You are what you eat – and How!
It was blood. Mine.
My son and I stopped at a place I probably shouldn’t name
to reward ourselves with a Caramel Apple Frosty™ Parfait
and a Wild Berry Frosty™ Parfait. I had the caramel apple 
About 1/3 of the way into it, I saw a bit of what looked
like maybe some red apple peel on the spoon. I didn’t think
too much of it. Next bite, same thing – and I wondered if
they had used a dye on the apples to make them look redder.
You know how clever “food” processors can be 
And then it dawned on me – the apples were green!
I looked closer – each time the red was only one one side
of the spoon, so I dabbed my napkin inside my mouth,
and there it was; blood. Mine !
The edge of the spoon had not been molded properly,
leaving a near razor sharp edge that had been slicing
the inside of my mouth deeper and deeper, while the cool,
frozen numbing action of the ice cream kept me oblivious.
As you might suspect because you are reading this -
I was inspired, and it reminded me of this:
Years ago I heard a story about how some people
used to kill wolves in Alaska. I never forgot it.
What they’d do was take a knife, sharpen the blade
to a nice razor’s edge – then dip the blade in blood,
and let it freeze. Dip it again, and let it freeze.
Time after time, layer upon layer until
there was essentially a blood popsicle.
Then, the knife’s hilt was set into the ice or fixed
in some manner into the snow – to await a wolf.
The smell of blood would lead the wolf to the knife,
and it would begin licking the icy “treat”.
The more it would lick, the more it wanted,
and… the more it licked until finally the
blood being consumed was it’s own as the wolf’s
own numbed tongue was cut again and again…
and the wolf would bleed to death.
Makes me queasy every time I think about it.
But today, in being in the wolf’s paws -
it occurred to me how many things
are much like that knife…
I like to think most of us are smart enough
to see the danger a sharp knife can be.
What I would like to offer is that the knives
in our lives do not arrive as such, but look
very much like something we want and desire.
They are things that have been made to feel
good, comfortable; presented to us in a way
that we welcome and accept as good for us.
Lick… lick… lick…
Good stuff.
The other day I had mentioned Toaster Strudels
as an example of something that as good (tasty),
but not good FOR us, and I’m reminded that although
the chemicals and ingredients for the most part
have either no nutritional content and/or have
negatively impacting health consequences -
most people will tell me (often the same ones
who say everyone is going to die some day -
may as well do it doing something they enjoy)
that those ingredients that are bad for you
are in such small quantities that it doesn’t
really matter.
Now, I’m not going to argue with that -
because different people are more sensitive than
others when it comes to the side effects.
Yes, there is still damage being done, but we
may not see the effects of it, and it is worse
for some people than it is for others.
What I would like to do is practice simple math.
One toaster strudel is not going to kill you.
Most people eat two, though. STILL… you’lll live.
Wash that down witha glass of pasteurized milk that
has most of the viable nutrients in it destroyed,
with the added bonus of bovine proteins that every
human being’s body IS allergic to and those reactions
occur more internally where we do not see them than
outside where it would be easy to see & recognize.
Don’t forget the added hormones, too. Oh, and the
pesticides used on the crops used to feed the cattle.
People are always forgetting about the pesky pesticides.
Now, after that breakfast chemical bath, add to it
the compounds & chemicals listed on whatever bag or box
that you’ll more than likely be snacking on before lunch.
Ahhh… vending machines. A haven of health hazards.
Yummmmmm…..
Lunch time ! Again, if it has a label, add up those
chemicals. You’ll see quite a few that repeat themselves.
Oh, and don’t forget the soda / pop / tasty beverage that
comes in a can or bottle. Seriously – do you even want
me to go into those? If you’re over the age of 21, you
really should know better by now unless you live in a cave.
And don’t even get me started on how you drink “Diet” or
that it has artificial sweeteners in it. You’re just killing
your brain in addition to your body playing that game.
OK. More snacks. Read, write them down. I know it’s tough -
there are some really really long words on those labels!
Fortunately some companies have made up words to diguise
their true nature, otherwise some of us might recognize
the poisons & toxins for what they are… Toxic. Duh.
Dinner !!! At last :) This may actually be a nice home
cooked meal. Ahhh… Safe !!! Oh wait. Darn it.
More cans… More bags… More boxes… Read. Write.
So, I guess even though we’re throwing ingredients together
and cooking them in the safety of our own home – we’re not
really getting far away from the dreaded labels filled
with words we still don’t know or know what they do.
