Introduction
Due to the nature of modern supply chains and the production of food products, it is common to find traces of pollutants or contaminants in everyday products. Milk is an essential dairy product in any household and is considered a necessary source of calcium in a human nutritional diet. However, it also presents a high chance of exposure to pollutants since the production of cow’s milk is geographically dispersed, and the process allows for the bioaccumulation of contaminants through the food chain.
Persistent bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT) chemicals and dioxin can be found in milk, and over time build up to acute toxicity in the organism. A significant concern for dairy is residue from a synthetic hormone (rBGH) utilized to stimulate milk production in cows. Long-term effects are unclear, but it has been identified as a possible carcinogen.
Community-supported agriculture (CSA) is a system allowing to connect producers with consumers, benefiting both parties directly. Food producers can attain funding for their operation while consumers have access to direct fresh food sources, chosen based on their needs. The process ensures the quality of food and eliminates food waste. California has a diverse food production network and a number of agricultural farms participating in CSA. Cupertino has several entirely organic sustainable farms offering fresh fruit, vegetables, dairy, eggs, and honey. Some farms are specialized in a specific product such as salad greens or more seasonal foods.
There are also organizations near water sources that focus on providing fresh and unprocessed seafood. Overall, farmer’s markets are abundant in the area, especially on weekends, for those people seeking a large variety of products without participation in CSA services.
Why You Should Care About Nutrition
Most of the health conditions that cause death and disability in modern society are preventable through proper nutrition. Therefore, it is important what we consume on a daily basis. Life longevity is directly correlated to a person’s diet. However, nutrition is being undervalued in medical care, as doctors are not given the appropriate resources or education to advise patients competently.
Taking Personal Responsibility for Your Health
The only diet proved to be effective against heart disease, one centered around whole plant foods. Dieting has become a commercial market, many having no or detrimental health effects. A whole plant food diet is based on research and has been linked to reversing a number of severe health conditions. Despite the evidence, a mainstream medical practice usually fails to recommend appropriate nutritional changes adequately. As exemplified historically, industries have a tremendous influence on these decisions, and most doctors choose to practice unhealthy habits themselves. As a result, a rather simple solution that can have enormous long-term benefits is not being publicly endorsed.
The Actual Benefit of Diet vs. Drugs
People highly overestimate the ability of medical drugs and treatments to prevent or combat specific health conditions. This leads to a lack of lifestyle and diet changes, which are more critically effective in the long-run. Most drugs have less than 5% effectiveness over a span of 5-years, which places medical professionals in a difficult position of revealing the figures since it would most likely severely reduce the uptake of the medications. It is more logical to take a lifestyle and diet approach to fix the root of a problem rather than taking medicine, which has a minor impact since a fundamental change is practically 20 times more efficient.
How Not to Die from Heart Disease?
Each person has the ability to make decisions about nutrition, which directly impacts heart disease, the primary cause of death in the US. Based on current diets, children are already showing the first stages of atherosclerosis in their arteries. It progressively gets worse until devastating effects as early as age 30. However, through proper diet and lifestyle changes, it is entirely possible to reverse the effects of the disease. The human body is only able to restore and heal with the right conditions, even without medication.