1 - Intro, Italy, and Ideas

Written By alexgerber102 .

Hey there! This is Jacqueline Fisher, the Founding CEO of Focus First Counseling and Education, Inc.

Thank you so much for checking out our website and this inaugural blog entry. I hope you find some inspiration here.

On a cozy night some years back, I was sitting in my comfy spot deciding what to watch while I vegged out for the evening and happened upon a documentary on food - “What the Health” on Netflix. I had already cut soda, most fast food and milk out of my diet and was drinking at least a half-gallon of water a day so I didn’t think there would be any information presented that would upset my day to day life. That’s not what had happened though. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that practically everything I ate and drank was full of toxins. I had no idea.

I happened to be reading The Mind-Gut Connection by Emeran Mayer, MD at that time as well and realized everything we put in or on our body, everything we breathe impacts our microbiome and by extension of that, our mental health. I imagine it in my mind like being a sponge. Whatever we come into contact with is absorbed into our bodies like a sponge coming into contact with clean or dirty water. The dirt gets absorbed right along with the water. I have chosen to focus on our food and beverages for this particular blog entry despite having major concerns around sunscreens, lotions and cosmetics as well.

My definition of what food is has shifted dramatically in the last decade. I grew up in the 80’s loving white bread, bologna, hot dogs, Kool-Aid, soda, candy, ice cream, ramen, TV dinners, and fast food. Going through a drive-thru was an absolute treat when I was small. Because of that positive emotional connection to unhealthy foods, I had a difficult time shifting my diet away from them. It feels overwhelming looking at all the things you enjoy and discovering they are making you sick. I could feel the despair in me rise as I realized I was about to give up even more of my beloved food.

Little by little, I cut out as much fast food, processed food and unhealthy foods from infectious sources like caged farm animals as I possibly could. What few things I held onto like coffee creamer were used in such small amounts I figured it was OK since everything else I was eating and drinking was pretty healthy. I had become accustomed to how difficult healthy eating is on the go so more often than not I would make my own food and bring it as opposed to trying to find something healthy to eat with little to no success. Then something amazing happened.

I got offered a chance to join some loved ones on a trip to Italy. I had traveled internationally a few times before but never to Europe and never for more than two weeks. This trip would be 21 days overseas. Despite all my reservations and anxieties, I did it. I went to Italy and it was everything I had hoped for. Wonderful companionship and conversations, beautiful sights, delicious food and a richness of history that permeates the air and everything you see. I absolutely loved it but had a few unexpected surprises along the way.

First, there is clean water available for free all over the place. Second, there was the difference in food. As someone who scours grocery stores for what I consider food - if it is in a box or bag, there are less than 5 ingredients, and all of them are words I can pronounce and understand - I was immediately in my element in the Italian grocery stores because everything I point out as not being food was not there. At first I thought I was just extremely fortunate to keep finding specialty health food markets but I began to realize that’s how all the stores there were. I began to notice a few things about myself and my companions as we only had access to clean food sources.

As far as beverages go I noticed red wine had a different finish and did not leave me with a heavy head the next morning, it also didn’t exacerbate my allergies the way it does in the states. The most notable immediate change for everyone was something we heard about and tested. Almost all of us struggle with either symptoms of, or full blown diagnosed, Celiac's disease. Every day we ate gluten with no symptoms. Pasta, pizza, beer, bread, pastries... everything we ate in Italy was not only delicious but it didn’t irritate anyone’s gluten sensitivities. My energy was through the roof. I walked between 5 to 12 miles most days. My entire body seemed to slim down almost like a ton of water weight and bloating just melted away especially from my face, abdomen and thighs (it all returned within 3 days of being home). I was surprised every morning when I wasn’t in extraordinary pain as I usually am at home after going to the gym for a half hour after a mile walk.

I have been diagnosed with arthritis and bursitis and do yoga daily to help my body acclimate to what I thought was a natural part of aging. I thought that until I had been home about a week and woke up with my hands in pain unable to move them and I was horrified. Then I thought, no, this happens all the time. Why am I so upset? It dawned on me, my hands didn’t hurt like that in Italy, my hips didn’t hurt in Italy despite what I consider to be some of the most uncomfortable mattresses and pillows in all of existence. (Sorry Italy, that’s my one major constructive criticism.) It was then that I realized how much the small amounts of these chemicals I allow in my life were already impacting me and how much they had been impacting me without my awareness. I had to find out what the major differences in food regulations are. There is all kinds of information about the regulatory agencies of each country out there and while that information is valid I really just wanted to know what Italy banned that the US doesn’t and man you guys… it's not great.

In my opinion the biggest and most glaring difference between the two countries is the approach to regulating growth hormones and chemical additives. In Italy and other EU countries chemical additives and growth hormones are pretty much all banned until proven safe for human consumption. Here in the US these chemicals and hormones have to be proven unsafe before they are banned. If you are familiar with anything about lobbying, ad gag laws, or government check-off programs then you are aware of the uphill battle in just recognizing what is harmful. The money being made seems to be more important than the people who are suffering. One thing you can do to protect yourself and your family is looking out for and limiting exposure to these eight ingredients that are found in many products in the US that are banned in Europe.

  • rBGH or rBST - growth Hormone

  • Ractopamine - increases lean muscle in animals

  • Brominate vegetable oil - keeps flavors from separating in beverages

  • Olestra - fat substitute

  • Azodicarbonamide - bleaches flour

  • Coloring agents - Red #40, yellow #5, yellow #6, blue #1

  • BHA and BHT - preservatives

I found this short list of common American foods and beverages that are banned in other countries and may be something to reconsider next time you are shopping.

  • Gatorade

  • Farm-Raised Salmon

  • Wheat Thins

  • Little Debbie Swiss Rolls

  • Coffee Mate Creamer

  • Ritz Crackers

  • Frosted Flakes

  • Maraschino Cherries

I also discovered that Heinz tomato ketchup has a completely different formula in the US versus Europe. In Europe, the ketchup isn’t full of corn syrup and high fructose corn syrup, they also use tomatoes as opposed to tomato concentrate. Quaker Oatmeal with strawberries left me staggering with a 21 ingredient difference, their European version having 5 ingredients and the American version having 26 ingredients. Why is this being justified?

I am concerned about how difficult it is for the average American to determine if what they are eating or drinking is making them ill. I wonder how other people are tackling these types of concerns.

alexgerber102 .