3/17 Something to think about

[Billie]

We had a conversation at home last night and wondering how you would have weighed in.

Knowing what you know about nutrition today and remember we have the ease of cooking things and the conveniences and utensils, but also we have the chemicals and some knowledge that we would like to eat naturally but can't....would you rather live in the past or would you want to fast forward it and go into the future--choose a time in the past or live in the future?

Sounds like a strange question to make you think perhaps? Yeah probably what can I say it's St. Patrick's Day and I am Irish. For example would you have rather lived say in the old west, or medevil or paleo historic times and their eating and cooking standards or would you take what you know now and go to the future and what will that future hold in eating? Are we going to have even more processed foods, space meals if you will?

What would you choice be? Can't wait to see your thoughts!

[Karen J]

Happy St. Patrick's Day.

I think it would be interesting to experience several different time frames, especially forty thousand years ago and 10-20 years into the future (from today).
I don't know that I would willingly go so far into the past and have to stay there for an extended period of time. I have been spoiled by heat, housing, learning, and transportation. :) However, a few days of intensive study I could live with.

I think about what the future holds for my young children, who are already being indoctrinated into the low-fat dogma by their school teachers.
The thought of waiting 10-20 years for 'our' nutritional knowledge to filter down to the real world is blazingly frustrating and saddening to me. Will my calcium popping, Statin taking, low-fat, hypertensive family members still be alive to continue mocking my 'unhealthy' diet?
I hope it happens sooner than that.

[SherryJ]

'Mornin', Miss Irish! :p

And, WELCOME, Karen J! :)

As for me? I've ALWAYS wanted to live in the South, during the Civil War... and, be a SPY, LOL! No, not for political reasons, but for ROMANTIC ones! You know, being swept off my feet by the "Rett Butler" with the accent, and suave ways; the FEEL of the earth as one grows one's own food; the GATHERING of FAMILY at mealtimes; etc...

Of course, then there's always medieval times, where one eats MEAT with their HANDS; bangs the table for more, etc... WAIT! That's my BOYS fantasy, LOLOLOLOL!!!!

I think going BACK would be better for me, due to the simplicity of the food... no chemicals, etc. AND, being able to work out in the fields would CERTAINLY make Shadow happy as far as getting in a workout!!! :D

What about you, Billie? What did you and Gabe come up with?

Sherry

[gitfiddle]

Oh, this is a no-brainer for me. DH and I do 18th century re-enactments and I've cooked over a fire and washed dishes with sand, carried tepid water in wooden buckets, etc. It's beautiful and picturesque for a week or so in the summer, but waiting for the hunter to come home with the meat, waiting for it to cook, having it spoil without refrigeration... I'm too into instant gratification. I guess I'd opt for the future, eat my food pill and get on with my life. ;)

BTW, top 'o the mornin' to ye all! :D

[Mitra]

No food pills for me. Eating is one of life's pleasures, and I want to enjoy it. But going back in time in England would take away a lot of the variety that I enjoy. Although I don't favour ethnic or fusion cooking, and try not to spread my cuisine out too far, I still manage to range around Britain and the Mediterranean - a much wider range than anybody would have had a few centuries ago. In fact we wouldn't have peppers, tomatoes, and lots of the other things that came from the Americas. England in the winter would probably have meant cabbage, turnips, some grain or other and not as much meat as you wanted (it wasn't until the wheat growing took off a few hundred years ago that there was enough food to keep the cattle alive to keep a supply of meat through the winter.)

So I think I'll stick in the present, and just journey a bit into the past by experimenting with what I can find in old recipe books.

[Billie]

You know we had mixed thoughts. Part of the lure would to be go back and time, and remember the caveat was knowing what we know now about nutrition and really "digest" :D if you will the period you were in. Depending on what it was, there were times when range meats, fresh veggies no pesticides, berries, nuts etc., pretty darn attractive. But Gabe has always wanted to go into space, loves scifi kind of things so that is also a lure. But then what will space be like...what will the future be. Hopefully we are learning from our eating mistakes now but then you think are we--I mean look at the threads about the school and lunches recently, what are we learning?

