Kris from Custom Fitness here, your personal trainer in Amarillo. Today I’d like to discuss some food shopping secrets I use when I’m at the store getting food for my family. If you have any questions about anything I mention here, please feel free to contact our studio and we’d be happy to help: 806-322-3188.
This is an article food manufacturers really don’t want you to read…
How do you know if you’re eating genetically modified foods?
How do you know if your food has been sprayed with nerve gas and other chemicals?
The marketplace food manufactures, in an effort to be more competitive, will stop at nothing to continue making their food cheaper and cheaper…notwithstanding jeopardizing you and your families health.
In the end this means that we all suffer the consequences of eating fake food. But what does that look like? Our immune systems weaken because they are constantly trying to figure out whether to detox or digest these invading chemicals. Decreased immune functionality can lead to autoimmune diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis (M.S.), lupus, celiac disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and many other illnesses.
Unfortunately, conventional medicine very rarely makes connections between the poisons we ingest from our friendly neighborhood grocery stores and the resulting diseases.
People in the nutrition industry have taken notice of the tie between our toxic covered cuisine is obvious with scientifically proven evidence. Unfortunately, lobbyists for pesticides, fertilizers, and big names from the meat and vegetable business out number our congressman by at least 2 to 1. How dreary; the ray of light in all of this is that there is a secret to knowing what you’re eating. Your friendly Amarillo personal trainer is here to help you sort through the political and harmful muck, to find those nutrients your body is craving when you walk into the grocery store.
When you’re shopping for fruit and vegetables it’s important to look at the sticker on the produce that you’re buying.
By just looking at the first number on the sticker code you will be able to determine how that food was brought to market. The sticker is called a “Price Look Up Code” and what you want to look for is 1 of these 4 numbers:
- “3” or “4”
Denotes conventionally grown food. Don’t let the name fool you, this means this produce has been sprayed with toxic chemicals such as acetone, chlorine, or hydrogen peroxide. Despite rinsing your produce, some of these compounds will remain adhered to the food and thereby making its way through your body. Best to stay clear of these stickers.
- “8”
Means that the food has been genetically engineered. (The chemical structure of the plant has been changed.) This basically means what you’re eating is not actually natural food, but a man made food made to look like healthy fruit, vegetables, or other food item. The engineering can be leveraged to increase the size of a natural crop (more weight equals more profit), to add genes for the crop to become synthetically resistant to pests without the need for additional pesticides, or to prolong the shelf life of these items. Who wants to eat a head of broccoli six months after it has left the “farm”? These items may also have been sprayed with chemicals as well. Definitely do not eat these.
- “9”
Means the product was produced organically. It grew from a seed in non-treated soil, picked, placed in a cart, and shipped to you. Easy, peasy. These pieces of produce have not been treated with chemicals and you can feel safer knowing these foods were not sprayed with synthetic poisons. These are the healthy ones to choose. Try and fill your basket with 9’s.
4139: Conventional Granny Smith apple
94139: Organic Granny Smith
84139: Genetically Modified Granny Smith
So, a sticker is all I have to look at?
It is important to keep in mind that currently on the market about 70% of processed food ingredients come from genetically modified food products (mainly corn, soy, and canola oil) and/or chemically sprayed foods. The items sold in the middle of groceries stores that are so easy to make and look so great in their packaging with great buzzwords like “healthy”, “reduced fat”, or “protein” on the front. Yep, they contain these fattening products. Marketing teams are great at duping the average consumer.
This is scary.
Is it any wonder why obesity is on the rise and our health care costs have spiraled out of control?
Where do we think all this weight gain and disease is coming from? Think about it for a moment…Have humans suddenly become hungrier? Honestly, no. When we consume these souped up versions of our foods filled with preservatives and fillers, our bodies believe we need all these extra calories so our stomachs begin to grow. When we don’t maintain that amount of calories or more throughout our meals, our stomachs send out a distress signal saying, “I’m HUNGRY”…even if you aren’t actually. This in turn causes us to reach in the pantry for even more processed food and watch as our scales begin to tip after our binge eating. What a vicious cycle.
The great news though is that you have the power to take control of your health. How? By NOT supporting chemical based, GMO or GE (genetically engineered) farming. Every time you set foot in a restaurant or grocery store you can make the choice to enhance your health. Every time you ask where your food is coming from. You have a voice and Washington deserves to hear it. We shouldn’t allow the pockets of lobbyists to dictate our quality of life by messing with our sustenance..
Will organic produce cost more at the register?
Of course it will. In the long run though you will save money on your healthcare bills. Better yet, you won’t have to pay with your health, or quality of life in the end. All those funny ailments we are plagued by every so often? When you become a more choosy consumer, those ailments seem to resolve themselves…huh. Not to mention, the organic foods tend to last much longer than their non organic counterparts.
I hope this article and the 3 secret codes food manufacturers don’t want you to know about helps you care for yourself and your family’s health and wellbeing.
Food is the foundation for your body, mind, and health.
Choose your food wisely. (You’ll Be happy you did). If you have any questions about our personal training, nutrition counseling, or group classes and programs, please contact us at: info@customfitness.biz or 806-322-3188. At Custom Fitness we are YOUR personal trainers in Amarillo, Texas. Eat healthy out there!