Hello, this is my body diary.
I'm trying to figure out what works best for me, and how to live sustainably in Metro Manila and everywhere else.
♥ Feanne
I look up to people who practice what they preach, and Carlos Celdran is one of them. Yesterday I was texting him about how I wished for more influential people— especially bloggers who now command so much attention— to be less consumerist, and to be more vocal about relevant issues today, such as the need for sustainable lifestyle. As influencers of public opinion and role models of the youth, these “tastemakers” have a great responsibility to contribute to the greater good, and to serve as good examples especially for the younger generation of Filipinos.
During this text conversation, Carlos revealed that he had just turned down Robinsons Galleria— “they wanted me to promote them as a tourist attraction,” he explained. Naturally, his reaction was a definite refusal. Well, I guess I can credit Robinsons for having the good taste to want Carlos as their endorser. I’m just amused that they would think he’d actually agree.
I told Carlos that he’s a hero, just like Feist. Did you know that Feist once turned down a million dollar offer from Mcdonald’s for one of her songs? She said: “I don’t eat at McDonald’s, why would I have anything to do with McDonald’s? It’s just an evil force that is tearing the world apart - it’s like the Death Star! I’ve been offered a lot of different things that flicker past for just a second. Because it’s such a ridiculous idea you don’t even pause on them. McDonald’s was one of those years ago.”
I myself used to blog about brands, but eventually found that writing in the name of consumerism was tiring and soul-draining. I even ended up crying in front of my laptop screen while typing up a paid blog post about whitening soap, wondering why I allowed myself to take a job that required me to advertise products I was strongly against. Not everything about that job was negative, to be fair, but anyway, of course it didn’t last long.
I always try to remain constructive in my response to issues I care about. Of course a certain amount of criticism is necessary, and I show that by personally boycotting certain companies such as Mcdonald’s and Starbucks. Recently I also added SM to that list because I’m tired of their hyperconsumerism, and complete lack of regard for sustainable living (or they just pay lip service to it), and honestly, because I’m annoyed that they’re constructing another monstrosity near me, at the corner of Sucat road and President’s Ave. which is a tiny tiny intersection. No urban planning at all! So, I’ve sworn off SM establishments until further notice.
I’m keeping in mind that every peso I spend is a vote for the kind of world I want to live in.
Criticism and boycotting are minor parts of my advocacy though. I do these when necessary, but I limit the amount of energy I spend on them, and of course I refrain from being fanatical or extremist about anything. So, I’ll be honest and straightforward if I’m arguing about something I strongly believe in, but I’m not going to nag you, or stop being friends with you, or insult you for eating junk food. I’m not perfect myself, I still indulge in junk food sometimes too! I still get tempted to go on consumeristic shopping sprees now and then too! We just gotta keep trying to do better.
Anyway, I’d rather be positive and creative in my efforts. Hence this blog about sustainable living, and my efforts to promote Filipino products by awesome companies such as Down To Earth and Holy Carabao, as well as awesome educational resources such as the Weston A. Price Foundation and the work of Michael Pollan.
Inspired by the efforts of advocates such as Carlos Celdran— who are consistent with their beliefs, word, and deeds— I’m committing to continuing and improving my own advocacy for sustainable living. Today I’m trying to start a project aimed at educating young people about food and health. I don’t have any professional qualifications, but I can share what I’ve learned through my own personal experience and research, and I can also share the multitude of free educational materials I’ve found. Wish me luck! Or get in touch with me if you’re interested and you want to get involved. :)
I figured I’d show you guys what lip balms I use. :D Watermelon lip balm, Choco Vanilla lip balm, and “Island Kiss” tinted lip balm. Here are the ingredients lists:
Let me tell you why I choose to kill animals to satisfy my hunger.
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But first! An important disclaimer:
I am not a health professional of any sort, and have received no formal education in this field. I’m only sharing here what I’ve learned, and am learning, about what works for my own body, based on personal research and experimentation. Please remember that each body is different and what works for me may not work for you. Based on my own experiences, and those of others, I am confident in believing that the human body responds positively— enthusiastically!— to a good range of wholesome, natural foods (combined of course with proper exercise, rest, and a healthy spirit).
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Meat Is Yummy
Totally bummed by thought of killing cute and adorable animals, but… some of them are deeee-lish!
