It can be an extremely complex undertaking to fully understand someone’s dietary choices, and I know there are a million shades of grey in the process.  So, I don’t intend for this entry to be any kind of black-and-white truth.  Instead, I hope it will provoke a little thought and contemplation.

There are many reasons why someone might adopt a new eating regimen, or even faithfully adhere to an existing one.  But, what I’ve observed through the years is this; the more deeply rooted these reasons can be for a person, the more consistently and effortlessly the regimen can be followed.

For example, the majority of popular diets are built solely around weight loss.  This idea usually appeals to folk’s desire to look better as they drop some pounds. But if their desire (and/or addiction) to fattening, empty-calorie food remains greater than their desire to transform their body, they will not stay on the diet.  And even if they did manage to drop some weight, their motivation often wanes once they’ve achieved the goal.  This is why so many have such a rollercoaster experience with dieting; ultimately, their desire for (and/or addiction to) their old familiar ways proves stronger than their desire to change.

On the other hand, if someone’s reason for following an eating regimen is more deeply rooted than just the “skin-deep” cosmetic aspects, long-term change seems much easier to manage.  For example, if someone changes their diet for health reasons – say, because they were diagnosed with cancer or had a heart attack scare – that will usually motivate them profoundly to clean up their diet, because now it’s becoming a life-and-death issue.  Or, if someone is emotionally moved by the ethical or environmental ramifications of certain food choices, this could have a major impact on their choices, as well.

Take a look at this “Tree of Intention” thing I put together to illustrate this point:

Are most of your eating choices motivated by a 1, 2, 3, or 4?

You’ll notice that each part of the tree represents a different reason to follow a diet.  The leaves represent your physical appearance; the limbs represent your athletic prowess; the trunk represents your physical health and wellness; and the roots represent your influence on the earth and the world community of humans and animals. All can be valid, but let’s take a closer look at the motivating factors behind each:

1. The leaves are often the first thing you notice about a tree.  But beautiful leaves don’t necessarily tell the whole story about how healthy it may or may not be.  Similarly, a runway model or bodybuilder might look lean and mean on the outside, but if they had to adhere to an unhealthy diet to produce this effect (as they so often do), then this would be a one-dimensional diet designed for one primary result, pretty much at the expense of the rest of the “tree.”

2. Those who follow most any popular diet “from the limbs” – strictly for peak athletic performance reasons – often do so at the expense of their optimal health (given the amount of synthetic supplements and animal proteins such a diet usually calls for), and to the detriment of any ethical/environmental consciousness.  After all, it’s all about peak performance…at any cost.

3. If one chooses a regimen for health reasons, this is more solid – like a tree trunk – because there is usually more thought that goes into each meal or snack choice, as well as a number of other factors.  However, if someone is misinformed about what truly healthy food is, then their choices can still be detrimental to the conscious living aspect.

4. When someone is deeply rooted in their choices and most conscious about the big picture ramifications of their regimen, they will choose to eat low on the food chain.  This is the most ethically conscious way to eat, and also what is in greatest consideration of the planet.  And, when done properly, it also happens to support every aspect of the rest of the “tree,” as well!

Obviously, for any given meal or snack at any given time, people can choose to be motivated by any of these reasons.  But as a general practice, I would encourage someone to integrate as many of these as possible…from the roots up.

The Roots Test

Therein lies the secret to it all as far as I’m concerned: as long as the food choice is sustainable (for all the reasons we always talk about around here), I think it’s fine to be motivated to eat something for athletic performance reasons or even physical appearance reasons, as well. And why not?  Our physical bodies are part of our inner expression in the same way our clothing might be, so why not understand how the food we eat affects the way we look?  Besides, the more of these things we have in alignment with a particular way of eating, the more effortless it becomes to stay on track…

BR

Today was the day I decided to write my annual Thanksgiving blog.  I usually talk about redefining tradition, questioning the hand-me-down rituals we were born into, and contemplating how a more evolved world might choose to celebrate a holiday centered around gratitude, love and well-being.  The topic has been on the back burner of my brain these past few days, and I’ve been thinking a lot about our various traditions this time of year.  In fact, I had a great time at the annual Thankful Turkeys Celebration at Animal Acres last Saturday and really recognized that, with over 300 people now celebrating Thanksgiving a few days early with entirely vegan food, we were all part of a new LA-area tradition, now four years strong.  It was a beautiful thing.

