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.
Great article. It is really sad when one of our most basic needs (food) is contaminated through economics, politics…It is the poor who suffer the most, and the schools must also help educate children about the importance of nutrition. Our nation really must start prioritizing our health.
I found this very interesting and upsetting as a mother and advocate fory children. And for my own health and the health of my husband. The worst part is you would think that fruit and veggies at the store would be theost healthy and pure thong for you but that is not always the case. How sad.
EXCELLENT article! This is what I’ve been complaining about for years.. healthy food costs so much more than junk food!!
My personal method-of-attack to this corruption:
1) READ the labels!!! (10% juice & high fructose corn syrup is NOT healthy)
2) AVOID the junk-food aisles altogether (thank-you Mom for teaching me this).
3) BUY fruit and vegetables that are IN SEASON (they are usually the best deals so stock-up!!)
Thank you Jillian for bringing this issue to light! Food is one of our biggest budget items in my large family. Right now, on 1 income, it is often difficult to shop organic, although both my husband and I know that is best. More people need to be aware and fight for changes in the system!
Great and interesting reading. I’m posting this on FB now!
Yes, it is so difficult to afford to make healthy veggies the bulk of meals, especially in the winter months when the farmers’ markets aren’t open. And forget about organic in the northeastern, rural area where I live–we can only get those from the local farmers when in season. Thanks for bringing up the topic.
Sometimes it’s so much easier to bury our heads in the sand and pretend we didn’t hear the truth about the junk we’re consuming. It’s hard to change. But I’m determined to do so and to take as many people as I can with me. Thank you Jillian Michaels for all that you do to educate people on their health. I cannot imagine the amount of lives your work has saved.
It’s scary to think what we put into our own bodies, not to mention what we are feeding our children. I think if there was more of a visual awareness into how things are made and what things are made with, it could really make a difference.
I love how you offer several solution to this injustice. The call to actions are fantastic!
While I totally agree that it is more costly to eat healthy I don’t believe that there is some government/special interest group out to get us. It’s called making choices. I spend more at the grocery store so I don’t get to splurge on unneeded clothing items. It’s about personal choice and responsibility here.
We have a large family and food is one of our biggest expenses. We try to buy and prepare healthy and organic food for our family. It is difficult when they make it SO much more expensive than processed food. Which is why we are all overweight. I hope I win your book!!!
Brilliant and informative as always.
Holy numbers, that was enlightening! Shocking and a bit disturbing. I admit i am out of the what’s going on out there loop, but I try and grow things at home. Saves money and tastes so much better. I honestly just feel shocked by what i just read.
The legacy we have given our children is appalling. They only know how to communicate through electronics, don’t need to spell because internet slang and spell checker take care of it for them, don’t need to go outside to find their friends because everyone is stuck to their computers and video games, we’ve turned our kids into sedentary illiterates and then we feed them crap food because it’s faster and cheaper than a home cooked meal from “scratch”. Every generation says they want better for their kids than they had it but we’ve seriously messed up this time. Voices like Jillian’s are inspiring but after reading this article how many follow her charge for change and how many just pay it lip service? She can’t make this change alone.
I just recently moved to corn country! Many of the farmers around here make their living growing corn that is turned into HFCS! It makes me crazy!
Amen! But 50k? What about us folks who aren’t even making $20k in this horrible economy? It’s difficult to buy food period, impossible to buy healthy food. Something’s gotta change. Thanks for writing this!
Well said! I wish everyone were in tune with such facts. My grocery bill is sky high simply because I refuse to feed cheap, processed garbage to my family. My kids may not have a college fund but at least they’ll be as healthy as they possibly can be based on our choices. Still, it’s kind of ridiculous that this is the rub in a situation like this, isn’t it?
The way the food system has been run is appaling. This article is very informative and a great motivation to get out there an lobby for a change! Thank you. I will be passing this link on to friends!
No surprises here. It’s really unfortunate that big business has forgotten its roots, at the expense everyone else.
