Pollan’s ‘Rules to Eat By’
I’m always eager to read more when I see an article by Michael Pollan, author of Omnivore’s Dilemma and In Defense of Food, in the New York Times. While Michael Pollan does not have celiac disease or a gluten allergy, he writes about food, that it should enjoyed, and that we should consume it in its most natural state, with as few stops from farm to table as possible.
One of the things I love most about Pollan’s writing is that he encourages his readers to eat well and eat sensibly. Being a conscious eater has become a political priority for many, as well as a nutritional concern, but for us celiacs, we simply have no other choice but to be conscious consumers.
Because of my celiac disease, I’ve become much more aware of the many different issues facing food, nutrition, environment, politics and our nation’s health today. Georgia floods, nutritional labels, government legislation, and advertising all affect what we eat. I agree with Pollan in that we should be the ones to control what goes into our bodies, not the media and our culture.
In Pollan’s article,“Rules to Eat By,” in this Sunday’s New York Times Magazine, he talks about our dietary choices and how we make those decisions. While a short article, it raises great questions for readers about who we listen to as consumers. Earlier this year he asked readers to provide their own wisdom on eating. At the bottom of the article, you can click on a link to Pollan’s 20 favorite responses from his readers. While most responses are short and simple, they are insightful and thoughtful bits of wisdom. Click here to check them out. You can also post your own “rules to eat by.” My personal favorite is “pack your own lunch each day.”
There are many reasons I’m thankful for my celiac diagnosis, and one of them is the fact that I always pay attention to what I’m putting into my body. I enjoy food more now than I ever did before and I have a responsibility to my health to know more about where my food came from and how it got to my table.