Also, it has occurred to me: for as steadfast as I am in my convictions about veganism, I recognize that it wasn’t always this way for me, just as it might not currently be for many of you; my dear readers.  Hell, I come from a family of devout hunters and fishermen.  I know the deal.  Some of my greatest childhood memories were fishing with my dad on the glassy lakes of Conroe, Texas.

And my grandfather on my dad’s side?  Shit.  You couldn’t find a more dedicated or prolific outdoorsman than Leavy Brock.  He was like a wise old Zen master, the way he would quietly lead us through the woods, shotguns in hand, mindful and observant of every plant, tree, critter and paw print in our midst.  His reverence and respect for nature was awe-inspiring.  Of course, for most animal advocacy folks, it is incomprehensible how anyone could revere nature on one hand, and kill any part of it with the other.  BUT – that’s the point I think I’m trying to make here.  I believe I have great empathy for so many who are comfortably in the routine of those cultural traditions.  How could I not?  I was, as well (to a large degree), until I was in my late 20’s.

But then…I began to question them.

Outrage, Anger and the New “Dreaded Comparison”

So…with all of this in mind, I was ready to step into a nice flow of consciousness and see what I could come up with.  But before I even had a chance to sit down and philosophize with the ol’ laptop tonight, I’ve had to taste the bitter irony of a particularly disturbing news item from Nepal.  It’s been brewing for weeks, but finally busted wide open today, as a handful of e-mails hit my inbox to remind me.

I’m speaking, of course, of the Gadhimai festival: a “centuries-old” Hindu ritual that honors the goddess, Gadhimai, through massive animal sacrifice every five years.

Hundreds of thousands of Hindus were on hand earlier today near a temple in Nepal as over 200,000 animals (mainly buffaloes, goats, chickens and pigeons) had their throats slit by sword-weilding butchers.  Why?  Because it is believed that this goddess will bless their lives with good luck and prosperity, if they sacrifice the lives of innocent animals.

How fucking ridiculous.

Butchers, in pre-kill ritual

And that seemed to be the consensus for many who heard about this…especially those who took the time to e-mail me.  After all, we see it as senseless and absurd…an archaic tradition born multiple generations ago, when a far less evolved consciousness governed the world.

And then it hit me.

Could there possibly be a connection – on any level – between the Gadhimai tradition that those people practice, and the Thanksgiving Day tradition that our people practice?

Think about it.

Although Thanksgiving didn’t take root as an official annual holiday in our culture until 1863, we all know the origins: In the fall of 1621, it was a three-day celebration that the pilgrims put together for their Indian friends, who had saved their asses from a failed harvest and taught them how to survive in the New World.  The celebratory food included many of the regional favorites from those times (which, by the way, many historians believe included mainly deer and fish, and not turkey).

Eventually, of course, a unified culinary theme took shape, and the poor turkey was to be designated as the traditional animal of choice for this meal…as opposed to being America’s national bird (instead of the eagle) as Ben Franklin suggested.

So now, we have our tradition.  And it includes artificially breeding and housing these intelligent beings in barbaric living quarters 24/7…

And…instead of slitting their throats out in public like those “vile Nepalese motherfuckers,” we just hang them upside down and have assembly line-style machinery do it for us, behind closed doors.

Typical factory farm protocol for killing turkeys

Mind you, all of this is carried out for us in the name of a holiday that’s all about the celebration of friends, family, love and appreciation.

How fucking ridiculous.