Technology helps get the word out, but I don’t want to eat technology. I want to eat healthy fresh, organic veggies. Oddly I can afford an IPhone, but not healthy food.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge and empowering us all to do something about this sad and disturbing situation. I just recently started growing some of my own vegetables (just my favorites for now), I do not have much of a green thumb but I plan to keep trying until I get it right.
Jillian,
Thanks for sharing this information. I have been listening to your podcasts each week and following you on Facebook. I have learned a lot from those two things as well as reading and applying your books.
Thanks for all you do – you are a Rock Star!
I’m thankful that someone whom the public has a desire to listen to has finally started to state the obvious ignorance of the governments information on the best ways for maintaining optimal health, I don’t think the government knows what optimal means, let alone nutritional. So thank you Jillian Michaels for calling them out on their lack of viable information and even more importantly thank you for providing vital information on nutrition, exercise, and teaching so many piece of mind, so they can be happy with themselves on the inside, outside and the within(as in the heart and mind).
Thought provoking. Thank you for putting a little “nudge” in my brain when tempted to make those wrong eating choices. I very much enjoy the information and concern you provide and show on fb.
It is really scary what is happening to our food in this country. Pass the word along to your friends and vote with your dollars.
I have had this discussion with so many people. It is SO hard on a limited income to provide healthy food for our families! It’s frustrating and I find it ridiculous that they make healthy food less affordable than non healthy. I am so thankful to have someone like Jillian on the side of the people. I hope we can all make a difference!
I have recently started buying more organic foods and eating more clean foods (that have a mom or grow from the ground) because of articles like this and all of Jillian’s books. It’s small but it’s a start and there are now that many fewer processed items being bought at my local grocery store. My little ones don’t even mind. 🙂
I am so thankful that Jillian has become a voice, and a loud, results producing one, for needs and problems that I have seen for many years and known nothing to do about. Thank you, Jillian. And I will try to do my part in the battle against foods that kill.
I am determined to change how my children will see food when they are my age. I grew up super sizing meals and thinking that soda and ice cream were staples to have in the fridge. I want a different future for my children I want them to be happy and healthy and not have health concerns!
I love this article! It is to the point but includes all the vital information. People are less willing to learn if it takes them 50 minutes to read something.
I’m so happy that Jillian is willing to give her voice to this cause. It’s not always easy for mothers to work outside the home and still provide healthy meals for her family. However, we must change! 46 children will be diagnosed with cancer today and 7 children will die. We have to change our lives so that we can teach our children how to live healthy!
Thanks for this article. Certainly eye opening.
Amen Jillian! It is truly a sad state of affairs.
Thanks for this post. It does encourage me to start my own backyard garden.
Thanks for the great info Jillian. I’ll do my best to make some changes in the groceries I purchase.
As a student Nurse/healthcare provider, soon graduate, an important part of our job is to educate the public about healthy ways to change their lifestyle. Health is not just physical, but most importantly dietary. The best way to loose/maintain weight, reduce the risks of heart disease and diabetes is to EAT Right, working out and being active only get you so far. For some people they’re just genetically programmed to be hypertensive, have high-cholesterol, ect, so no matter how hard you push yourself physically, dietary changes are the only things that are going to do the trick. The fact that our country allows consumerism to guide our diets is unconstitutional. There is no reason to continue to allow producers to make products that have no real nutritional value. If producers are continually allowed to make these empty products, the general public who tends to be uneducated in dietary necessities, will continue to purchase these unhealthy products. Changes need to be made and community healthcare providers, educators, lawmakers and politicians all need to get involved to make these changes. Not say they are going to work on the issue but make actual changes. Thank you for being a health activist!