Meat Is Part Of A Healthy Diet
… if you choose. Depends on how you prepare it, what kind of meat it is, how it was processed, where it came from, how often you consume it. And of course, how much of it you eat in relation to other foods. Still gotta eat more of the veggies and fruits!
It is possible to live healthily off of plant-based foods alone but you have to do some hardcore research[1] on it and learn how to keep up your calcium, riboflavin, vitamin D, vitamin B12, and iron levels. You’ll need at least a vitamin B12 supplement. That’s enough proof for me that meat is a natural part of the human omnivore diet. I’d rather stick to this natural design.
However, armed with proper knowledge and vitamin supplements, I believe a healthy vegetarian diet is achievable, and it’s a personal choice that ought to be respected.
But Meat Means Killing
Alright, I don’t actually do the killing myself. But the fact is, eating meat means the meat-source has to be killed first, whether by myself or by someone else whom I pay to do it. That’s something that I, as a meat-eatin’ human bean, must come to terms with.
Humans are more important to me than animals; so killing animals, in an ethical and sustainable manner, for human consumption, is okay with my conscience.
— Why are humans more important than animals?
Are humans really so much more important than other living beings? In the greater scheme of things, who knows? But, humans are definitely more important to me. Simply because I am a human being myself. What I mean by this statement is that, if I had to choose between saving a cow and saving a person, I’d save the person. Similarly, if I had to choose between benefitting a chicken (letting it live) or benefitting a person (my sister eating a chicken bbq) I’d let my sister have her chicken bbq. Now, there are some obvious qualifiers to this. Like if I had to choose between saving a cow, and saving a serial rapist murderer… And, obviously, pets are off the menu, because they’ve forged special relationships with their humans.
— Why is it okay to make animals suffer?
It isn’t. But I still think it’s worse to make humans suffer hunger. Also… we’re sure animals can feel pain but we’re not actually sure if animals can suffer. It’s partly a philosophical question (defining suffering as a function of sentience and self-awareness, which we’re not sure animals have) and partly a scientific question (do animals possess the physiological capability to suffer, and how do we measure this).[2] Anyway, I think that as responsible and compassionate human beings we should try to minimize the amount of pain or suffering they get, and try to give them the happiest healthiest lives, and the most humane deaths, possible. It is certainly possible for them to have happier lives inside nice sustainable farms, as compared to living in the wild.
— Do we really need to eat meat?
I think that those who don’t want to eat meat, don’t have to. This is thanks to the modern invention of supplements. As I’ve stated earlier, if you intend to live off of plant food alone you’ll need plenty of research and at least a vitamin B12 supplement. Would it be more sustainable to have the whole human race turn vegetarian?
I don’t think it’s that simple. If the whole human race turned vegetarian, does this guarantee that they would all be eating sustainably-produced food? Not necessarily. If you’re growing genetically-modified fruits and veggies with synthetic fertilizers and toxic pesticides in a monoculture farming system, you’d still be environmentally destructive! So I think the more important thing would be, to make all farming as sustainable as possible. Part of sustainability means, the farming system depends on the local species, soil type, climate, etc. These things vary from place to place. I don’t have comprehensive knowledge of all the farmable land on the planet, so I’m not certain if there is actually enough farmable land to be used solely for arable farming to feed a 100% vegetarian human race. Furthermore, even arable farming kills animals (field mice, rabbits, deer, and other critters whose natural habitat is displaced by the farm, or they get accidentally killed by harvest machines), potentially killing even more animals than animal farming.[3]
I Can Honor The Meat
I’m thinking about our relationship with food.
In today’s supermarket, I can buy a box of chicken nuggets, each one a neatly rounded bite-sized cube of homogenized “meat”, no blood, no bones. The product appears, like magic, on the supermarket shelves, without any explanation of how it got there. I could eat chicken nuggets every day, without thinking about real live chickens, without even knowing if I’m eating meat from a hundred different individual chickens— or none at all. I mean, with all the synthesized filler ingredients, would I even notice if there weren’t any real chicken in it?
Back then, everyone had to gather their own berries and kill their own wild boar. They did not have to deal with flashy packaging, tricky ingredients labels or shady corporations. They had to come face-to-face with the animals that ended up being their dinner. Everyone knew where their food came from, what was in it, and how it was made. That connection is important, because then you know that your food comes from somewhere, and you see that it costs life and energy.