Now, before everyone goes nuclear on me for drawing this parallel, I’ll remind you; all of those animals sacrificed in Nepal were ultimately eaten by the participants, so this wasn’t JUST an episode of mass murder for the symbology of it.  They basically cut their animal’s throats, then ate ‘em, just as our culture does.  But because they did it out in public – and for reasons that we think are preposterous – we condemn their behavior without even taking a closer look at our own.  Additionally…

• They killed over 200,000 animals this year for their tradition, while we will kill 50 million of ours (and that’s just turkeys).
• Many of their animals were part of a more traditional family farm environment, right up until sacrifice time.  99% of ours lived in cramped, unnatural and deplorable conditions as part of the factory farming industry.  (Most of the remaining 1% – who come from “free range” and more “natural” farms – actually do not fare much better and often wind up at the slaughterhouse for “processing,” anyway.)
• These people engaged in prayer and “holy ritual” before the killing began; I don’t think the average slaughterhouse employee could say the same.

Now – just to be clear – I AM IN NO WAY TRYING TO AGGRANDIZE OR EVEN JUSTIFY THE LUNACY THAT WENT ON IN NEPAL!  I’m merely offering a devil’s advocate perspective so, perhaps, we won’t continue to aggrandize and justify what WE do.  Accept the notion or reject the notion as you wish.  But, at the very least, consider all that I’m saying here and simply ask, “If I am appalled by the tragic and brutal loss of life over there, why am I not appalled by the tragic and brutal loss of life over here?”

On a Brighter Note…

Let’s finish up with a few links and a quick vid of some of my turkey pals from Animal Acres.  They are such interesting, lucid and unique beings.  None of them deserve to die for someone’s dinner, any more than a dog, cat, or any other animal being would.  And while I refuse to turn my eyes away from the carnage that I know will be going down on Thursday, these are the critters I will try to focus on.  The lucky ones who remind us all of the preciousness of every life.

Many blessings and good times to you and yours this holiday season.  Here are a few links for more food for thought, and alternative foods to eat!;

Special Holiday Message Page: http://www.veggiezone.com/thanksgiving

My ‘08 Thanksgiving blog

My ‘07 Thanksgiving blog

Alicia Silverstone’s (The Kind Life) Thanksgiving Blogs (Lottsa good food inspiration!)

Peace,

BR

For those of you who have been following our story around here on Mila the Miracle Kitty (click here for the original post), we have good news.  Mila has been adopted by a wonderful family here in LA!  Her new forever home includes a human mom and dad, and older and younger kitty siblings.

Mila (left) with her fellow rescue and good buddy, Teddy

Here’s the beautiful irony: As you will recall, we met Mila at the shelter as basically just another “nuisance feral,” teetering on the verge of death; another disposal kitty who was destined to die anonymously on the street.  But once she healed up and the Militant went to work on finding her a home – which included appearances at live adoptions, postings at petfinder.com and her very own YouTube video – this little kitty became one of the most “in demand” companion animals that the Militant has ever tried to place.  (And we’re talking many dozens of cats and dogs through the years, friends…)

The e-mails were pouring in for Mila almost faster than the Militant could keep up with them.  And even with the rigid adoption criteria (courtesy of both the Militant and our rescue partners, Kitten Rescue) there were many worthy candidates who expressed interest in, and even formally applied for, Mila.  Still, the Militant feels like the full circle of destiny has been completed with the exact family that was chosen for Mila.  We’re all thrilled.

Teddy

More good news: I wanted to mention that one of Mila’s best pals and fellow fosters, Teddy (pictured above with Mila), also found a fantastic home this week.  The Militant “ran across” Teddy during a routine TNR (trap, neuter, return) operation near her home.  Although technically feral, Teddy had gotten used to the humans who had been feeding him all his life.  This, combined with his exceedingly sweet and gentle demeanor, made him an excellent candidate for “relocation” to a proper forever home.  Sure enough, the Militant was able to find him an excellent family, as well.

It’s all good, people…

BR

As mentioned a few entries ago, I would like to open things up a bit more around here and delve into the aspect of mind/body/spirit living that deals with peak performance and increased creativity.  So, as a major foundational component to this end, let’s jump right into it with what I feel is one of the most important, life-altering things you could ever know about the brain and its role in performance and creativity; whole-brain thinking.

