PK Inaugural Episode: Asthma, Resource Waste, Moderation, and Radical Eating
We’re still working through some startup issues, but couldn’t wait. Look for video as well as audio content next time; but until then, consider this a tasty podcast appetizer!
Highlights
Before we unpack the heavy stuff, maybe we should get to know each other a little bit — listen, to find out Everything You Ever Wanted to Know But Were Afraid to Ask, about who we are and exactly what we’re up to!
Meanwhile, new study links fast food to pediatric asthma, eczema, and hay fever. Another new study finds animal agriculture hugely wasteful of resources (I know: shocking, right?!). In both studies, researchers tiptoe away from the possibility that changing our behavior in these domains might just perhaps be something like maybe sort of a good idea.
One of my recent EatDrinkBetter articles addresses the foolishness of the ‘everything in moderation’ argument, when applied literally to food issues; and o-yes-maam-and-sir, it’s relevant here!
In what must surely be one of the seven signs of the apocalypse, I actually agree with something written in National Hog Farmer! Yes: people should definitely do their homework and seek out food meeting their values as well as nutritional needs. Finally, some sense from that bunch — excellent! (I’ll try not to get used to it…)
Just to (cashew) cheese them off, here are some links exploring the evidence that more plants and less meat is a great idea:
- Death Wish? Eat More Meat!
- (Yet Another) New Study: Reduced Meat Consumption Means Less Chronic Disease, Less Pollution
- Citrus Fruits Linked to Reduced Stroke Risk
- New Study: Plant-Rich Diet Reduces Mortality from Heart Disease, Stroke
- Why Do Vegetarians Live Longer?
- Neal Barnard, John McDougall TED Talks: Health Benefits of a Plant-Based Diet
And the idea’s catching on, as demonstrated by a recent article in popular media about the growing evidence for and popularity of veg-centric eating: Plant-Based Diets: A Primer.
Dawn raised The Lectin Guy’s allegations that beans are vicious health-damaging devil-fruits, in which convo we explore some silly ideas perpetually circulating within popular culture. Discussion includes capitalism, fads, evidence, soy, and marketing.
Melanie Joy’s new article at One Green Planet offers a beautiful summary of why it’s so important to examine the stories we tell ourselves about our food choices.
Housekeeping
We’ve been working on a Kickstarter funding project, to overcome some finite hurdles currently delaying our full-fledged launch. Look for that to go public later this week — we’re pretty excited about it!
Meanwhile, you can lend your voice to the revolution and help us get fully up-and-running by making a one-time donation, or becoming a PK monthly subscriber. You can also follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, or subscribe by email, to keep up with our burgeoning shenanigans!
Feel free to email us feedback, comments, questions, complaints, topics you’d like to see covered here, or anything else that tickles your food-conscious fancy.
This inaugural episode of Progressive Kitch has been brought to you by the words ‘radical‘ and ‘moderation,’ and by the number 10 billion.
Thanks for listening, and happy radical eating!
Image credit: Creative Commons photo by zdenadel.