If I’m aware that every time I eat meat, an animal was killed for my benefit, then I’m going to have to be more responsible about three things:
1.) Get the most value out of the meal. I mean, this creature lost its life to satisfy my hunger. I’m responsible for its death; let me make sure it did not die in vain. I must finish food on my plate— and to avoid the potential gluttony of this rule— I must make sure, in the first place, that I do not buy more than I really need or want.
2.) Get meat from somewhere that raises and slaughters animals in a responsible (sustainable and ethical) way. If I’m going to have animals killed for my benefit, at least let me spare them cruelty. Most commercial meat today comes from factory farms, which are horrible places of torment and filth [4]. In these factory farms, it’s not only the animals who suffer the torment and filth, it’s also people— underpaid overworked and often abused laborers. (And while animal rights and human rights go hand-in-hand, for me human rights are still of higher importance.) By supporting sustainable and ethical farm practices[5], I am honoring human rights and Planet Earth as well.
3.) Reduce the overall amount of meat that I consume. This is mainly because it’s difficult to find such ethical places as I described in #2. So, I can at least reduce my commercial meat consumption in order to decrease my financial support of those factory farms. At the same time I get to save money and avoid unhealthy meat products. I can still get protein from seafood, organic dairy[6], organic or native eggs, and organic peanut butter, which are easier to come by.
Eating meat is one very tangible way of participating in the transformation and linking of energy in the universe.
Maybe we don’t have to go all out like the native American Indians who ritualistically thank the animal spirit for the sacrifice of flesh, but that’s something to ponder on, and it’s always good to have a grateful attitude, whether in the context of religion/spirituality or not.
I must always remember to be thankful for every meal I have the privilege of enjoying: to my parents who are still financially supporting me and paying for my meals; to the people who grew and harvested and transported and processed the meal; and to the universe for providing the resources and energy.
Thank you everyone for reading! :)
And, special thanks to those of you who answered my question: Do you eat meat?
(Those of you who haven’t answered yet may still do, by the way.) So now I’m curious because some of you answered there that you avoid, or do not eat, pork and/or beef. Why pork? Why beef? Why not, for example, chicken? :)
Ask or tell me anything — and if you like, let me know what I can call you, instead of just “Anonymous”.
For those of you who hear me say, “I don’t drink milk anymore because it causes pimples.” I want to explain why I’ve been telling this to people for the past several months.
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But first! An important disclaimer:
I am not a health professional of any sort, and have received no formal education in this field. I’m only sharing here what I’ve learned, and am learning, about what works for my own body, based on personal research and experimentation. Please remember that each body is different and what works for me may not work for you. Based on my own experiences, and those of others, I am confident in believing that the human body responds positively— enthusiastically!— to a good range of wholesome, natural foods (combined of course with proper exercise, rest, and a healthy spirit).
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Here’s my story. Most of you who know me well, know that I love milk. I love dairy in general. Anything cream, cheese, butter. Yum! So the whole “milk causes pimples” thing has been difficult for me to swallow. But, I love my skin (and my health) more, so I decided to try it. I stopped drinking fresh cow’s milk. After several months of not getting big and frequent pimples, and noticing that I do get a zit every time I eat or drink cow dairy products, I had to admit defeat. :C I did not want to believe it, but that’s what happened. So now I mostly avoid dairy. Sometimes it’s just really hard to pass up that ice cream or pizza, and I get a pimple the next day.
I must qualify that when I say “milk” and “dairy” here, I am referring in particular to processed (pasteurized and homogenized) milk products harvested from unhealthy unhappy cows (GMO corn-fed cows who are pumped full of antibiotics and RBGH). Let’s go through this one by one:
Antibiotics— Cows raised in “factory farms” are kept in dirty, crowded conditions, and they are not fed proper cow food (GMO corn is not proper cow food, they should be eating nice green grass). These cows would simply die if they weren’t injected full of antibiotics. The antibiotics keep them alive enough to keep producing milk, but not much else. Of course, this stuff gets into the cow’s milk. You know why doctors are supposed to be careful in prescribing antibiotics to humans, right? Antibiotics kill most, but not all, disease-causing organisms. The pathogens that survive become stronger and immune to those antibiotics. So stronger and stronger antibiotics are used to kill these; while stronger and stronger pathogens develop. Many farm workers, the people who are most highly exposed to these antibiotics, have already become so allergic to them that if ever they get sick in a way that needs antibiotics, they can’t be treated anymore. When you drink that milk, you expose yourself to that risk as well.