Using Both Sides of Your Brain

In the early 70’s, we took a major step forward in understanding how the brain works.  Through extensive research, a Nobel Prize-winning neurologist named Roger Sperry confirmed that each of the two sides, or hemispheres, of the brain (known simply as the “left-brain” and the “right-brain”) serve a distinctly different function.

Left-brain function has to do with tangible, structured things such as logic, words, numbers, analysis, lists, form, calculation, sequence and language. Right-brain function is more abstract and creative-oriented, dealing with color, music, art, rhythm, imagination, daydreaming, space, emotion and dimension.  To reach our true intellectual and creative potential, we will want to develop and condition both sides of the brain… even if our primary expression is based primarily toward the left (as a scientist) or to the right (as a painter).

Obviously, we use some part of both sides in everything we do.  But it had commonly been assumed that creative or artistic people are almost exclusively right-brain types, while accountants and “science” people are almost exclusively left-brainers.  And yet, when it comes to really studying peak human performance and mental capacity, we find that some of our greatest geniuses have had impressive development on both sides of the brain.  Let’s look at two of them: Leonardo da Vinci and Albert Einstein.

Da Vinci was a brilliant artist, perhaps best known for his classic paintings, “Mona Lisa” and “The Last Supper.” Einstein was one of our most renowned scientists, bringing to the world the Theory of Relativity and many other revelations.  So one might deduce that da Vinci was mainly right brain and Einstein mainly left.  Not so.

As it turns out, da Vinci famously exhibited incredible left-brain development.  He was an inventor and visionary with a staggering aptitude for math, science, astronomy, engineering, and many other disciplines.  Heavy left-brain.

At the same time, Einstein was much more right-brain than most people know.  He was a concert level violinist, he loved to paint, and one of his favorite “hobbies” was daydreaming.  In other words, heavy right-brain.

So what this tells us is that it’s the development of the whole brain – both the left and right sides – that leads us to our greatest capacity.  This happens for two primary reasons:

1) As we develop both hemispheres, we are stimulating more brain cells and expanding the brain’s overall working capacity.

2) In both creative and scientific endeavors, we actually engage a lot of mind-power from both sides of the brain.

Think about it.  Beyond the obvious right-brain aspects of, say, making music, it is also a very left-brain activity, as well. There are the issues of song structure and arrangement, scales, keys, time signatures, drum rudiments, effects processing, dexterity, midi technology, digital audio software, running sound through a complex network of microphones, wires and outboard gear, and a myriad of other left-brain elements.

Conversely, it is typically the creative, outside-the-box kind of right-brain thinking that partners with the methodical left-brain power of our scientific minds that brings about our greatest innovations. In fact, it was Einstein’s “riding on a sunbeam” daydream that was the impetus for his theory that the universe is curved and finite.

So for anyone wanting to increase their overall brain capacity and function, the hot ticket is in conditioning both sides of the brain.

There is much, much more we can talk about on this subject, and we will.  In the days ahead, we’ll get into specifics about how the art and science of whole-brain thinking can really take things to the next level in whatever you do.

BR

I’m sure we can all appreciate Al Gore’s contribution to an expanded global awareness on various environmental concerns.  At the same time, many of us “in the know” in the animal advocacy community have been disappointed by his blatant side-stepping of the science regarding animal agriculture and the resulting environmental catastrophes. So, at last…it’s nice to hear him publicly admit this connection on Larry King…as low-key of an admission as it may have been.  (It’s interesting how he rightfully positions the factory farming industry as the main culprit where these environment issues are concerned, without underscoring the fact that 99% of all animal products come from this industry!)

I have other thoughts and feelings to share on this subject but, for now, let’s celebrate the little victory here and acknowledge that, at the very least, we’ve taken another step closer the MOST inconvenient of truths; animal agriculture as we know it – on a planet that’s pushing seven billion and beyond – is simply unsustainable.

BR

This app, to me, is technology at its finest.  It’s essentially a meditation aid that provides ambient sounds and a timer to lead you through your sessions.  You select one of over a dozen basic soundscapes which are comprised of various musical drones, nature sounds, white noise or, in a few instances, some combination thereof.

The main interface for selecting your basic soundscape.

