Moral dilemnas Part 1

We are bombarded with messages of what we should and shouldn't eat these days.  From studies touting cholesterol reducing margarine, to companies claiming their vegetables are picked and frozen quicker, it can be a challenge to decide who to believe.  Just some of the things I have been looking at in the last few days have told me that I need to do the following--or my health is at stake:

• Eat 5 fruit and veg a day
• Eat only low fat dairy products
• Eat only raw, full fat dairy products
• Eat lots of meat
• Try to eat meat free several times per week
• Eat only new age margarine and sparingly
• Eat only natural oils such as butter, coconut oil, and cold pressed olive oil
• Take supplements
• Supplements are not necessary

I already knew that my diet isn't perfect before I got scared to death by the above statements and their accompanying research studies.  I eat sweet treats, lots of fruit and veg, a mix of grains (including white bread sometimes, shock horror!), some chicken, fish, meat, eggs....  And I think I kinda do ok. 

Ideally I would take the time to eat a whole foods diet.  We try to grow our own and buy locally when we can.  I go for Fairtrade items regularly (but not always), and buy free range when our budget does not stretch to organic.  We work hard to reduce waste and compost as much as we can.

I would love to grow more, raise chickens, goats and bees.  And I hope to manage some of these things soon.  But at the moment it is difficult to fit them in to my current lifestyle.  In addition, it is difficult to know what to grow, and eat when faced with all of the decisions outlined above.