I encourage people to eat better. To buy and eat fresh whole foods. Most are not opposed to this concept, however they are put off by what I call the convenience factor. Spending time in the kitchen preparing food takes too long and is not as convenient as opening a box and sliding something in the microwave or stopping on the way home for some fast food take-out. I am the first to admit that eating healthy may not appear to be convenient at first glance. From a time and energy standpoint, preparing healthy food doesn't take any longer. But it does take planning. But more than anything, it represents change. And for most of us, change is hard. It is much easier to do the same old thing, because it's more convenient.

This inconvenience and unwillingness to make positive and healthy changes, is, I believe, very short sighted. Sure it may take an extra hour or more out of your day to eat extremely healthy and exercise. But let me tell you about real inconvenience. Inconvenience is losing your health. Not being able to play with your children or grandchildren. Inconvenience is diabetic neuropathy and not being able to feel your hands and feet. Inconvenience is obesity and heart disease and not being able to enjoy a brisk walk or run. Inconvienence is cancer and arthritis and sexual dysfunction. Inconvenience is poor health that is brought on by living a "convenient lifestyle". None of these conditions come on suddenly, but one mouthful at a time. You see, most Americans eat their way to disability. About 80% of disease, disability and chronic illness, is the result of poor lifestyle choices. Doing things (bad diet) or not doing things (not exercising) that directly causes condition of poor health.

Some argue that they enjoy the food that they eat. Of course, I must agree. Who hasn't enjoyed pizza and donuts, sweets and treats, beer and bagels, etc. Many complain that they don't enjoy fruits, vegetables, whole grain bread, etc. like they do "normal food" (although I personally don't see anything normal about burgers and fries). How many of you thoroughly enjoyed your first beer, cigarette or cup of straight black coffee? I've been told that these are acquired tastes, meaning that if you persist, you will come to enjoy them. Like some of you I have never put forth the effort to acquire the taste for these. My wife and I would love to be able to put up our children as shining examples of kids who love to eat only healthy food. But like you, we live in a world that continually wants to put sweets and grease in our childrens mouths. They can't go to church or school without being given candy or cookies as rewards (bribes) by their teachers. It's frustrating. Give a kid a choice between cookies and carrot sticks and very few will choose the "rabbit food".

When I began to improve my diet in earnest, years ago, I discovered that my tastes began to change (and yours will too). Trust me nothing tastes as good as fresh whole natural food. I've enjoyed both junk food and healthy food and healthy food is better. But it takes some time to re-acquire the taste for health. Not only did 'rabbit food' (aka salads) become very satisfying for a meal, but my craving for junk food diminished. Mind you, the smell of flame-broiled burgers is still enticing and inviting, however after a bite or two I'm disappointed. Did you know that there is a whole sub-field within food chemistry devoted to flavor? These skilled scientists, called Flavorists or Flavor Chemists, create chemical compounds that can smell heavenly. The olfactory sense (sense of smell) is the only one of our senses that neurologically goes straight to the emotional centers in the brain. That is why when I smell cinnamon rolls baking I am transported back to my Grandmothers kitchen forty years earlier. When I eat a cinnamon roll it is done with grandma in my heart.

Anyway, the aroma of the burgers and fries that is seductively vented out to the streets from the fast-food joints is not coming from the food as much as from the flavor chemistry added by shrude businessmen, who understand human nature and our weakness at resisting emotional triggers.

Boy if that's not cheating, I don't know what is. If you don't believe me look up Flavorist or Flavor Chemist on the internet. Pretty amazing stuff!

Years ago I thought that capitalism was a good thing. Running a couple of small businesses is my part of the American Dream. What I have come to understand is that at the heart of capitalism is greed and the accumulation of wealth at any cost. After a couple of centuries we now witness big business and entrepenurism on a gloabal scale at its worst. Commonplace it is for companies willing to harm human life, the environment and everything we hold dear in order to gain a profit. People once had a sense of pride to earn an honest days wage for an honest days work. Now wealth regardless of how it is acquired is admired. Society does not yet tolerate outright murder for profit, however our government encourages and substidizes companies who will bind you into the bonds of addiction and slowly poison your body, destroying your life and those you love.

