that healthy foods will be affordable and accessible to all Americans.
Here’s what you can’t do—bury your head in the sand. We vote with our dollars. We the people must reflect this change personally, and demand these changes from our government. With diligence and determination we will win this fight. I’ll see you on the frontlines.
This contest has now ended.
Thank you~
always enlightening or thought -provoking or both……..
What a great voice for something that needs to be said again and again until we can change the system!
Thank you for putting the numbers into meaningful perspective. The solutions are not always clear, and definitely not easy. During winter months in the midwest, I double my time in the grocery store as I evaluate all my choices and try to weigh out the least of all the evils. The dichotomies between organic-conventional, local-trucked-across-the-country (or even the world), fresh-frozen (or *gasp* canned) can be too much to manage. But gratefully, my community’s Farmers’ Markets opened last week, the average date of last frost has passed, and my options are much more clear again.
This simple observation of fact holds the solution to so many of our nations current problems. It is the food system that has been corrupted.
It is also the mission of 30 Project to reverse this trend started around 1980 with the introduction of HFCS in soda, super sizes and GMO crops. I see it being exported to many other countries, a bigger tragedy and sad legacy for our country.
You group of leaders in this mission have courage and vision. Please keep up the good work.
Thank you for the great work you do to educate and, hopefully, to bring about change…
A good post with the facts we need to keep in mind. Yes, we need big changes in our country; starting at the top. Thanks for the update.
Thank you, Jillian, for your passion and commitment…
Thank you so much for the post. As always the wants of big business is put ahead of the needs of the people. I’ve been working on my garden since back in Feb. (I live in zone 7) and so far everything is coming up good, won’t have to purchase questionable produce from the grocery store.
Unfortunatley the people reading this are already in tune to this information 🙁 This needs to be mentioned within sitcoms, primetime shows, etc for the mainstream public to get the message. Many times it takes a celeb on a show to bring it up for people to say “hey, if she/he can do it, or is doing it, then I can too.” There’s a few out there, but there needs to be more.
Really thoughtful & made me think. We eat so much junk. Wish could go around telling people what to eat
Naturally, toxins cause cancer and we should grow our own organic vegetables and fruit. For someone who has his own organic garden, why doesn’t Obama promote a real change and enforce organic all the way? He should ban all the corporations making the air filthy, the water undrinkable, and the food toxic. THat is a REAL CHANGE I can get behind!
Jillian has such a great voice. I listen to her podcast and always learn something. I even learned much from this blog.
I’d like to see school lunches made over. I’d like to see the fight go even more mainstream. Too many people think it’s hard to prepare food to eat healthy. In my office, we have the trim crowd and almost everyone of them eats something from a cardboard box. I can’t even begin to see how they think that it is good for them?
I will be trying to grow my own tomatoes this year and getting the kids to help!!! Good habits start at home. Hopefully we can start to turn the the tide and get everyone eating real food!!!!
I totally agree with you and have been telling my friends and family this for years. This message really needs to get out to the mainstream. I can’t wait to read your new book!
This Jill agrees with the Jill above, and of course, with Jillian. The information is out there, and it is getting closer and closer to the mainstream. Thank you Jillian for doing your part to move it out of the tributaries. 🙂
Start with yourself and then have an open discussion with one friend and then with one more. Your little corner of the world. It will change. Keep telling and keep talking positive change…solution!
Your facts & stats are scary, to say the least – for us & for the future
generations – we need people like you working for a healthier tomorrow. Keep on keeping on!!
I admire Jillian for her sincerity and desire to help people achieve better health and longevity. I have been diagnosed with several illnesses and am working to reclaim my health. I am a mother of four. Health and wellness is a high priority in our home. Leaders like Jillian provide us with information and motivation in our quest. I applaud her in all of her efforts.
Love seeing a well-known pop-culture figure speaking up for personal AND government accountability. Way to kick butt, Jillian Michaels!
Thank you very much for this article! People can’t learn to make better choices without being educated. That starts with us and then sharing with out friends and family.
We need to all be aware and fight for the health of our country.
This is information I’ve heard you speak of on your podcasts, Jillian. And though I’ve heard them before, they are still shocking, maybe more so since I am now “seeing” them. Thank you for putting this information out there. I for one will be “borrowing” much of what you have said and sending it to all of the congresspersons/senators that represent “me.” I am also going to enlist my friends / family to follow my lead. Maybe, just maybe, if we swamp them with the same information / message, they will act on our behalf as opposed to on their bank accounts.
Jillian – you have done so much in terms of educating individuals like me. THANK YOU!!!
You are actively doing your part, now it’s time for me to do mine.
Thank you Jillian for explaining it like this!!
We keep saying it and saying it, unfortunately, they just won’t listen.
We have to keep repeating it over and over again, and maybe, just maybe, they will sit up and start to take notice.
What will it take just to put one healthy meal on our plate a day, until it becomes the “normal” thing to do? When will everyone get it?
When will these companies stop killing humanity? We seem to keep knocking our heads against the wall, but we have to, and must KEEP TRYING to get the message across to our fellow countrymen and others across the world. Keep up the good fight everyone!
Great article. And encouraging to know one more one more person w a big voice standing up for organic and against the machine. Now to facebook share!