Then, you mix in one of over a dozen entrainment drones, which are much more subtle, but are said to aid the brainwaves “sync up” more effectively.  I’m not exactly sure how this works, but I do feel a greater sense of “locking in” when I add some of this to the basic soundscape.

There are dozens of possible combinations, each with their own vibe, and they all really enhance the meditation experience.  I use my regular iPhone ear-buds, and this added dimension of sound helps to focus the mind and block out other potentially distracting noises.  Also, the stopwatch feature is killer.  It makes it easy to grab shorter sessions here and there throughout the day as you take five minutes here or fifteen minutes there to vibe out with a little “medi” time.

Still, I think there’s something to be said for going old school with your meditation practice, as well, and delving off into the silence for your usual extended sessions.  But – this is a great addition and highly recommended.

B

Benny

Yes, friends, it’s been a difficult evening.  We lost another great one tonight, this time much too soon.  And for any of you who’ve had to deal with the agony of euthanizing an animal – of literally watching the light go out – let me tell you, it never gets any easier.

Benny was truly a special being.  He lived pretty much all of his short life with the Militant – my dear friend who I’ve recently blogged about in some of our rescue journeys – and held a special place in the hearts of all who met him…especially other animals.  (For those of you who saw that Mila the Miracle Kitty video a few entries ago, “Uncle Benny” was the very patient Siamese who Mila was playing with toward the end.)

With rescue-related stories so often being about humans affecting animal’s lives, I wanted to share with you all an e-mail that the Militant sent out to those in her inner circle, announcing Benny’s passing tonight.  Clearly, this is a story about a “rescue” affecting all of the lives around him, both human and animal.

____________________

E-mail from the Militant:

In Loving Memory of Benny
May 1, 2008 – November 10, 2009

Gio and I rescued Benny off the streets of North Hills in June of 2008, from a terrible neighborhood where few cats survive. He was only 5 weeks old.

Eric, a homeless man we knew in that alleyway, wanted to adopt Benny, but we convinced him that it wasn’t the best idea. He agreed, but asked if he could at least name him. “Please call him ‘Benjamin’, but call him ‘Benny’ for short”, he said. And so, from that moment onward, this beautiful spirit, housed in an equally beautiful body of a Siamese cat, was known as “Benny.”

A very young Benjamin!

From the second we met Benny, his independent, strong-minded, tenacious, and spirited personality came shining threw like a bright light. We knew instantly…this was a special being…dignified, considerate, patient, intelligent, and kind.

Not too long after his arrival, I began to call Benny “my Prozac.” Benny would light up the room with his zest and love for life, and would put a smile on your lips, without fail. He embodied and exuded joy – pure, carefree, loving joy.

Benny was a friend to all he knew. He was every bit the rescuer that I ever hoped I’d be. When a new dog or cat came in the house, Benny took it upon himself to help that animal and befriend them. He would groom the kittens, patiently allow them to suckle on him, and lovingly play with them. He would teach the poorly socialized cats (and dogs) how to be more social with others and how to play. He would take on any “problem animal” as his own personal project, and not give up on him/her, as many times as he/she would push him away. He would persist until they would give in and until they were “rehabilitated” – Bo (a one year-old cat with no kitty social skills whatsoever) being his most successful project! In return, Bo ended up worshiping Benny, and did not leave his side in the last two weeks when Benny was ill. Wherever Benny went, Bo followed, loyally. Bo loved his best friend.

Benny’s stay with us here on earth was very short, but his mission was clear and profound: heal others through joy and love. He was a dignified being who lived his life passionately, and completely fulfilled the purpose of his spirit’s incarnation. He came, he did what he knew he had come here to do, and he made his exit, back to the other realm.

We all loved this special boy, and will miss him so dearly. I know the days ahead will be difficult for those of us who knew him well, as we will mourn the loss of our sweet Benny (especially poor Bo, who keeps going to the window and crying for him, wondering where he went). But I know that he will come and visit us still, and that his legacy of kindness and joy will live on through all the beings, four-legged and two-legged, whose hearts he’s touched so deeply in his brief stay here on earth.

To my rescue partner, child, and friend….

