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Health & Fitness

Do big corporations really care about your health?

Do big corporations really care about your health?

I feel compelled to ask this question today because of an experience that I had last night.

Most of you know me as the local chiropractor, but you may not know that I am also an anatomy instructor at a local college. I really enjoy being an instructor and I am quite passionate about anatomy. Our quarter is winding down and finals are coming up, so I thought I would give my class a break by watching a movie last night. I wanted something educational, but not boring, so after consulting with my wife, I finally chose Food Inc.

This movie came out in 2008 and didn't make it into the big mega theaters, so I'm sure not everyone has seen it, but it's about how big business has taken over almost everything we consume that comes out of a grocery store. The main point of the movie is that big business cares more about profit than they do about the consumers and the case they make is easy to agree with. Large corporations have a lot of money with which they can afford lobbyists in Washington D.C., which can have a direct effect on policy decisions, which will more than likely go in favor of the large corporations. So, essentially big business is helping to determine which policies they are going to be governed by.

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What moved me to write this blog is that most of my students were shocked at this concept. I understand that it’s unnerving and hard to believe that our government which is supposed to be looking out for our best interests is choosing money over our health and safety, but I was surprised that this was their first exposure to it. If you’re interested in some more info about the movie, check here. Also, if you have a Netflix account, you can stream it as an instant movie on to your computer.

So, what can we do about it? It is overwhelming when you think about how much money and power these large corporations have and it’s easy to just give up.

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In my opinion, it has to start out with individuals making a conscious effort to change their lives. Someone in the movie makes a great point about how this parallels the fight against the tobacco industry. The food and the tobacco industries are huge multi-billion dollar industries, but over the course of the last 10 years, what has happened with the tobacco industry? They are struggling and it’s because of a lot of health promotion in the community and because a lot of individuals are making the conscious effort to stop smoking.

The same thing can happen to the food industry. Not that I want the food industry to fail, but it's important to have a system of checks and balances so they can be held accountable for the food that we consume. The movie has a lot of great suggestions and I’m going to list them out for you.

“Buy from companies that treat workers, animals and the environment with respect.”

“When you go to the supermarket, choose foods that are in season. Buy foods that are organic. Know what’s in your food. Read labels.”

“The average meal travels 1500 miles from the farm to the supermarket. Buy foods that are grown locally.”

“Shop at farmers’ markets. Plant a garden.”

“Cook a meal with your family and eat together.”

“Everyone has a right to healthy food. Make sure your farmers’ market accepts food stamps. Ask your school board to provide healthy lunches.”

This movie is shocking, but provides so much great information. I definitely recommend checking it out if you have questions about the quality of the food you are consuming.

And please visit the downtown Martinez farmers' market on Sunday or Thursday!

Please, as always, let me know if you have any questions or comments.

Dr. Mark

www.hanseschiropractic.com

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