The lack of transparency about how our food is grown and distributed, and the corrupt politics that have come to rule our most basic needs, impacts all of us. In the US, transparency and truth have been taken over by profit and monopolization, pushing two vital things that we need to thrive—clean water and nutritious food—further away from our reach.

We need to be talking about this. If we don’t scrutinize it, we may not see it clearly in our day-to-day lives, but the issue will worsen. Some may not want to examine the facts. There’s too much to worry about in the world. Why can’t we simply trust that the food presented on the shelves in our local market is the best for us? I hear this, and I understand. But still: We cannot look away.

My advocacy for accessibility and transparency in food was born out of several things. My heath journey was the first catalyst. I have struggled with various autoimmune conditions throughout the majority of my life. I haven’t been taken seriously by conventional doctors when I broached taking a more holistic path. I’ve been brushed off by colleagues and friends, quickly told to try this prescription or avoid this ingredient. These obstacles prompted me to charter my own course; to educate myself in various protocols and disciplines to rid my system of toxins and nourish my body.

As I began to heal and to see the vitality that can come from eating a nutrient-rich diet that complements my constitutional needs, I faced a dichotomy. On one hand, I was empowered. Food really is medicine, and it is both the root cause and answer to so many health-related issues. This is incredible. On the other hand, nutritious food, and the information surrounding it, is not ubiquitous. So often, it is inaccessible, and a privilege. To make matters worse, our food system uses certain marketing tactics that make certain food appear to be healthier than they truly are. This is wrong.

This injustice became even more glaring when I became a mother. As any mother is, the health of my child became paramount. How can I ensure that the food my daughter eats isn’t going to hurt her? I can lead by example and teach her how to source and cook quality foods. I can embolden her to make the best choices for herself. To read food labels and follow her instinct. I can teach her to be a self-empowered, discerning consumer. But what about the larger world? What can I do about a food industry that cares more for corporate special interests than her health? Why do I need to worry about her being exposed to cancer-causing chemicals that are legally added to foods? How is this even allowed in this country?

In the US, large corporations have a chokehold on the very systems that are meant to protect us. We have this big ominous organization, the FDA, that is supposed to be looking out for us. The FDA approves certain foods and food-like substances, stating they are “safe” to claim space on our plates and in our bodies. What this does is give us a false sense of security. We think: This is FDA-approved, so it must be okay.

In truth, that is not the case. The FDA, and the entire food industry, is manipulated by the organizations with the most money and that have the most invested interest. Look at any conventional brand, and the chances are great that it is owned or controlled by one of the large corporations, like Tyson. These corporations are more focused on profit than health, therefore they employ practices that cut costs and push large amounts of product into production. This is seen in the vast amounts of large-scale monoculture farming (like corn and soy), confined animal feeding systems, and the constant use of chemical fertilizers and antibiotics. All of these practices, and the many others, are bad for our health and planet.

Furthermore, the majority of the large-scale, corporate crops grown in the US are considered to be “commodity crops,” that are quickly turned into mass-produced, mass-marketed processed foods. How is that justified? How do we rationalize that in our minds?

Where it gets even more maddening (and scary), is when we look at other nations. During my international travels, I’ve researched the local food systems and talked to local farmers and chefs. The deplorable practices allowed in the US are often a distant concept across another border. What we pay a premium for here in the US—grass-fed, free-range, pesticide-free, organic, fresh—is the default in other countries.The European Nation is stricter with labeling. In the US, shelves are filled with food products covered in misleading food labels with meaningless buzzwords like “natural” and “made with organic ingredients.” The EU allows no such manipulation. Items can be labeled organic only if they are, in fact, 95 to 100 percent organic. Any shrewd claims are not allowed.

The corruption woven through our food system is one of the most immediate threats to our health and planet today—and it extends to every part of our lives. This is why I want to unravel why it matters to care about the whole food system—on a national and global scale—just as much as it matters to care about what comes into our homes and onto our plates. We need to fight for transparency so we can make more informed choices in our day-to-day lives.

Using our voices, time, and dollars to expose the corrupt food industry can have an immediate effect that national politics cannot replicate. We are living during a time of global uncertainty and immense challenges and changes. When we fight as a team, we can galvanize efforts that are much stronger than going it alone. Today, tomorrow, and every day we can take actions—small and large—to participate in and protect the health of ourselves, our families, and our community.

This can start on our plates.

xPrimaFoodie