Thank you for blessing my life with your presence.

I will miss you.

(The Militant)

____________________

Unfortunately, Benny had a terminal condition and tonight was his time to go.  We had to hasten the inevitable slightly, though, so his suffering was minimal. I was at the hospital with the Militant and her sister, and we were all around him as he made the transition.  At least he left this plane in peace, surrounded by love.

There is an incomprehensible sanctity to every animal’s life.  And while Benny’s passing is certainly a reminder of this truth…his life was the embodiment of it.

We love you, Benny -

B

Hey Everyone -

With total mind/body/spirit living being our overriding theme here, I’ve been wanting to expand the blog a bit to include some cool stuff from the peak performance/artistic realm. This might include things like whole-brain thinking, increasing creativity, or anything that stimulates the muse or expands the mind.

To set the tone for what’s to come, I wanted to share another A Season in the Warrior Utopia excerpt that really brings under scrutiny one of the largely unchallenged perils of modern American living; Using our minds like a garbage can! Yes, we know there’s junk food for our bodies and we have a pretty good idea what overindulging can do. But what about “junk food” for our minds? Is there such a thing and, if so, what price do we pay for overindulging in that department?

Read on:

Excerpt from; A Season in the Warrior Utopia by Bobby Rock

Soul Food

Day 41 – 11:55 PM (Guest Quarters)

Sat in on a fascinating social studies lecture today at the university with Dr. Su Malitia Lee.  She made an interesting parallel between the junk food many modern societies take into their bodies and the junk food they take into their minds.  It was a logical premise, but I guess I never quite made the connection this way.  Here’s the overview:

Eating tons of empty calorie junk food weakens the body on two levels:  it’s devoid of the critical nutrients you need to thrive, and its toxic properties have a negative impact on many aspects of your physical well-being.  Likewise, taking in a bunch of “junk food” for your mind – like stupid-ass TV shows, mindless water cooler gossip, celebrity chatter and paparazzi nonsense, brain-melting video games, prolonged exposure to shitty music, annoying commercials and bad films, etc. – weakens your mind in similar ways.  It’s devoid of the critical stimulation that your brain requires to function anywhere near capacity, and its toxic properties have a negative impact on many aspects of your mental well-being.

This point could not have been driven home any harder than by spending a little time in a place like Zentauria.  I mean, think about it: we have 200 trillion connectors firing within the molecular network of our brain, and yet, we seldom bother to memorize the seven digits of a phone number.  We have access to a bottomless reservoir of top quality music, literature, poetry, movies, documentaries, and art, and yet we’re all at home watching “Extreme Makeovers.”  In fact, objectively speaking, some of what we see and hear in pop culture these days is so devoid of anything substantive, that if I were to challenge you to think of anything more brainless, I doubt you could do it.

Now, I’m not suggesting that we completely abandon all of our pop culture goodies, because there can certainly be value in the relaxation/diversion/escapism aspect of mindless entertainment.  [Even the Zentaurians have their version of this, although it’s explored far less often and is far more benign than our version.]

It’s analogous to occasionally enjoying one of the many vegan desserts out there, such as  soy ice cream, vegan chocolate mousse, or peanut butter cookies.  We would not, however, want to do it all the time or in place of real food that provides us with proper nourishment.  Likewise, we want to keep a handle on how often we fall into zombie mode in front of the tube, flipping through the 900-channel abyss of mind-softening schlock that is so rampant there.  It would be like a world-class athlete being relegated to only 15 minutes a day of minimal physical movement.  What’s going to happen to that finely-tuned body with all of that inactivity?  It will atrophy, just as our minds will.

There is real truth to the old cliché “use it or lose it.”  But this applies to both the mind and body.  And I must admit that I have been prone to my version of junk food distraction in both areas at times, especially when I’ve felt frustrated, directionless, or uncertain about things.  This kind of sensory escapism can be a welcomed friend, let me tell you.  But now that I’ve been free from it (largely because it simply isn’t available here!), I must admit that I’ve felt new levels of clarity and mental fitness.  There is more richness to my life.  I feel sharper, clearer.  And I feel as if much of what I’m taking in here is a sort of “soul food.” That is, things that truly feed the soul and strengthen the mind, instead of things that medicate you into a fucking couch potato stupor.