Nothing groundbreaking or shocking here– we’ve all had this info available for the last 10 years or so, but it’s a nice succinct reminder. Personally I do a lot of this and feel better physically and spiritually than when I ate more processed foods (not that I ever ate a ton). I only wish I had started sooner with the switch. Planting a garden this year, a really huge one. I’m looking forward to being able to really opt out of the food system for several months this year 🙂
Outstanding! Thank you for such eye-opening info. I will certainly share it! I am all for healthy eating, esp since I am allergic to preservatives.
great information!
This is the sort of information I love to read! As much as those around me try to “go against” and argue that there are not problems…there are! What I tell myself at the grocery cart, where my cart is filled mostly with produce and organic foods, is that spending more on this healthy food now will make me healthy, and will lessen the cost of health care, or the time.
Jillian – you are an idol to me! Your book is my gift to myself for making it through the most stressful college semester. =) I need to read something that makes me think about myself for once, and not textbooks. =)
What a sad statistic. Thank you Jillian for opening our eyes to what we are putting in our bodies.
This frustrates me every day. It’s so scary how many people don’t know why they are eating.
I found this so interesting! And as a mother, saddening!
Thank you for posting this, we think with our money sometimes and not our heads. We know what we should do, but do not take the time to do. Make time to prepare the good foods for dinner, it takes to long. Don’t short your self. I have lost weight recently and think that I wish I would have done it sooner. Shame on me for not doing it, but im doing it now.
Thank you for not only voicing what needs to be voiced but also providing practical steps toward change.
-kjersten
http://www.kjerstenjoy.com
Thank you for all you do. The education is amazing!
Thanks, Jillian, for the insight into the Farm Bill!! I have long believed that our food is suspect in far more things than we already know of and it would be really nice to see our government work towards making the right foods more affordable, rather than tell us we’re fat and what we shouldn’t do. They talk high and mighty but do nothing that would really help. It’s definitely a battle!
None of this is surprising. The subsidies keep our children’s school lunches full of processed crap.
Perfectly articulated! This has been on my mind for some time now. So glad Jillian is getting the word out there. There is still hope to turn this around. Thanks Jillian!
thank you for this! it really is counter intuitive that it should cost more up front to be healthy!!!
Great article, I love that Jillian is no BS!
I follow the Paleo/Primal lifestyle, eat organic grass fed meats and organic or home grown veggies. I am just thankful for being in Nor Cal Bay Area where we have a ton of farmers markets where I can purchase these food and support local farmers.
We spend more money on food but it’s worth it especially since I battle with ulcerative colitis and I have had it under control since I started eating like this. 🙂
This post is very interesting because it really addresses some key issues. I really like the idea of buying locally in terms of foods and products. Sometimes it is hard to come by a good farmer’s market depending on where you live. Do you have any suggestions for people who are on a tight budget and also not in an area that is easy to buy locally?
Thank you for being an advocate for a healthy lifestyle! I have changed my diet to include more fruits and vegetables and eat organic whenever possible and you’re right, it’s expensive because society doesn’t actually want you to eat that way. I’ve had to cut back some since my boyfriend was laid off, but I still strive for the best. The government needs to back us and help everyone be able to be healthy on a budget.
Great article. It is terribly sad that our government and big business is condemning so many to a life of disease. I am continuously working to eliminate processed junk from our daily diets–read labels you’d be surprised what is in things you’d think are good for you.
Thanks for this information, Jillian!
Fantastic post, Jillian! It’s great to hear someone with such an audience speak out like this. I would love to hear you make statements like this on TBL, but I’m guessing they wouldn’t let you! Agribusiness is huge and feels impossible to fight – you are right in saying that we vote with our dollars. I just fear that there is not enough education out there to really effect change. Especially at the income level where people are buying the most crap.
Thank you for writing this, people need to see what the higher cost is of the so called cheap food.
This post really brings to light so many of the problems that are true of our food system. I always am complaining about how much the “good stuff” costs compared to all of the garbage and junk food. It’s just so backwards!
Thank you, Jillian for all that you do! You are my motivation! This article really opened my eyes to what’s really going on in our world today.
In so many aspects of life we are set up to fail anymore. It is really kind of frustrating. I think we need to take a step back in time and find a balance. Technology is wonderful, but if I have to sacrifice some of the forward movement for a healthier, happier world I would be all for it. So I may not have all the choices and conveniences that we do now, but is it really a choice when we are slowly destroying ourselves?
Sad… But so very true…
Emphatically agree! It was only due to a 140 pound loss in 14 months (due to a side affect of a medication I need to take to control a neurovascular lifetime diagnosis following a small stroke) that I had to learn how to re-eat… now I know that my body fuels itself on protein, not junk. But I do adore certain foods. I just don’t need to eat so much of the “junk” that I used to over eat out of depression, anger, apathy, and sadness. Yet in the last two years, my life has been filled with nothing other than heartache and challenges. Our food system and education around this system needs to change as does the support program for our population. Funding is available — it simply needs to be reconfigured to make it accessible. Let’s stop finding excuses and use our voices as our votes or vice versa! Thanks, Jillian, for this! To quote Jackson Browne, “NEVER STOP” doing what you’re doing. You truly are blessed.