America is sick and fat and sadly, this includes our children.
As advocates of Traditional Diet and movement, most readers of this blog are doing everything in their power to avoid this by eating right and exercising correctly.
One would think our government and healthcare system would encourage the same. Well wake up Cinderella, that is just another fairytale.
Let’s take a look at the real world.
You won’t believe what I recently received in the mail from Blue Cross and Blue Shield, a large provider of sickcare healthcare in the United States.
No doubt, Blue Cross and Blue Shield (BCBS) is a well-respected insurance company. I am grateful to be able to afford the necessary coverage and it has come in handy in recent years. However, they, like other companies providing medical coverage, are contributing to sickness and obesity rather than encouraging the eating and movement habits that will improve the health of America.
Take a look at the coupons which accompanied the letter above.
“In the pursuit of health”. . . really? Let’s look at these coupons one by one:
Sugar Free Cookies: zero cholesterol! Ingredients: Enriched wheat flour (flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), maltitol, vegetable oil (canola, soybean, palm and palm kernel, sunflower), sugar-free chocolate chips (maltitol, chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, soy lecithin, vanillin), natural and artificial flavor, salt, sodium bicarbonate, eggs, acesulfame potassium, whey, artificial color (FD&C yellow #5, FD&C yellow #6). (5501206).
Well I’ll spare you great detail and cover this one with the artificial sweetener clause [These are not food! Creepy laboratory products with sketchy safety record. Artificial sweeteners have been shown to produce an insulin response.] Not to mention the inclusion of refined grains and vegetable oils—known contributors to Metabolic Syndrome along with a cocktail of chemicals.
Suggestion: Eat some fruit w/ raw cream or raw cheese. The natural cholesterol is beneficial to health. It is the processed cholesterol in factory foods that is to be avoided.
Hellmann’s Mayo w/ Olive Oil: sounds great and there is olive oil in it. However—Ingredients: water, soybean oil, olive oil, modified potato starch, vinegar, salt, sugar, lemon juice, sorbic acid and calcium disodium edta (used to protect quality), natural flavor, paprika, oleoresin. Man-made fake fats and vegetable oils—need I say more?
Suggestion: Make your own healthy mayo from quality ingredients such as olive or coconut oils.
Kellogg’s Cereals “Take care of your heart”: Extruded, processed grains + sugars. That’ll take care of your heart all right—make the heart surgeons a little richer.
Suggestion: Nitrate/nitrite free bacon and eggs w/ some veggies or fruit on the side. If you eat grains, make your own properly prepared, cold breakfast cereal.
Eggland’s Best Eggs: Really, excuse me I thought the free range hen that ate some bugs produced the best egg? Although this is probably the least bad out of the bunch. Watch this eye opening video.
Suggestions: Farm fresh eggs are ideal if you are able to procure; not that bad of a substitute but opt for the cage free organic if going with Egglands.
Hormel Natural Choice: Ingredients: Turkey Breast Meat, Water, Salt, Potato Starch, Turbinado Sugar, Rice Starch, Carrageenan (from seaweed), Baking Soda, Celery Juice Powder, Lactic Acid Starter Culture (not from Milk). Not the worst I’ve seen but we can definitely do better. Not a big fan of potato starch and sugar on my meat but it’s probably better than McDonalds.
Suggestions: Roast a whole chicken, grass fed beef or turkey breast instead, can slice up for leftovers.
Blue Bunny Sweet Freedom: Certainly not freedom from disease! This is from their Vanilla ice cream:
INGREDIENTS: Skim Milk, Cream, Maltodextrin, Polydextrose, Sorbitol, Contains less than 1% of Glycerine, Propylene Glycol Monoesters, Mono And Diglycerides, Guar Gum, Carob Bean Gum, Vanilla Extract and Artificial Vanilla Flavor, Cellulose Gel, Cellulose Gum, Annatto for Color, Carrageenan, Acesulfame Potassium, Sucralose, Vitamin A Palmitate.
and this is from their Caramel and Vanilla Swirl Bars
INGREDIENTS: Light Ice Cream: Milk, Skim Milk, Maltitol, Inulin, Polydextrose, Cream, Citrus Fiber, Propylene Glycol Monoesters, Mono And Diglycerides, Guar Gum, Carob Bean Gum, Carrageenan, Natural and Artificial Flavors, Caramel Color and Annatto Extract for Color, Sucralose, Vitamin A Palmitate. Chocolate Flavored Coating: Vegetable Oil (Coconut, Soybean) , Lactitol, Cocoa Processed With Alkali, Whey, Chocolate Liquor, Soy Lecithin, Sucralose, Vanillin.