One other interesting parallel that Dr. Lee pointed out was the timeless Zentaurian principle of cultivation and how our junk food choices in one area of the mind/body realm can affect the other.  For example, as someone reaches for that bag of chips for a little binge action, they are cultivating a sense of excessive sensation or escapism through the physical body (via their sense of taste, smell, etc.)  This will often lead to a similar cultivation in the mind, as you sit down to watch some shitty television.  Notice how the two often tie in together?  Fun, mindless, food; fun, mindless TV (or similar distraction).  The overall theme is usually about escaping or medicating, and the cultivation of this theme in one area will often domino its way into another.

This is why many on the higher path are exceedingly careful about going down the “sensory overload” road on any level.  Because once you open the door in one area, you are cultivating an idea that could seek expression in other areas.  Interesting stuff.

How much of all this will I retain and/or practice when and if I return home?  I’m not sure.  A little mindless TV and a bowl of Purely Decadent Peanut Butter Zig Zag Soy Ice Cream still sounds enticing to me on a certain level.  So I don’t want to make a hard-nosed case against it.  But to what extent such indulgences will still hold value to me… I’m not sure.

© 2009 Bobby Rock

___________________________

The purpose of this entry is two-fold: 1) To expose the how and why of the inexcusable misinformation that’s become so prevalent in the world of health and wellness.  2) To show how standing up to these injustices can pay off from time to time.

A Serious Injustice

Our story begins with a recent marketing sham from our pals at Kellogg’s.  Direct from the “You’ve gotta be fucking kidding me” department, newer boxes of their Rice Krispies product line have the word “Immunity” emblazoned across the cover in a font size that rivals the actual product name.  It’s part of a tagline that says, “Now Helps Support Your Child’s Immunity.”  This is, of course, criminal in its implication, as these products are light years away from being able to offer any form of quantifiable immunity from anything.

So what’s their angle?  That by jacking up the amount of vitamins A, B, C and E from 10% to 25% of the recommended daily allowance, this cereal will bolster one’s immune system.  Which brings us back to MY tagline for the day:  “You’ve gotta be fucking kidding me.”

Friends…through all my years of study and research in health and nutrition, I’ve seen an awful lot of stretching, bending and distorting of facts when it comes to the marketing of many foods and supplements.  So much, in fact, that you would think I would be “immune” to the insanity by now.  I’m not.  In fact, when I see this stuff, I still get very frustrated sometimes.  And when I think about some well-meaning parent buying this shit for their kids because of what they read on the box, I get pissed.

So, as this Kellogg’s deal is sort of a classic case in point, allow me to illustrate exactly why and how this is such nonsense, in three easy strikes:

Strike One: With vitamin C being among the most promising of their “immunity builders” here, let’s do the quick math on the actual amount you would be getting.  Okay, the USRDA for vitamin C (which happens to be an embarrassingly low standard, by the way) is 60 mgs.  25% of that would only be 15 mgs.  Compare that to the 1000 mgs. minimum you should be getting everyday.  (I usually take in over 2000 mgs. per day, and that’s in consideration of all the other antioxidants I ingest.)  And if you feel a cold coming on and/or find yourself under a lot of physical or mental stress, you can head on up toward 3000 mgs. in many cases (spread out over the course of the day), so long as you’re not taking a bunch of other stuff.  So, if we’re talking about getting any reasonable amount of vitamin C to quantifiably affect your immune system, 15 mgs. isn’t shit.  (Such is also the case with the miniscule amounts that this cereal has of the other vitamins listed.)

Strike Two: These kinds of cereals are so heavily processed and devoid of anything substantive (including even a minimal amount of fiber), that all of these vitamins and minerals have to be “fortified” back into the product via a process where the cereal is sprayed with nutrients.  This means that the nutrients can actually “wash off” the cereal when wet.  So if you don’t drink the (hopefully soy or rice) milk, you won’t even get many of these nutrients, anyway.

