Frightening Food Facts: What you don’t want to know (but probably should) about what you are eating.

By Coach Joelle Prochera, professional life coach and fellow launcher!  To hear more from Coach Joelle subscribe to the Livloud! Newsletter or read the coach joelle blog.   

Last weekend I had the delight of hanging out with my loved ones in Arizona. Beyond the 7:30 am poolside gyrotonics and the hours of backyard lounging with dear friends (YAY!), perhaps the most significant impact of my days in the sun came from the books I found lying around my friend’s house.

One book in particular caught my attention.  I had previously flipped through it at the local book store as I was perusing for information on creating a non-toxic, organic pregnancy experience (my husband and I are gearing up to start a family at the end of the month).   At a glance, I remember seeing all sorts of stuff that I never wanted to know (but am now glad I do) about what is in our food.

The book is called Skinny Bitch and little did I know, when I picked it up for some poolside reading, that it would provide the definitive motivation for me to go vegetarian.

Warning: first of all, if you choose to read this book be forewarned, the authors speak with a potty mouth,  which, while funny at some times, at other times seemed to be somewhat superfluous and no doubt for some would be offensive. 

If you can get past the language you will see that the book is less about being skinny (though if you talk to your skinny friends, I am sure they will tell you they follow much of what is written here) and more about being healthy in a world where our crops are being genetically modified and sprayed with carcinogens and our livestock is being shot full of antibiotics and growth hormones.

For some time now, my husband has been demanding we do our shopping at Whole Foods.  He has provided a wealth of information on the reasons to go organic, the junk in our food supply and the toxic chemicals found in the typical shampoo or body wash.  Despite all the information I had previously accumulated, it was this book which took my education to the next level in a stark and direct way that left me transformed.

While the information in the book ranges from startling facts like…

- %50 of the antibiotics manufactured in the US are used on livestock ( I had sworn off antibiotics years ago and got myself off the birth control pill after reading a little book called The Body Ecology Diet and learning about a nasty little yeasty called Candida.)

- to the sad and frankly disgusting description of how cows who would normally produce 10 lbs of milk a day are provoked to provide 100 lbs of milk a day along with a description of the hard metal machines used to milk the sensitive udders ( they actually say something about “puss“ that  has pretty much removed milk from my diet. )

But nothing had a bigger impact on me than a chapter that hits you mid-book about the factory farming industry and the incidents of animal abuse that are prevalent in these facilities.

I am not going to list the transgressions that I read, I will only say that while reading of chemicals, and hormones and other miscellaneous junk that could impact my health had only a moderate impact on the choices I was making and the lifestyle I chose, this chapter made my daily meals a moral and ethical dilemma that has left me no choice but to

a) find a local farm where I know the animals are being treated humanely

or

b) go vegetarian.

At this moment I have chosen to go vegetarian and I am about 1 week into this adventure. It was not a decision I made lightly and at the same time, there was really no contest.

I share this because the book had a lot of information that most of us don’t know and if we don’t know, how can we make informed decisions.

If you have an interest in your health, the planet or animal welfare, I invite you to read the book Skinny Bitch .

If you want to hear more about my experience I invite you to read the blog article I wrote moments after reading the chapter I reference click here.

Thank you for letting me share ladies.

To your health my friends,

Coach Joelle

SHARE YOUR SELF IN THE COMMENTS BELOW: Have you read the book or do you have your own opinions about vegetarianism, veganism, eating organic?  We would love to hear from you!

DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION FOR COACH JOELLE?:  I am looking for the opportunity to fully serve each of you on your personal adventure.  If you have a life or business challenge that you would like a coaching perspective on, please share your comments below or email me at [email protected].
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Comments

[Beth Murphey]

I loved what you wrote! I really enjoyed the book as well! Of course the next step is Skinny Bitch in the Kitch for a whole book of recipies.

[Beth]

I love your posting. The next step is the Skinny Bitch in the Kitch which is a book of vegetarian recipies.

[Bevla Reeves]

I read this book last Fall and it changed my life! I had been struggling for 3 years with making food choices that not only nourished and healed my body, but mind and soul. The struggle had reached a peak to the point of depression and I finally surrendered it to God. The very next day, a miracle happened. I went to the book store as I often do to find solace and on my way to the check out counter to purchase a book, I noticed Skinny Bitch on a shelf. It drew me to it and I grabbed it on impulse with a strong desire to purchase it as well. I had no clue what it was about, but I hoped it would make me laugh thinking maybe it was about celebrity gossip and mishaps. I say a miracle happened because I went home that night and devoured the book from cover to cover realizing it was God answering my prayer to "Stop the Madness" between me and food! The very next day I cleaned out my fridge and cabinets and starting eating a Vegan diet. I haven't felt this good in years, or had as much peace of mind regarding food. Now, I don't consider myself a "Vegan" because I'm not hard-core and I do wear leather and like a piece of cheese or chocolate every now and then, but eating a Vegan diet 98% of the time has made me a new woman! ~;o) Thanks for the post!

Bevla Reeves
LWL AZ Leader

[Coach Joelle]

hi Beth and Bevla,

Thank you for your comments. Bevla, Thank you so much for sharing your passion on the topic and for sharing your personal journey. It is amazing what asking and then listening can produce in life. Way to give it over!

Hugs to you both!

Coach Joelle