RBGH— Recombined Bovine Growth Hormone. Basically makes the cow’s udders bigger in order for them to produce unnaturally large quantities of milk. In fact, their udders grow so big that they often drag on the ground, and are constantly full of wounds, pus, bacteria, dirt, all of which goes into the milk of course! Synthetic hormones are generally risky… we just don’t really understand hormones very well yet. But we do know that a hormone-type chemical can cause big changes even in just tiny tiny doses. This totally makes sense to me - no wonder milk causes my pimples! It’s a hormone thing! Now, pimples are one thing— at least they’re external— but hormones are deeply involved in the way our bodies work; especially the reproductive system. I’ve read articles claiming that milk— processed milk from unnaturally-raised cows— has been linked to breast cancer and other problems related to the reproductive system. Again, makes sense to me after researching on RBGH.
GMO corn as cow feed— Cows are supposed to eat grass. That’s their natural food. The reason why factory farms feed them GMO corn is… kind of a long story… but basically, it’s cheap, easy, and it fattens them up real quick. But it’s no good for cows at all. It’s like fast food for humans… cheap, easy, fattens you up quick. (By the way, fast food for humans IS mostly made of GMO corn too!) It’s terrible for the health. The cows, who are already suffering from dirty and crowded conditions, are subjected to yet another factor that makes the overuse of antibiotics necessary just to keep them alive. And of course, garbage in, garbage out. The cow’s body can make milk out of that bad food, but it’s definitely bad milk.
Pasteurization and homogenization— If the cows were happy and healthy, they would produce clean and healthy milk that can be taken raw and would not need any processing for consumption. That raw milk would be a living, wonderful, healthy liquid full of good microorganisms and nutritional value! As it is, though, the milk from those unhappy unhealthy cows is just so sick and dirty and gross that you really have to process the crap out of it just to get it passable for human consumption. Any real nutritional value it could’ve had, is processed out as well of course.
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Don’t just take my word for it! I’ve just summarized for you the results of my personal research to explain those things above. I totally encourage you to do your own research, and to try and see if it works for you too. It is time-consuming to read up on all this, but do remember that you only get one body— you can’t replace it with a new one ever! So take good care of it and make informed decisions, because being healthy means being able to continue doing the activities you love. It’s not just for yourself. If you take good care of yourself, you’ll be able to better care for those you love, as well as set a good example. If you are a woman who plans to have children, then start being healthy as early as you can… your future baby’s health depends on your womb’s health which depends on your overall health. So I hope later you’ll check out the list I made at the bottom, giving you links and recommendations to further reading. :)
So does this mean goodbye to creamy and cheesy things forever? Nope, thank goodness there are other types of milk products available. I am talking about milk products that are non-processed (or are at least less processed), and come from happy healthy animals that are grass-fed and not injected with synthetic hormones or antibiotics. Due to the estrogen issue of soy products, I don’t want to recommend soy milk (or any unfermented soy product for that matter— breast cancer issues again— but that’s a whole other essay!) as an alternative milk. I would recommend milk products coming from goats, water buffalos (kalabaw), and almond nuts. If you can find a source for milk from happy healthy cows, that’s good too. Personally, I’ve mostly switched to kalabaw dairy because it’s so creamy, so yummy, and available so near me. Kesong puti yumyum! Goat milk’s a little harder to come by; almond milk even harder, and so expensive, but I must say it’s really yummy.
Where to get these wonderful kalabaw milk products? I’ve made a Google Map of my sources in Metro Manila.
This Google Map is also my ongoing project for mapping sources of eco-friendly and organic goods.
If you have more sources, please do let me know about them and let’s share this info! :)
P.S. Arce Dairy ice cream (I swear I am not their official endorser I just really love their queso ice cream :P) is made from carabao milk, yay! Extra-creamy guilt-free goodness. Just check the ingredients label to make sure it really says “water buffalo” or “carabao” milk because I think some of their flavors are made from cow milk.
Where to get calcium if I choose not to drink any sort of milk at all?
I don’t really know much about this but try: malunggay (moringa), papaya, sesame seeds.
