Rebuilding Local Food Systems for Better Health and a Stronger Economy

If the benefits of supporting local farmers, reducing calories, improving taste, and enjoying the peace of mind that comes from home-cooked meals weren’t already enough, you now have another compelling reason: new research shows that ultra-processed foods are causing a wide range of health issues. These problems span from general health concerns to excess calorie consumption—not to mention the chemicals commonly added to these products.

I had this idea once 
of buying 40 acres,
20 for hunting
20 for field and a
movable paddock livestock.
I can't get my potatos to
grow in my pot right. 
That idea might be out.
Maybe maybe not.
Thinking about for retirement
down the road but may
want to start soon.

The article referenced below also highlights the rapid growth of food industries and large distributors. One lesson we should have carried forward from COVID is the importance of maintaining local food sources. While this short piece isn’t focused on where to buy your food, it is worth considering how much of your diet could come from locally grown produce. Strengthening local farming could help small farmers return to the land and build direct relationships with customers—cutting out layers of industry profits that typically don’t benefit local communities.

Like many of you, I also struggle to find the time to cook. I’m getting better, though, and one thing I’ve realized is that cooking in bulk is a major time-saver. You don’t have to do everything at once, either. If I’m busy, I’ll mix a dough, let it rest in the refrigerator for a while, and come back later to finish it. It doesn’t always go perfectly, but it often works—and it saves me time.

When you shop, try to choose foods with the least amount of processing and the lowest number of “empty calories” that don’t contribute to your health. I’ve heard people note that fresh, healthy food is becoming more expensive while cheap, highly processed food seems to get even cheaper—which can feel discouraging when trying to make better choices. We might encourage our leaders to think about that before they vote on legislation.

Still, we should be thinking about ways to improve food quality, strengthen food resilience, and support our economy at the same time. Building a robust local farm system—and encouraging young people to return to farms abandoned during the mass consolidation of the 1970s—could play an important role.

As a licensed fitness and yoga trainer, I’ll also add this: if you need help getting started, feel free to reach out and I can set something up virtually. Going to the gym is great, and I’ve been switching up my own routine because adaptability and variety often lead to better overall performance. But we need to master our food choices, too, because research consistently shows that nutrition is a major contributor to overall fitness and long-term health.

Ultra Processed Foods