What ticks me off is this: We live in the most technologically advanced society that has ever graced this planet (that we know of). And yet we tolerate and even embrace things we know are harmful and wrong. We turn a blind eye to things such of fluordation of our water, irradiating our foods and using poisonous pesticides and fertilizers. We regulate and mandate things that desensitize and pollute, all in the name of fair business trade.

Sometimes I wonder how any of us can be successful in our struggle for health. The odds are certainly against us. On one hand we have the medical profession which is strongly influenced by the pharmaceutical industry. Their primary objective is to make a ton of money (and they're doing quite well). Capitalism at it's greedy best. On the other hand we have the food industry. Who prepare, package and distribute their products in order to make a ton of money. The giants of these industries seem to care little about the unhealthy consequences of using their products, so long as they make their profits. These industries are full of lies and deceptions. For example, it has long been suspected that there is a link between autism and the heavy metal, mercury, found in vaccinations. Medicine vehemently denies any connection and are pushing harder for more and earlier vaccinations. Our governator is learning this first hand, as State assistance for autism has skyrocketed in the last five years. However, medical researchers on the treating end of autism contend that the leading treatment for autism is chelation therapy designed to remove mercury poisoning from the autistic child.

We abhor the drug dealer who lures and entices the unsuspecting until they are shackled with the chains of addiction but tolerate and promote (by wearing their advertisements) billion-dollar companies who push carbonated drinks with added chemicals such as caffiene to create a chemical dependency and addiction. We laugh and joke that we cannot function in the morning without Starbucks or Dr. Pepsi (as my youngest son calls it). We enslave ourselves with addictive and destructive food products and justify it because everyone else does it. We spend $200 at the grocery store or $300 at the health food store for "food" that is tainted with chemicals or processes that render them devoid or depleted of nutrients and enzymes. Foods that add to the toxic residuals that are left behind in our tissues.

Scientist have identified over 8,000 - That's EIGHT THOUSAND! vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, co-factors, buffers, etc. that are found within whole foods. Food manufacturers remove, heat, irradiated and denature the raw whole food destroying the nutritional quality, then they add 18 vitamins and minerals (which are usually in a totally inorganic poorly assimilatable form) and have the audacity to call their product "enriched", inplying that the finished product is better than the original. What about the other 7,982 nutrients they removed? Did Nature goof? Are brown rice and whole wheat flawed and imperfect foods? Has science or technology ever improved the quality of our food? What they have done, which of course is their primary goal, is prolong the shelf life. That is the goal of food manufacturing. To produce a product that can sit in a can, jar, box or bag for the maximum time without seriously altering its taste.

You see, nature intended food to be eaten as it came from the earth. Some foods can naturally be stored for longer periods, such as grains and legumes. Fruits and vegetables should be consumed within relatively short periods after harvesting - from days to weeks to months, depending on the fruit or vegetable. A root cellar (cool temperatures about 50 degrees F) will keep winter squash, carrots, beets and apples fresh so they can be eaten until Spring. Peaches, strawberries and lettuce must be eaten within a short time after harvest. With modern refrigeration we can extend the life of most fresh produce. We live in dietary abundance. We can eat fresh, wholesome food every single day. Always Feast. Never Famine. To top it off, we live in California, some of the best farmland on the planet. We can drive a short distance to one of many farmers markets and get produce picked fresh that day. But instead, most choose to eat food that has been manipulated and nutritionally devalued.

So what's is going to be? A little inconvenience now or a lot later. Of course, changing is hard. You may even have family members that are resistant. In truth, it is probably you who are resistant! Your children may cry and accuse you of meanness for giving them fruit instead of cookies. You will need to spend more time planning meals. You may need to try new foods. However, you may discover that you like it. You may have more energy. You may lose weight. You may become more active and enjoy life and nature more. You may find new friends. You may reap the consequences of good choices.

~ Dr. Kyle D. Christensen ~

"Herbal first Aid is insightful, clear, and an easy to follow resource book on herbs. It covers herbal lifesaving techniques, storage of herbal remedies and ancient herbal wisdom. This book is a must for alternative health practitioners and I am looking forward to having it in my collection of books on remedies and first aid". - Ellen w. Cutler, D.C. Author of The Food Allergy Cure