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Sources & Recommended Reading
Is Soda Pop or Milk Healthier?
A very comprehensive explanation of the true health value of real milk vs. that stuff that’s sold to us in cartons in supermarkets. (If you’ll be drinking that stuff, you might as well be drinking soda.)
“The Omnivore’s Dilemma” by Michael Pollan (Book)
What should I have for dinner? Where does my food come from? Who makes it, and how? What’s in it? Is it good for me?
And why does it require scientists, investigative journalists, and healthcare professionals to answer such basic questions?
This is an excellent book for exploring food, and humankind’s relationship with food. A wealth of info for the majority of us living in utter disconnect with the sources of our food— we don’t anymore see where it comes from and how it gets to us, and what things happen along the way. I learned a lot about the GMO corn and soy industry and “factory farms” here.
* Also see documentary film, “Food, Inc.” narrated by this same author.
The Meatrix
“What is the meatrix? It is the story we tell ourselves about where our meat and animal products come from… a fantasy”
Fun short animated cartoon films summarizing life on the factory farm, and why this is bad for both animals and humans. Those pictures of clean farms with happy cows, on the packaging of meat and milk products? An illusion. Take the red pill and discover the truth. :)
Milk: Healthy or Not?
I think the comments here are more interesting than the post itself. :)
I’m pretty happy with my skin now. Pimples are small, few, and far in between. I’ve found that it’s a combination of diet, exercise, and organic skincare products. Here’s what I do, that works well for me:
DIET:
- more veggies and fruits
- more seafood than other types of meat
- avoid junk food and fast food
- avoid cow dairy * this seems to be the crucial point. I’ve stopped drinking fresh cow milk and ever since then, I stopped getting big pimples! I drink carabao milk instead. :)
- fresh buko juice and meat every day
- avoid white stuff (rice, bread, sugar); consume the brown versions instead
EXERCISE:
- I’m doing at least half an hour on the treadmill every day, plus at least ten minutes of stretching.
ORGANIC SKINCARE PRODUCTS:
- facial wash, facial scrub, facial toner, facial moisturizer all by human ❤ nature. I cannot stress how lovely the facial scrub is! It really helps clear my oily T-zone. :)
- body soap - I like to try various scents by various brands, as long as they’re organic
- Giga Tea Tree Oil - I use this *every* day on my T-zone, and dab a bit on other areas if they get pimples.
- Virgin Coconut Oil - for rashes and any other skin problems. This is a cure-all! :)
- AllOrganics natural deodorant spray - works totally well, even with gym usage! This is great because commercial deodorants carry the risk of breast cancer. =\
And of course, I avoid wearing all makeup. If I want to look a little rosy, I just put on a little blush and that’s it. Any more is reserved for special occasions / nights out.
As a start, I’m not saying sugar is good for you. That said, there are a number of myths that always pop up each time a new food item is delivered to us. Trans fat, given to us in the ’50s a miracle of it’s time and the healthiest fat on the market came out fairly recently as being a serious issue, and I know the sugar alternatives haven’t been in studies for 50 years. In the late ’70s sugar was linked to hyperactivity in children. In the mid ’90s that was reversed. Scientists discovered it was actually observationally bias by teachers and parents.
Our understanding of foods and chemicals and how they affect our bodies is so limited that we regularly reverse decisions. As I was growing up, eggs, butter, and to a certain extent fish were bad for you, now eggs are good for you and butter has almost become a neutral fat. And the oil from fish is one of the better things for you. All cholesteral was bad, now we have good and bad cholesteral.
Basically what I’m saying is, with natural foods we’ve got 1000s of years of data, with most chemicals we get a decade or 2. Saying those chemicals are FINE for your health and BETTER then a natural food may be jumping the gun by a few decades. The food industry isn’t really much better (on any of the three sides) than than the pharmaceuaticals, as a matter of fact, the same administration in the US that governs the approval of new chemicals (drugs) for prescription and over the counter use (consumption), is the same admin that governs the additions of chemicals for food additive or consumption, otherwise known as the Food and Drug Admistration, FDA. I won’t say it’s fact, however since death by overdose, and the harmful side effects of many drugs probably gets those drugs looked at more than many of the chemicals allowed ingestible as food, at least for the publicity if the FDA allows in a new drug with a serious side effect. (In the US potato chips that supposedly may cause anal leakage were actually allowed through)
