YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT
Who said this and what does it actually mean? French gastronomist and lawyer Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin coined the expression towards the end of the eighteenth century. He actually said ‘Tell me what you eat and I’ll tell you what you are’.
Nowadays he might re-word his message to read ‘Tell me what you eat and I’ll tell you about your state of health’. I can’t imagine anyone would argue with that. However, how many of us have taken an in-depth look at our dietary regime?
NO THANKS
These days there seems to be more emphasis on what we have than what we are. And certainly what we are in terms of general health appears to be of little concern until we get sick. That may sound odd, but if we think we’re well, we’re less inclined to worry about our future health. Imagining we might get some serious illness or condition when we get older, seems depressing so we probably don’t think about it too much – then it happens and we’re in a pickle: ‘Doctor, make me well!’
The modern world is so full of distractions that the whole process of eating is treated in an increasingly casual way. In the past and in some surviving tribal societies, a great deal of time is spent organising, cooking and enjoying the next meal. Now we’re often too busy with other stuff to bother. Eating on the move is not uncommon.
ORGANIC QUALITY
How many of us place what we put inside ourselves high on our list of priorities? We’re told our body is our temple. Surely it deserves to be fuelled with quality food provided by nature. If we take care not to eat fake food, full of chemicals and cheap ingredients, we’re sparing our bodies the need to detox our systems daily. Our internal organs have to keep up the good work of filtering and distributing nutrients until the day we die. If we ask too much of them, they can’t cope and we get ill. The more rubbish we eat, the harder they have to work and the sooner they become overloaded and pack up.
We should pay a lot of attention to what we put inside our bodies, making sure it is of the best quality and consists of the necessary range of nutrients. However, a high percentage of the food we see on the supermarket shelves is processed and likely to contain undesirable ingredients. The packaging may promise all sorts of goodies, but the reality is far from healthy.
TO BE AVOIDED
When I was growing up, my mother spent around 30% of household income on food. Nowadays people are more likely to spend around 10%. The main reasons for this are changes in lifestyle, expectation and the overall cost of living.
The first two we have a certain control over, the third is more or less out of our hands.
Every book and website I’ve referred to in my research into Dementia, gives advice about the best diet we can follow, either for preventative reasons or if we’re already a sufferer. The basic food recommendations are:
POSITIVE CHOICES
- predominantly plant-based – fresh, in season and organic
- legumes
- fish – small quantities, only from non-polluted waters
- chicken – organic, small quantities
- eggs – free range, organic, in moderation
- nuts and seeds – organic, in moderation
- olive or coconut oil for cooking – best quality available
- lots of herbs and spices – particularly top-quality turmeric
- fermented foods and pro-biotics – include when possible
GOOD PROTEIN NUTS AND LEGUMES
TO BE AVOIDED
- dairy, cut it out if possible
- foods containing gluten (Dr David Perlmutter’s ‘Grain Brain’ is a very persuasive read)
- sugar
- table salt – only Himalayan pink salt in moderation
- processed products
- products containing GM (genetically-modified) ingredients
- diet products
- artificial sweeteners
Coffee and alcohol – mixed opinions on these, but moderation always advised.
THE JURY IS STILL OUT – NO SURPRISE
We’re also advised against eating too much carbohydrate because that adds up to sugar. (‘Grain Brain’ covers this too)
It’s important to remember that we aren’t all physiologically identical, so some of us will adapt easily to a healthier diet, some may not. It’s a question of determination and discipline. (my husband, Leaf, had three weeks of casein protein withdrawal symptoms when he came off dairy!)
The dietary guidelines are aimed at prevention of dementia but apply equally to other serious illnesses such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes – major killers in today’s society. The last three of which can be cured, or at least controlled, by major changes in lifestyle. Sadly dementia, as yet, cannot be. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t eat as healthily as possible – a good diet can help slow down the deterioration process.
A PICTURE OF HEALTH
And we’ll feel loads better too!
To know more about how the BIOCOOP chain of French organic supermarkets is run, herewith a piece I wrote a few years back for my previous blog POT POURRI:
Fully Cooperative
June 21, 2013
When I lived in Brighton back in the seventies, I bought basic supplies at Infinity Foods. In those days I don’t think the word ‘organic’ (biologique) was used – the description was ‘health foods’. I was concerned when I came to live in France in the late eighties that there wouldn’t be an equivalent and indeed I was unable to find one in my area. Eventually I discovered a small health food shop in nearby Cahors.
Times have changed, as they do. Living further south now, we’re well catered for. There are four Biocoops within reasonable distance, the nearest being around 20km away. Supermarkets have bio sections, but they’re very limited. There are other organic food stores too, but we primarily shop at Biocoop and are very impressed by the quality, service and range of foods.
The Biocoop organisation is not a chain, nor does it operate franchises. It’s a federation with, at the end of 2012, 340 shops throughout France. In fact, it’s now considered the leading network selling organic products.
Back in the late sixties and the days of the soixante-huitards(sixty-eighters), when students and workers rose up against the system, groups of eco-minded consumers got together to buy direct from farmers producing organically. In1987 a federation of producer/farmer cooperatives was formed and three regional centres were established – South, South West and Brittany. This led, in 1990, to the first shops, which were set up in areas surrounding the centres. In ’93 the Biocoop Charter came into being – shops wishing to join the expanding federation would be required to abide by more stringent rules. Producers and suppliers selling through the shops would be investigated and accepted (or not) on the basis of ethical practice as well as strict adherence to existing organic certification standards. In 1997, the federation celebrated its tenth birthday with the decision to become a ‘non-profit association’. In 2002 they changed the statute to allow for profit-sharing among members.
The Biocoop watchwords are cooperation, sustainability, transparency, fair trade and quality. In addition to following EU organic rulings, which ban the use of synthetic chemicals, they require farmer producer/suppliers to:
- practice crop rotation
- maintain the organic balance of their soil
- recycle organic materials
- supply their animals with exclusively organic feed and produce the feed themselves
- have a thorough knowledge of animal and plant cycles
Other Biocoop criteria include biodegradability, cruelty-free testing, no artificial flavourings, no GM, eco-packaging, no plastic-bottled water, no airfreight and fair treatment of the workers involved in production.
The national Biocoop governing body employs around 700 staff and, across the network, shops employ around 2,500. Product awareness training is good – staff are expected to be able to advise and inform customers – and top staff are not paid more than 3-4 times the national minimum wage. Being part of the Biocoop organisation is about commitment to the organic cause.
A visit to one of their shops is pleasantly time-consuming – perusing the selection of unusual products alongside the better-known ones is fun as well as interesting – a creative cook’s paradise. The banks of en vrac (in bulk) serve-yourself dry goods dispensers mean prices for most of the basics are very competitive and sometimes cheaper than non-organic. You can buy as much or as little as you want and re-use paper bags time and time again. The fruit and vegetables are more expensive but the taste is nearly always superior. A big advantage over supermarket organic fruit and veg, which have to be packaged to differentiate them from non-organic – inevitably the quality and freshness are likely to be dubious.
Whenever we go to Tarbes, we shop at the Odos branch Biocoop where the product selection is large, we can buy anything from wine to cleaning materials – just like any supermarket really – and then stay for lunch in their little restaurant (it seats around a dozen). If you’ve never been, do give Biocoop a try some day. It’s a far more agreeable shopping experience than a trip to a ‘grand espace’ (big supermarket).
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