Now, assuming we aren’t going to eat anything else
before we go to bed (fat chance, right?) – I’d like you
to add up all those chemicals & compunds.
Put a number next to the ones that repeat (ie: Sodium Benzoate,
Monosodium Glutamate, etc.) instead of writing it down
every time. Seriously – that’s too much writing if you don’t!
Now, I wish – really really wish, companies had to list
the actual amount of each of these chemicals on the box.
I’d be happy with a percentage – it just means more math.
If they would do it by ounces or grams, I’d love it.
Ever wonder why they don’t?
Well, just a guess – but they might realize that some of us
aren’t stupid and we’d actually pay attention to what goes
in our bodies instead of blindly accepting it as “food”.
And maybe, just maybe we may not believe that just because
it’s on the grocery store shelf means that it’s good for us.
AND, as crazy as this may sound – some people may actually
take an active interest and responsibility for their lives
and not rely on some government body or entity to put
their stamp of approval on what is or isn’t good for us.
(Wait - the government wouldn’t allow anything to happen to
it’s beloved People / AKA taxable income stream… Would they?)
Ahhh, now THAT is an entirely different topic
that you DO NOT want me to start in on.
Can we just pretend that your Life
may actually be YOUR responsibility?
Pretend that it is, and let’s move forward.
OK, so you now have a very long list of toxins, chemicals
and compounds that you more than likely have no idea what
they do or hat they’re for. Oh, ever so often you’ll see
something like “For freshness” or “to preserve taste”.
That MUST mean it’s safe,right? I mean, we all want our
food to taste fresh !!! Yep. Just pour on the poison.
ANYWAY – you keep distracting me !
This list…
That is a LOT of bad stuff to take in.
So… multiply it by 7. That number by 4. That number by 12.
I guess it would be easy to just multiply it by 365.
It’s going to be a LOT over a lifetime.
And figure there are a number of these ingredients that
don’t just flush out of the body – though your body
is working VERY hard just to survive the chemicals,
toxins and poisons you keep shoving into it.
They just keep building up.. building up…
mouthful after delicious mouthful.
Getting closer and closer to the blade.
You know, I like to think we’re smarter than dogs.
I don’t think that if the wolves knew the knife was
encased in the frozen blood that they’d keep licking it.
Would you ?
No, of course not !
Or would you ?
It’s not difficult to find out the negative effects
of MOST of these “mystery” ingredients in our food.
You have to sift through the hype and the double speak
that you’ll find throughout the more mainstream sources,
but you’ll eventually discover the cut & dry facts.
I’m just wondering if you will.
Because the Toaster Strudels taste SO good…
The bloodsicle tastes SO wonderful…
And besides – everyone else is eating them !
And those darned kids, bless their hearts -
they are always so glad to get them !
Smiling… licking their lips… As they get closer
and closer… and closer… to the blade.
Day after day… Month after month… Year after year.
Some time ago I shared how I believed that the answer
to this nation’s Healthcare issue is our own Health Care.
It is and has been our lack of health care – the care of
our own health, that over time leads to the majority
of ailments that our bodies and minds experience.
I’ve said it before – how can we NOT believe that
the continual intake of toxins AND the covering of
our bodies as well (body “care” products, cosmetics,
deodorants, antiperspirants, chlorinated, flouridated,
and otherwise chemically contaminated water)
HOW CAN WE NOT GRASP that this is affecting the rising
cases and types of cancers as well as other destructive
diseases for which scientists continue to search for “cures”?
It does not take a rocket scientist to reach this conclusion;
it takes a mediocre amount of common sense at best.
However; taking action and applying it to our lives -
let alone bringing adequate awareness to others
is another story. Call me crazy, but a level of
apathy and comfort in this country has dictated
virtually every aspect of our lives and set us on
cruise control toward destruction in our lives.
And, if you look at it; it’s normal.
It’s just Life as we know it.
So now it’s confession time.
I have selfish motives for sharing all of this with you.
You see, I don’t like to say Goodbye.
I don’t like to see people suffer.
I don’t like the people in my World have their lives
cut short nor the quality of their Life be diminished.
I don’t like to see people mourn for loved ones.
I don’t like to see people feel helpless or anguish
as their loved ones wither away in a hospital.
I’m not good at comforting the ill or the grieving.
So, if you don’t mind – I’d selfishly like you
to stay healthy and do so for a long long time.
Because just as no one really knows how many licks
it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll Pop;
you and I don’t know how close to the knife we are.
And more than likely – we’ve already had
a few licks of the blade…
