Health - Who's on First?

By Vincent DiBianca
Bio

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Like many, I’ve heard both sides of the ‘Cooking and Freezing in Plastic’ debate. A good friend recently sent me an email warning of the dangers of “microwaving and freezing food in plastic containers” accompanied with supportive research. Another friend responded by saying that the ‘authorities’ (including the FDA and Johns Hopkins University) say that Rubbermaid®, Tupperware®, plastic cookware and food wrap sold for home use have been thoroughly tested, only tiny traces of a plasticizer have been found, and even that is not an endocrine disrupter. This set off a productive dialogue about who to believe about what.

Another friend who is a prominent bio-chemist and clinical physiologist says the impact of synthetics has a major impact on compromising the immune system. (He contends that contrary to some reports, leaching from microwave cooking has been proven to occur in virtually all plastics and whether the plastic touches the food or not). Ugh!

Personally, I give little credence to much of the mainstream position on health and well-being. Unfortunately, doubting our ‘authorities’ leaves us unsure as to what to do. Over my career, I've done a fair amount of work with the FDA. At times, I've been dismayed by some of their inconsistent behavior, mixed messages, political maneuverings, compromised science, response to political pressure and unbelievable bureaucracy.

Although I'm wary of outlandish claims by conspiracy theorists (their assertions do nothing but generate more fear), I've become even more wary of how political interests and the drive for profits overrides true public concerns.

Given that we live in a dualistic mindset fueled by vested interests, it’s inevitable we’ll hear at least two sides on every issue. Whether it's the lack of scientific consensus around global warming or the virtues of peace versus war, synthetic versus natural products, bottled versus tap water, plastic versus paper bags, it’s an ongoing challenge to sort your way through the discussions and choose what actions to take.

Who are we to believe? There are always contrary views and each view brings its risks.

Another example: we’re told that most bottled water is better than most tap water. Yet some companies are reported to produce bottled water that is less pure than some municipal water systems. Not to mention that bottled water is stored in plastic containers. Like in the old Abbot and Costello skit about baseball, the persistent question is, "Who’s on first?”

Ultimately, each of us is left to make our own decisions based on our own judgments. Consider the input, trust yourself and choose. In my mind, plastic is a synthetic, non-biodegradable, non-digestible chemical derived from petroleum. Microwaves create unnatural and intense radiation that impacts the molecular structure and agitates molecular movement. So, putting any plastic in a microwave is likely to cause a leaching of some synthetic molecules into the food (food which is already over-processed, chemically-treated, preserved and artificially colored). But that’s another blog topic… So I choose to use this as a general tenet: if it’s artificial (synthetic, chemical, processed or is put through an unnatural, man-made process like a microwave), it’s my judgment that it’s not great for my immune system.
 
Who really knows who’s on first base? All I know is that it appears to me that if I do the following, I give myself the best chance of scoring a home run (that is, living a long, happy and healthy existence):

• Eat a lot of organic veggies and fruits
• Drink a lot of pure water
• Stay away from processed and refined foods (especially sugars and flour products)
• Eat raw food, as much as possible (eliminate use of the microwave)
• Stay away from pharmaceuticals, tobacco and alcohol
• Exercise 5 days a week
• Learn how to avoid or mitigate stresses in life (and have a great support system when I can’t)
• Laugh, play a lot and create joys in my life
• Meditate and pray
• Surround myself with love, forgiveness and compassion
• Do work that is inspiring and that is of service to others

Preachiness aside, the list isn’t bad. Some people are compelled to do some or all of this —others are not. Although I tend to follow these guidelines most of the time, I’ve strayed from a few items on the list lately and it has had its impact on me and my body.

I guess whether we live a happy and healthy life ultimately comes down to how we choose to live. The key is it’s always our choice.

Written by eldering at Health
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