Strike Three: For all that is NOT present in this cereal, let’s take a quick look at what actually is:

Cocoa Krispies ingredients: Rice, Sugar, Cocoa Processed with Alkali, Semisweet Chocolate (Sugar, Chocolate, Anhydrous Dextrose), Partially Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil (one or more of Coconut, Soybean and/or Cottonseed), Salt, Malt Flavoring, Calcium Carbonate, High Fructose Corn Syrup Artificial Flavor, Ascorbic Acid and Sodium Ascorbate (Vitamin C), Iron, Alpha Tocopherol Acetate (Vitamin E), Niacinamide, Zinc Oxide, Vitamin A Palmitate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Thiamin Hydrochloride (Vitamin B1), Folic Acid, BHT (preservative), Vitamin D, Vitamin B12, less Than 0.5g Trans Fat Per Serving

This ingredient list pretty much speaks for itself.  Just know that one serving (which they consider a paltry 1 oz., or 3/4 of a cup), contains about three teaspoons of sugar.  More realistically, triple that for a typical bowl of cereal and you’re looking at nine teaspoons of sugar, a gram of artery-clogging trans fat and a measly amount of synthetic nutrients…some percentage of which you might not even assimilate.  So even if you were to pound down a larger serving of this cereal in an effort to get more nutrients, you are getting commensurately more bad stuff in the process.  Meanwhile, I see nothing about this product on any level that shows promise of boosting immunity.

Which brings us to…

A Little Bit of Justice

While there have been a fair number of rumblings around the web (and elsewhere) about this lunacy, someone was able to successfully press Kellogg’s for some accountability.  San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera recently notified A.D. David Mackay, the president and CEO of Kellogg, that he had 30 days to offer specific evidence that Cocoa Krispies really does help support a kid’s immune system.  The result?  Kellogg’s announced today that they will pull this claim from the packaging, “given the public attention on H1N1.”  Whatever their official rationale for so quickly acquiescing, I don’t care.  I’m just thrilled about the outcome, and about the spotlight that has been directed toward this kind of deceitful marketing.

Back at you in a day or two,

BR

For all who still wonder how deep an animal’s consciousness, awareness or capacity for emotion may run, look no further than a recent National Geographic story that’s been making the rounds.  It’s about a chimp named Dorothy who had recently died in her late-40’s at the Sanaga-Yong Chimpanzee Rescue Center in Cameroon…and a very compelling photo that says it all.

Dorothy’s mom was killed when she was young, then she was “sold into slavery” to some fucked-up West African amusement park. She spent 25 years – yes, 25 years – with a chain around her neck, tethered to a post in the ground.  Ongoing activities included patrons teasing and provoking her, and watching as she was taught to entertain everyone by drinking beer and smoking cigarettes.

After ill-health starting catching up with her in 2000, she was eventually taken from this hell-hole and relocated to the rescue center.  Once she had a chance to recover, her true nature began to surface, which, by all accounts, was saintly.  She won over the alpha male of the group (named Jacky), became close friends with another amusement park survivor (named Nama), and even played momma to an orphaned chimp (named Bouboule).  She was loved and admired by both her fellow chimps and human caretakers.

So…when she died of heart failure last September, it was a dark day around there.  The management at the rescue decided to let all the chimps observe her burial, just so they could gain a sense of closure.  As expected, many of the chimps responded with displays of aggression and “barks” of frustration.  Unexpected, however, were the interludes of silence that hung in the air during the ceremony.  This is very uncharacteristic of chimps, and a poignant reminder to us of their capacity for not only understanding the finality of death, but also the burning grief of loss.

This picture was taken during the burial.

Dorothy’s extended family, watching the burial procedure.

Now, this is a group of chimps, in a safe, loving environment, watching in grief as their loved one is buried.  We all know that pain.  Grieving is a very natural and necessary part of the process of how we deal with death.  But with this image in mind, can you imagine what it must be like for animals in slaughterhouses, laboratories, or kill shelters to have to witness what they witness?

And…as a society, do we really want to continue to bullshit ourselves into thinking that they aren’t “getting” what’s going on?

They get it.

B