Sincerely a future healthcare provider~
Ashley
I’ve been making small changes over the last few years. Soda was one of the first things to go (and I’ve never been a soda drinker to start). We have quit using most teflon (and I love my cast iron pans). We grow and can a lot of our own food; I now have my own dairy goats and chickens as well. We cook from scratch a lot, and I even walked away when I wanted to buy some ice cream for the family last weekend because it contained HFCS. We now buy all vegetables either fresh or frozen, very few things canned (because of BPA). The next step will be doing a bunch of yard-sale trips to replace our plastic and tupperware storage & mixing bowls with glass. The government cannot be trusted to look out for our best interests; we have to do that for ourselves now.
Jillian,
Thank you for being the voice of reason and for giving us the knowledge to be heard…..just like you talked about on a previous podcast about how you requested to meet with Coke representatives because they were tired of being bashed by you, but they basically declined when you said bring it on, yet GM allowed you in and allowed you to speak for US. Because of your information, and genuine caring for the average Joe, people can learn how to utilize healthy verses Trash without going broke….I’m one of those people. My family and I now afford “organic” because we gave up the “trashy” meals out that we used to eat and replaced them with farm grown or organic. We are on the “health” journey of a lifetime. THANK YOU for being YOU.
Thanks! Love your insight! Why does it take beating people over the head again and again to get them to realize that food comes from the ground and not the drive-thru? Thank you for all your work!
Thank you for sharing the numbers. It is amazing how costly it is to buy healthy foods. And you NEVER see coupons for carrots!
Thanks for the enlightening article Jillian!
Fantastic! I am so happy to see such a well-known public figure fighting for the organic cause. I once read a book called What Does Your Doctor Look Like Naked? that gives some wonderful eye-opening statistics on the cost of healthy living vs. the cost of healthcare needed because you failed to live a healthy life. Ever since, along with the viewing of Food, Inc., Tapped, and reading Organic Manifesto (among countless other books and documentaries in the same interest) I have been forcing myself to spend smart and buy local and organic. Never been happier. And I’m sure when I’m old, I’ll be even happier! 🙂
Jillian-
Thanks for keeping these issues in the forefront! So important to show everyone we either pay now or later with our health and wellness. Slowly our family is making much needed changes for better health. Organic gardening and composting are changes we are making at home.
You are a voice who many listen you should team up with the American Public Health Association and fight for the same causes with one voice! Thank you for you dedication to basic public health!
Thank you Jillian for getting the word out to those of us who have no idea what is going on and getting approved behind closed doors that affects our country’s well being! I have pledged to myself to head to some local farmers markets this spring and summer to help support our local farmers! Thank you for all you do!
My husband and I have recently made some changes in our eating habits and eating more fruits and veggies is one of them; organic when possible. Jillian is such a wonderful advocate for healthy change. I’d love to.see her team up with Jamie Oliver and get the school lunch programs turned around. If the kids aren’t getting healthy foods at home, they should at least be getting them at school. I can’t believe what they consider nutritious! Together, we can make a.change.
Very thought provoking, thanks.
I sometimes feel so powerless when it comes to things like this – in my own life I have struggled with what I know is right and what I can afford when it comes to food. Conscious consumerism is a lot of work and now that I’ve recently had a child I start worrying so much more about it all and feel even more powerless.
When it comes to so many of these issues, it seems that we are internalizing the powerlessness as a society. We feel empowered to change and grow and be amazing beautiful creatures most often as a result of a crisis. Overcoming so much all of the time is very tiring and I think institutional support and legislative initiatives are really the only thing to sustain long-term global change.
Yes, organic is expensive….but its also all about priorities….would you rather have a healthy body and take care of yourself….or other things like the big screen TV, Home theatre system, TiVO, cell phones for everyone in the family…there are some things in life that are not necessities…once we get our priorities in line we can see how easier it can be to afford some of these things…that being said…we shouldn’t have to make changes in our lifestyles just so we can eat healthy…And sadly DC is run by whoever has the most money…but that is why we need to speak up…whether its at rallies or by simply not voting for someone who supports these giant corporations
This information needs to be shared over and over! Once you know better, you can do better and everyone needs to know how the food and beverage industry is set up so we can change it! Thanks!