Five Problems of Our Food System

Good morning & happy 11/11/22.

Last week, I shared a bit about epigenetics and how our environment can direct our cell expression.

Today, we’re digging into soil health and how it impacts human & planetary health.

Pun intended - for sure. Let’s go.

When I graduated college, I had the opportunity to backpack around Europe with one of my closest friends.

We visited 11 cities over the course of 22 days and the thing that stood out most was, surprisingly, the FOOD.

In Italy, the pizza, pasta & gelato were out of this world 🇮🇹

What shocked me though, was how good I felt eating what I considered “junk food” at the time. How could I feel healthy & vibrant while consuming cheese-covered wheat, all day every day?

Well, we were walking a ton and perhaps more importantly, the food quality in Europe differs dramatically than it does in America.

Did you know that the United States allows the use of 85 pesticides that have been banned or are being phased out in the European Union, China or Brazil?

In 2016 alone, the United States used 322 million pounds of those banned pesticides, accounting for more than 1/4 of all agricultural pesticide use in this country. Yikes.

So what? You may ask.

What difference does pesticide use actually make on our food?

All that matters in food is the calories, right?

Noooope. Food is way more than calories. It’s taste. It’s history. It’s connection.

It can be poison. Or it can be medicine. Food is information.

Despite my fixation on macro-nutrients back in college, I've gradually woken up to the fact that with nutrition, Quality Matters More than Quantity.

Here's the scary part - our current food system is systematically designed to prioritize profit, often at the expense of quality and subsequently, our well-being.

Specifically, our current food system:

• Harms The Environment: Agricultural production it a huge driver of climate change, producing ⅕ of the total greenhouse gas emissions according to the FAO. Moreover, when farmers engage in mono-cropping – the practice of growing a single crop year after year on the same land – it depletes the soil of nutrients and thus makes growing more & more difficult each year.

• Damages Our Food Supply: The average grocery store vegetable has anywhere from 5% to 40% less mineral content than they did 50 years ago. This is because it’s being grown in soil with far less nutrient diversity (see mono-cropping above).

  • Less Diversity = More Problems. In the soil, our guts, and life in general.

• Limits Food Access: The inability to access sufficient amounts of food is an issue that plagues people across the world. Around 795 people worldwide suffer from chronic undernourishment, and more than 29 million Americans live in “food apartheid”, or areas that do not have a supermarket within a mile of their home if they live in an urban area, or 10 miles if they live in a rural area.

• Wastes Food: Here’s what makes the food access stats above even crazier… roughly one-third of food produced around the world is lost or wasted, translating to about 1.3 billion tons per year. Yupp... millions of people aren’t eating and billions of pounds of food are being wasted. That’s the system we currently live in.

• May Cause Cancer: One of the most common weed-killers in America is known as RoundUp. The main ingredient in it is Glyphosate, a herbicide that has been deemed "probably carcinogenic" by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, as well as linked to many auto-immune diseases, such as celiac disease. This article is a telling summary, while this new study suggests that microbiome dysfunction could be related to early-onset cancer.

  • Is it just me, or is it a little peculiar that the pharma company, Bayer, owns Monsanto (the producer of Glyphosate) and also profits billions from cancer drugs every year?

So What Can We Do?

If you are still with me, I applaud your optimism. Here’s the time for the good news.

There’s another way. A new system. A Collective Reimagination of What Food Can Be.

One approach I like involves going back to our roots, farming. Naturally & organically, before the corporations got involved.

Regenerative Organic Agriculture is a practice that’s coming into the spotlight as institutions like The Rodale Institute continue to share compelling science, while farming leaders such as Will Harris build out proof of concept and share their compelling results on widespread stages.

For instance, The Rodale Institute's Farming Systems Trial has found that "organic systems use 45% less energy, release 40% fewer carbon emissions, improve the health and quality of soil over time, and actually have the potential to produce yields up to 40% higher in times of drought than conventional systems."

In short, the soil can heal itself.

And when the Earth heals, we can do the same.

A great place to start along this process is supporting local farmers and shopping organically. Organic groceries keeps toxic chemicals out of your body and, perhaps more importantly, casts a vote for a healthier future & food system.

There’s certainly a cost barrier to organic foods, so I recommend referencing “The Dirty Dozen,” a list of 12 fruits & veggies that are more contaminated by pesticides and so are more important to shop organically.

The other option I think about when it comes to reimagining our food system is utilizing technology to create new possibilities.

What if I told you that you could grow fresh & pesticide-free produce, inside your house, all for less than you spend at the grocery store?

Oh, and you don’t even have to know how to garden.

I know… it doesn’t sound real. That’s exactly how I felt when I first heard of Gardyn, a start-up that produces at-home, AI-driven, hydroponic gardening technology.

But I can assure you, it’s not only real, but also a game-changer when it comes to cooking & wellness.

Since joining the company/team 6 months ago, I no longer have to worry about the sourcing of my vegetables, nor do I spend as much on organic groceries.

The Gardyn grows my plants and keeps them fresh, all while saving me money and the planet's water.

Through the holiday season, you can use the coupon code “aidan” to save $250.

One of the Best Podcasts I've Heard This Year:

Max McCoy is a filmmaker, writer, and podcaster whose journey is nothing but inspiring. After following his heart to Texas, Max landed a documentary project with one of his (& my) idols, Aubrey Marcus.

After taking the last year off podcasting, he's back with an incredibly compelling interview about all things healing & creative expression with breath work instructor and coach, Steven Jaggers.

Give it a listen. I have a feeling you’ll enjoy & benefit.

That’s it for this week.

I appreciate you reading and hope you enjoy your weekend ahead.

Much love

Aidan