Hmmm, anyone know another name for Propylene Glycol? Try “edible” anti-freeze.
Suggestions: Make your own homemade ice cream from raw dairy. Next best is store bought organic with minimal ingredients but have in moderation occasionally.
Sensa Weight Loss Product: What exactly is in SENSA®?
SENSA® contains Maltodextrin (Derived from Corn from the USA), Tricalcium Phosphate, Silica, Natural and Artificial Flavors. SENSA® also contains Soy and Milk ingredients. SENSA® is sodium-free, sugar-free, calorie free, and there are no stimulants, drugs or MSG.
Suggestions: A Primal and/or Traditional Diet and proper exercise, it’s not rocket science.
Summary of our healthcare system? The blind leading the blind.
Smart folks these days are switching to health care sharing instead.
This guy may have helped some of us find relief.
” No doubt, Blue Cross and Blue Shield (BCBS) is a well respected insurance company. ”
Really? LOL!
Read ” Deadly Spin ” by Wendall Potter
I have more respect for the mafia than health insurance companies
@ Tony: Oh Tony, you’re wonderful !!! You sound exactly like my husband. He has more respect for the mafia and the drug lords than he does for our twitty politicians and our medical/insurance entwined industries.
Beth made a comment somewhere around here about how since most hospitals/clinics are now for-profit organizations that’s their biggest interest – profit. She is 100% correct. And this isn’t new, either. Profit has been the goal for over a century already, but the “system” used to be a little more caring of the ill and dying than they are now. Today they don’t care, which is why it should never be called health care. It’s disease motivated profit and has not one blessed thing to do with caring.
Did anyone see that TED talk about architechtural yogurt? If hospitals really wanted to solve a major portion of the problem they have today with nosocomial stuff, they’d explore options like what was suggested in that talk. But they have no intention of doing any such thing. Continued illnesses mean big money and they are NOT going to jeopardize that with healthy options. No way.
to reply to the writer that said Green Pastures still has the FCLO , they do but they don’t have the butter oil to go with it. Not in the emulisfied form anyway. I just tried to get some yesterday. Unless you know of a way to get it. 🙂
A WAPF farm (actually Sally Fallons home) down the street from me sells the butter oil and cod liver oil so whenever they have it I’ll just get it from there!
Since I moved to the UK, I don’t have to deal with this (thank heavens), but sadly, the conventional wisdom here is no different. The government, doctors, food companies…they all tell us we can eat all the processed crap we want, as long as it’s “low-fat.”
Oh the irony of it all…ALL of IT…IRONY! I am actually getting a rebate on my BCBS health premiums due to the 80/20 clause in the Heathcare Bill. I am glad of the rebate….but WOW….the SHEER IGNORANCE that letter represents!!!!!
“One would think our government and healthcare system would encourage the same. ”
It’s obvious, but I thought I’d point it out anyway. Blue Cross Blue Shield has nothing to do with the government. The government deserves blame for some things, sure. But to conflate government with corporations doesn’t help solve this problem. Privately held corporations are legal entities that pursue profit above all else, and money is the motivation for BCBS, Monsanto, and the rest.
Yes, the government is separate from BCBC to a degree but equally to blame for the health situation in America because of their inability along with large informational institutions such as the American Heart Association to adapt to new information, the mess of bad legislation and bad science which contributes to America’s ill health and obesity. The government also “pursues profit” and is motivated by money.
BCBS is an association of about 40 independent health insurance companies – corporations – who license the Blue Cross and Blue Shield brand names. It is not a government entity. Just sayin’. If we’re going to try to change something we need to be clear on what we’re changing. Accuracy is important.
And by the way, I agree with your point about the bad information, bad science, and bad legislation. All coming from the large institutions. It’s sad and scary.
Our economy is based on sick people.
Thank you for bringing this out in the open. This is just so sad and ridiculous. We use Blue Cross and Blue Shield and you’re right, you would think they’d be the biggest educators and advocates on healthy eating and lifestyles. We’re really in a sorry state where many people don’t even know what real food is anymore. It’s good to know some people are still on their toes and telling the truth. I’ll be the first to admit, I don’t buy free range or farm fresh eggs yet but you’ve certainly made me think twice!
I just got an email from Radiant Life saying that the Premiere Cod Liver Oil is no longer being manufactured and is being discontinued….thats inlcluding the Greeen Pastures brand correct? Do you know anything about this? Is “Premiere” just another brand?
Yes, “Premiere” is just another brand and it’s being discontinued. Radiant Life says they have it in capsules only if you still want this brand until the supply is exhausted. This has nothing to do with Green Pastures band.