We just thought it was an interesting discussion :D

[SherryJ]

DEFINITELY an interesting discussion, Billie! :)

And, FUN, too, LOL... thanks!!

Sherry

[Ottawa]

I like where we are right now best but the past would hold a bit more adventure for me, even though I would be more limited in choices.

Although I am a whole food advocate, I believe that within the next ten years we will see more choices in "modified foods" that may not be called low carb but will be low GI and promoted as such as the results of more studies become apparent. As well these foods will be closer to the Walden Farms types, using Cellulose gum or some other 0 calorie base along with some "created" nutrition filling.
The nightmare continues new, great tastes of real wierd foods ....

[hawk]

I would hang out with Lewis and Clark. I would canoe and hike across the country and live off the land. One week out of the summer I love the US/Canadian boundary waters. We take food, but live as much off of fishing as I can. It is glorious, And I feel awesome. As we canoe back to the outfitters,I dread going back to technology. It's my dream vacation. Better than a cruise.:D

[SherryJ]

Oh, Hawk! Can I change my mind and go with you and Meriweather?!?!?!!? LOL... That brings back to mind canoeing trips in the boundary waters when I was 17... wonderful stuff!

Yep, I've changed my mind... I'm going with Hawk! :D

Sherry

[Rhyme'n Reason]

I'm going with the idea that the more primitive life is great for an occasional camping trip, but I really appreciate the convenience of a bag of frozen veggies and some quickly microwaveable meat with my hurried lifestyle...

or maybe I'm just lazy :cool:

Ruth

[Karen J]

If my time-machine is working, I'd like to go with Hawk as well. :)

[Gaelen]

I think I'd stay right here. While the past and the future each hold some appeal for different reasons, I like what I have available to choose from ... and I prefer the current state of medical advances to the medical care available in the past, too. ;)

[Billie]

Yeah you know it is really a fun discussion to have and I change my mind or view on it when I think of this or that. The future could be exciting if we keep the knowledge of the past with us, the past could be exciting bringing what we know now back!

Unless there is a time machine...well maybe keeping in line with today is our best opportunity!

Fun read everyone! Thanks for your thoughts!

[Claudette]

Hi, Miss Irish, Billie,
I knew we had something in common, since my family is of Scottish descent and so is my DH's family. Celts, we are!

Though, I like where I live now, I would love to have lived even 50 years ago in Scotland, in my families clan castle, or atleast in the village near it.

Cooking as they did then, from scratch, no microwavable, convienance stuff at all. Life would have been harder, but the exercise would have been built into the daily work, instead of having to carve out time for it.

Hugs,
Claudette

[hawk]

Any time Sherry> It would be a blast to go on a canoe trip with you. I esspecially love it when a storm is coming in and you canoe out into a larger bay area and the waves are high and the canoe is rolling up and down and the water is hitting your face. WHAAAA HOOOOO!!! What an adventure it is. ( canoes do not sink even when full of water) And everything gets packed in zip lock bags (modern technology)

[SherryJ]

Now, see, Hawk? I wouldn't like THAT part, LOL! In my mind, my canoe trips are ALWAYS sunny, LOL!!!

But, YES, a great time we'd have, for SURE!!!

Sherry

[birdsong]

In thinking about whether I would like to go forward or back, it occurred to me that in my early days of marriage (quite some time ago) I thought it would be romantic to live in Colonial times and be self-sufficient. Life appeared to be so simple. Tasks were all consuming, but there weren't as many varied things to command one's time. You didn't have to learn to say "no" because everyone was pretty busy most of the time with their own tasks.

But as I age and the old body is not as willing as it once was, I do think that my preference is for the conveniences we have now. Food is easier to find, or at least to obtain. Cooking is much quicker, as a rule, and recipes can be modified for ease in preparation. Also, camping trips have become more of a chore than ever before -- they are a sort of throwback to living in more primitive times.

I also am able to say "no" to those who want more of me than I am willing to give with much greater ease and alacrity than before...so the stress level is not as high.

I'm just getting started on this program; I can't imagine why I did not devour the book sooner. I guess I am slow to adapt to change. I know I am going to be greatly helped by all of you wonderful people who are on this same path. Thanks to all for being here for the rest of us...

Hugs, Dotte